Petra Marriott Hotel — Hotel in Maan

The Petra Marriott Hotel just outside Petra is fantastic! The staff was amazing from the minute you get to the front desk to the time you check out and they have a taxi waiting for you.

I chose the Marriott just outside the town of Petra because of its amazing views of the valley. It sits high up. When I went into town, I was glad I did not choose to stay in a hotel there because it is very noisy with hundreds of tourists, concentrated area with lots of traffic (two-way traffic on one-way streets), lots of dust due to the foot traffic, and as a Westerner you may not be used to the call to prayer 5x/day. The Marriott was peaceful and absolutely beautiful.

When I first arrived, the first thing Aymen did was lead me to the lounge where I had a refreshing drink and he checked me in. He and Mohammed could tell I wasn't doing so well (feeling sick) so the latter made me a sage tea. I slept for two hours and was good as new. As I said, the staff was amazing. I was greeted in my room with a complimentary fruit basket. When I went to the pool, Iyad was great in setting me up poolside and answering all my questions regarding spa treatments, dining reservations, and things to do in town. All my dining experiences were outstanding, especially dinner at the Bedouin tent where there was live music. The hotel provides a plethora of offerings for breakfast. A shout out to Mohammed, Ahmed (2), Mahmoud, Omar, and Motaz who took care of me at every meal and by the pool (apologies if I left someone out).

A shuttle is available 3 times in the morning to take you to the Visitors Center and 3 times in the afternoon to bring you back. The room and bathroom were very clean. The toiletries were great and they even included a toothbrush kit (I forgot toothpaste) and a shaving kit. The laundry service was good too and prompt.

The hotel manager, Mr. Farajat, was unbelievable! I have never seen a hotel manager go out of his way to talk to every guest and ensure their needs are met. He approached guests at the pool, the lounge, the lobby, and the Bedouin tent. He is friendly and takes a genuine interest in every guest. He also treats his staff with respect.

Security is not an issue. This was my first trip to Jordan and I never felt a security threat. The Marriott has security measures in place but it does not seem necessary. Jordanians are very friendly and helpful. I honestly do not think you can stay at a finer place in Petra than...

Before starting this particular hotel, I want to mention few things. I am NOT affiliated with Marriott, nor this hotel I am constant traveler, and am Platinum Elite in Bonvoy I have stayed in Marriott hotels in all continents (minus Antarctica, of course)

Given all the above, it is very hard to impress me as a hotel guest. This particular hotel is in good shape, excellent location, great views of Mount Petra. Rooms are clean, bathroom is wonderfully stocked with all amenities, including toothbrushes, shaving needs. They even have slippers and bathrobes. So, everything is great! But impressive? Not for a world traveler as me (and a very modest one, if I can say so, myself).

But this IS a very impressive place. And what makes it so impressive? PEOPLE WORKING IN IT. My first interaction - Ahmad at the front desk. He was very friendly, super accommodating. I came late as I was having GPS issues. He called and ordered the dinner at the restaurant, so I could have my evening meal before kitchen closed. Very close to him was Mousa - a welcoming gentleman in local attire. Extremely hospitable, with a constant smile on his face. What a welcoming check-in experience! Dinner was delicious and the team was amazing! Then came bed time. In the morning, I had an early breakfast as I had a tour of Petra that was planned to start at 7 AM. I was greeted by Qais. Great host. Very accommodating, very friendly, and like a Genie in the bottle - any of your wish is his command. With a great feeling, I approached the omelet station, that was ran by Esra'a. This lady is amazing! I must say, her omelet is one of the best omelets I have tried ANYWHERE.

So. What makes this hotel so impressive... The fact, that I felt as if I was not a guest at a hotel, but at home of my close friends - Jordanian friends. Coming to Jordan for 24 hours was to fulfill one of my bucket lists - to swim/float in the Dead Sea, and to see Petra (treasury). I had no intention of coming back again... But with such a welcoming experience of Petra Marriott staff and other Jordanians, may be I will come back after all. And if I do, I know where I will be staying. I have my home in Jordan at Petra...

Wadi Musa is a small town that caters to huge volumes of tourists visiting Petra. Hence, it’s not a surprise to find that hotel prices are very high while accommodation standards remain fairly basic. This was certainly true of the Marriott as well, which I would classify as a 3 star property, where starting rates were close to 400 JOD per night! Luckily I managed to book a room using points, where the rate was much more reasonable. The location of the hotel is fairly isolated, but it’s just a 5 min drive to either the Petra visitor centre or the town centre.

We stayed for one night. Check-in was friendly and we were given a small upgrade to a room with a valley view. Worth noting - apart from a single suite - all rooms in the hotel are standard 30m units, just differing in views and bedding (1 king vs 2 doubles). Our room was basic but clean and comfortable. We had a nice view, but no balcony. Both upon booking and when I emailed the reservations team to confirm, I was told there would be an extra 100 JOD charge per person after the first 2 people sharing a room. This was concerning as we had 2 young kids with us, but gladly once there there was no mention of any surcharge.

We arrived at lunchtime and there was only one restaurant open for lunch at the hotel, which was the Aretas Lounge. Unfortunately this was a really bad meal. Poor quality food and it took absolutely ages to arrive, despite us being one of the first people to order. Breakfast the next morning was not bad though. It was a buffet with a decent enough selection, and plenty of staff around ensuring things ran efficiently.

There was an outdoor pool which no one was using (think the water was quite cold). Staff were very friendly, definitely punching above the 3 star standard of the hotel. Overall, it was a perfectly adequate hotel for our short visit to Petra, and a great use of...