Petra Wooden House — Hotel in Maan

We are from Ireland and stayed here in August, and it was without doubt one of the best travel experiences we’ve ever had anywhere in the world. We’ve travelled across Asia, Africa, Europe and beyond, and this place stands out not only for its comfort and location, but for the unforgettable warmth and hospitality of Mahmoud, the host.

From the moment we arrived, Mahmoud welcomed us like old friends. He sat us down, offered us something to drink, and took the time to show us how to explore Petra properly over two days. He gave us maps, route tips, secret viewpoints and local insights that we never would have discovered on our own. Thanks to him, we didn’t miss a single thing and truly experienced Petra through the eyes of someone who calls it home.

He then surprised us with a complimentary room upgrade, which was such a generous and unexpected gesture, and that evening he cooked us dinner which you can add to your booking for an incredibly fair price. It was so good that we ended up having all our meals with him during our stay. Honestly, the food was the best we had in all of Jordan, and the breakfasts every morning were amazing too.

The house itself is beautiful, peaceful, and full of character. The rooftop view is breathtaking, watching the sunset over the mountains after a long day exploring Petra was magical and something we’ll never forget.

What truly makes Petra Wooden House so special is Mahmoud himself. He genuinely cares about his guests, goes out of his way to help, and treats you like family. Even after we had left for Wadi Rum, he stayed in touch and organised a taxi for us to Aqaba at a discounted price, which he absolutely didn’t have to do, but that’s just the kind of person he is.

If you want more than just a place to stay, and you want to feel the real heart and soul of Jordan, stay here. It is by far the most authentic, honest, and memorable experience you can have in Petra. We left not only having seen one of the world’s great wonders, but feeling like we had connected with the spirit of this incredible country through Mahmoud and his...

Mahmoud, while very friendly, is new to hosting. He admits he wants to feedback to improve his hotel. While the hotel itself is nice, we overall ended with a bad impression of Petra Wooden House due to some issues. I hope the host can take them into consideration so he can provide much better service to future guests. Recommendations for better service include:

Be honest with your guests: you can offer tours or transportation, and even feel good profiting from them, but be honest if they are necessary or if there are alternatives. For the two main tour suggestions offered to us for Petra, we deem both unnecessary in retrospect. You can do the hike to the "best" high viewpoint using a maps application. You do not need to hire a guide for 95 JOD unless you are not good with maps or feel safer with somebody leading you. For the back door to Petra trail, you should inform guests about the free shuttle offered in addition to offering an arguably more convenient taxi. Being honest with the guests will allow them to trust you.

Be transparent with the pricing: if you are arranging a service for the guest, the price should be known upfront. Do not make the guests then negotiate or argue with your friend because the price was not clearly identified. Pricing for other services you offer (breakfast, dinner, laundry) should be communicated in advance so nothing is a shock to the guest.

Use people who provide a high level of service: Anas, the tour guide for the Petra high viewpoint, came late in the morning, asked to smoke in our car, made us stop while he ran an errand and was generally disinterested in interacting with us over the course of three hours. He argued at the end, demanded more money than he was worth (or was suggested as an acceptable range) and was generally unpleasant. I would not suggest him to anybody, and his reputation ultimately tarnishes yours.

Generally, I think Mahmoud has the opportunity to improve on these missteps which made our experience not good. I hope he does for...

Thanks for the great stay at a very nice location (very close to Petra and city centre)! Mahmoud is an exceptionally welcoming host making everything possible to make our stay comfortable, We gained after this trip a very good friend. We enjoyed sharing stories and laughter, creating memories that will last a lifetime. The house is very beautiful, authentically decorated and has all the utilities needed -air conditioning, fridge, big flat TV (although you have a problem if you need a tv on such a holiday), parking etc and was the only place where there were provided house slippers. Everything was incredibly clean, even for the most demanding standards. The room we stayed in had a breathtaking view - much better than what is displayed in photographies listed on booking. Also, I totally recommend eating at this place. Without a doubt, after we finished our trip I can say that here was the best dinner we had in Jordan - so authentic, tasty and was cooked by his sister and mother. The view from his rooftop where the dinner is served is simply amazing and extremely romantic the most private place you can enjoy in Jordan. In the first dinner night, it was only us and two other couples and it was so quiet and perfect. I will definitely recommend staying here to all my family...