Guide to visiting Jordan

Guide to Jordan

While it may be true that nine tenths of Jordan is semi-arid desert, the rest includes striking landscapes, all with plenty to entice the nature-lovers to explore; several nature reserves set up and protected by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) add a luxurious splash of jade to the baron amber wilderness, and offer a range of accommodation for keen eco-tourists. From the hustle and bustle of capital city Amman to the historic and beautiful sights of Petra, the cities of Jordan are awash with culture. A fusion of Arabic and traditional Mediterranean thanks to a largely immigrant population, Jordan is well worth a visit, if only to sample the fantastic cuisine

Where To Stay

FEYNAN ECO-LODGE AND DANA GUESTHOUSE

Feynan is a 26-room adobe lodge the colour of the desert around it, with solar-powered showers, candlelight at night and delicious vegetarian dinners, making it a peaceful retreat for wilderness- and nature-lovers.

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL AMMAN

Cool, calm neutrals with judicious splashes of red and mustard add to the serene atmosphere of this luxurious 192-room bolthole in one of the smartest districts in the city. The service is impeccable, as are the fabulous flower arrangements in the lobby.

HOTEL KEMPINSKI ISHTAR

Supposedly inspired by the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, this lavish 318-room resort on the shore of the Dead Sea is awash with pools, fountains and watery delights: a guilty pleasure in a country so short of the wet stuff.

MÖVENPICK RESORT PETRA

Handily located at the gates to Petra, this comfortable hotel has a spectacular neo-Damascene-style atrium with carved wooden balconies, a tinkling fountain and an exotic-looking ground-floor bar, but for peace and ice-cream the fourth-floor tearoom wins hands down.

EVASON MA'IN HOT SPRINGS

Secreted in a lush oasis at the bottom of a deep, rocky canyon, some 20 minutes' drive east of the Dead Sea, this is the Six Senses group's latest addition to its Middle Eastern spa properties. The shimmering sandstone edifice blends in seamlessly with the surrounding sheer rock walls, and its domes and arches give it the design-savvy look of an ultra-modern Arabian palace. Inside, this theme continues with a stylishly simplistic blend of pale pastel colours and low-slung, dark-wood furniture.