We will have stayed overnight in the Negev and plan to continue seeing the desert sights on our way to Eilat. Current plan is one night in Eilat and then one in Petra. Would it be better to make the day drive from the Negev a long one and skip the overnight in Eilat in favor of two nights in Petra? Recommended Petra hotels? Thanks!

Check the border open/close times - Eilat & Aqaba - and whether, if late in the day when you arrive on the Jordan side, there's a driver to take you to Petra?

If this is a self-drive, doubt you'll be able to take your Isaeli rental across the border.

You cannot take rental cars from Israel into Jordan. You'd need to take a tour, or spend however many hours catching taxis and buses. Beware the drivers waiting for tourists on the Jordanian side. Eilat is amazing even if you only drive through and look at it. Making the comparison between Eilat and Akaba Israel/Jordan is interesting to say the least. Eilat can be very like Las Vegas, but staying in a small hotel, in town, on the Western side of the main road is probably giving you a more local flavor vs. big flashy and expensive hotels on the other side. If you do stay one night in Eilat, go to the Dolphin Reef and do a 1 hour session in the relaxation pools. It's worth the whole trip to the Middle East! You may have to book ahead. Not cheap, but a once in a lifetime experience.

Thanks for the advice. We are being driven by a private guide. No car rental. We will be met at the Jordanian crossing and handed off to our guide's arranged counterpart. We are leaning towards skipping a night in Eilat and staying two in Petra. We'll ask our guide about the border crossing times. Hotels? How's the Movenpick as a venue and for convenience to Petra itself?

Movenpick is the closest hotel to the entrance.

Hi
We recently stayed 3 nights at the Movenpick at the entance to Petra. Make sure you booked the correct Movenpick there are two. It's a 2 hr drive to Petra from Aqaba. The first night we ate at the buffet at the Movenpick, the food was pretty bad and the other 2 nights we ate at restaurants in Wadi Mussa, which was better and more authentic. The hotel is very nice, desk service was fair, but always correct, the room was very nice and clean. Rooftop was very nice and it is stepping out of the door and being in Petra. We enjoy Eilat very much, stayed at the Dan hotel on the beach for4 nights. Liked the room very much, food was good and a great location. Only a 10 minute taxi drive to the border. Enjoy your trip.