The unique accommodations in Jordan make a journey through this beautiful country truly unforgettable. During our road trip through the desert land, we stayed in chalets by the Dead Sea, tent camps in the desert, and traditional Bedouin camps in nature reserves. In this blog post, we’ll share our favorite places to stay and a few more stunning accommodations on our wishlist with you. Make sure to include at least some of these unique places to stay in Jordan in your road trip itinerary for an unforgettable experience.
The most unique places to stay in Jordan
Unique places to stay in the Wadi Rum desert
Spending the night in the Wadi Rum desert is one of the major highlights of Jordan. Scattered throughout the desert landscape, you’ll find the most incredible accommodations imaginable. The desert-dwelling Bedouins have established numerous luxury tent camps in Wadi Rum, offering a unique experience. The sleeping options range from authentic nomadic tents to luxury domes. Some tent camps even have private bathrooms and, in some cases, air conditioning.
The most stunning glamping and desert camps in Wadi Rum:
#1 Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp offers one of the most popular places to stay in Jordan. Guests sleep in a beautiful desert camp with tents and domes, providing a private patio with a view of the sand dunes. This small-scale camp, run by a family, has an intimate atmosphere. Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp also provides a playground for young travelers, jeep tours, camel rides, and hiking opportunities.
#2 Wadi Rum Nature Tours and Camp is a budget-friendly accommodation option in the desert. We chose this camp due to its excellent reputation and affordable price. It offers basic traditional tents nestled in the shadow of mountains, where you can go rock climbing. The camp consists of approximately 20 tents and a communal restroom facility. A large tent serves as a relaxing space where breakfast and dinner buffets are served. The hospitality and personal touch of the staff are heartwarming.
#3 Memories Aicha Luxury Camp provides luxury camping with 55 domes arranged in a circular formation in the heart of the desert. This upscale glamping camp in Wadi Rum offers the same facilities you would expect from a luxury hotel. Guests stay in beautifully furnished transparent domes with private bathrooms and air conditioning. The desert resort is exceptionally photogenic, paying attention to the smallest details. Guests can enjoy the extensive breakfast buffet, an on-site restaurant, barbecue facilities, a library, and an outdoor terrace.
#4 Zeina Desert Lodge offers a desert camp with various types of glamping tents, each equipped with a private bathroom. They have round domes as well as more square-shaped family tents. For visitors during the summer, it’s worth noting that the tents even have air conditioning. The camp overlooks the famous Seven Pillars of Wisdom, one of the most renowned rock formations in the Jordanian desert. The positive reviews highlight the friendly staff, great value for money, delicious food, and beautiful tents.
#5 Wadi Rum Bubble Luxotel provides luxury domes with private bathrooms, panoramic views of the red desert and mountains, and a terrace with a hot tub. While other desert camps usually offer tents with a single large bubble, Bubble Luxotel provides accommodations consisting of multiple bubbles. There’s a transparent bubble for the bedroom, one for the bathroom, and a large bubble with panoramic views for the living area. Staying in these bubbles is a unique experience since the roof is transparent, allowing you to admire the magnificent starry sky from your bed.
Unique places to stay in Petra
Unfortunately, spending the night in Petra itself is not an option. Only a few Bedouin families reside in the rocks surrounding the ancient city, and they are not allowed to live there officially to protect Petra as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The best place to stay near Petra is in the village of Wadi Musa, which serves as the gateway to Petra.
We recommend finding a hostel or hotel as close as possible to the Petra Visitor Center in Wadi Musa. This way, you won’t need to arrange a taxi or search for parking for your rental car before your visit. A day in Petra is already intense enough without having to worry about these logistics. It’s much more convenient to head directly to your accommodation after a long day of hiking through this impressive rocky area with its famous landmarks. An alternative is to stay outside Wadi Musa, in the Jordanian desert. The downside is that it’s not easy to walk to the Petra Visitor Center from there, but you’ll enjoy a more unique overnight experience near Petra. From this location, you can also easily access the Backdoor Trail in Petra and visit Little Petra.
The most charming camps and hotels near Petra:
#6 Petra Moon Hotel is a comfortable but basic hotel located just 100 meters from the Petra Visitor Center. You can park your rental car for free at the hotel. It features a rooftop garden with a seasonal outdoor pool and an on-site restaurant serving an extensive breakfast buffet.
#7 Petra Cabin Hostel offers budget-friendly accommodation just 400 meters from Petra. The hostel provides dormitory rooms, and guests share a bathroom. The dormitories are designed as cabins, offering privacy. In the morning, a breakfast buffet is served, and the on-site restaurant serves Turkish, Asian, and international cuisine. Free parking is available.
#8 Seven Wonders Bedouin Camp and #7 Seven Wonders Luxury Camp provide a magical tent camp in the desert near Little Petra, an ancient suburb of Petra. At the Bedouin camp, guests sleep in atmospheric tents, enjoying endless cups of traditional tea and gathering around a large campfire in the evening. The camp becomes truly magical at that time when lights are lit up in the nearby mountain. The Bedouin Camp and Luxury Camp are located side by side. As the name suggests, the Luxury Camp offers a bit more luxury with beautiful tents and private bathrooms.
#9 Little Petra Bedouin Camp is one of the most popular accommodation options near Petra. This fairy-tale camp is also located in the desert near Little Petra, where beautiful tents have been set up. Guests can enjoy tea by the fireplace in a large traditional tent, and every evening, a campfire is lit in the center of the camp for guests to warm themselves. The surrounding mountains of the Bedouin camp are romantically illuminated in the evening.
Unique places to stay at the Dead Sea
In our opinion, spending a night at the Dead Sea is essential to fully experience this extraordinary place. You can enjoy the fine sandy beaches that belong to the resorts, lounge on sunbeds, take a dip in the pools, and indulge in pampering treatments. We strongly recommend booking a night at one of the resorts for some well-deserved relaxation during your journey through Jordan. Although we typically wouldn’t opt for large-scale luxury resorts, at the Dead Sea, you have few other choices. If you decide to treat yourself to a resort, one night is certainly enough to visit and experience the sea.
The finest resorts and a unique alternative at the Dead Sea:
#10 Mujib Chalets provide the most beautiful and budget-friendly accommodation at the Dead Sea, outside of the major resorts. Each chalet consists of a basic bedroom, spacious bathroom, and a covered terrace with a hammock. From every spot in the chalet, you have a magnificent view of the Dead Sea. A fantastic experience is watching the stunning sunset while floating in the Dead Sea. At Mujib Chalets, you have access to the beach around that time, unlike the resort beaches that close well before sunset for security reasons. Unfortunately, the beach at Mujib Chalets is a small pebble beach and not a comfortable sandy beach like the ones at the resorts. Freshwater showers are available for rinsing off after swimming.
#11 Ramada Resort Dead Sea offers the most budget-friendly hotel at the Dead Sea, where we spent two delightful days. The Ramada Resort is situated between the mountains surrounding Mount Nebo and the Jordan River. It features the largest private sandy beach, two outdoor pools, a restaurant, and a beautiful spa.
#12 Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea is a luxury resort on the shores of the Dead Sea. Mövenpick offers a private beach and four pools, including a heated winter pool. The resort also boasts a vast spa with a wide range of treatment options.
Unique places to stay in Dana
Staying in Dana Village is the most logical choice for visiting the Dana Biosphere Reserve. Most hikes in the area start from this small village, and you’ll also find several hotels and guides there. By Western standards, the hotels in Dana Village are relatively basic and not particularly cozy or charming, but their prices reflect that. Since most hotels in Dana Village lack ambiance, we opted for accommodation outside the village. Within the nature reserve, you’ll find several eco-camps in stunning locations!
The most beautiful hotels and eco-camps near Dana:
#13 Hobbit Village offers the most beautiful and highly-rated hotel in Dana Village. It’s the only hotel in Dana with a genuinely modern and stylish design. Guests stay in hobbit-like houses in nature, enjoying breathtaking views of the surroundings.
#14 Dana Tower Hotel is the coziest and most popular hotel in the village, known as the lively heart of Dana Village. The rooms are relatively basic, but the prices are accordingly reasonable. The on-site restaurant is also open to non-guests.
#15 Wadi Dana Eco Camp provides a stunning accommodation option near the village of Dana. The eco-camp offers traditional tents with shared showers as well as chalets with private bathrooms. All accommodations are located on the edge of the valley, providing breathtaking views. The evening dinner, which is not included in the price, is served by candlelight. The camp has limited electricity, with lighting available only in the evening. Due to limited access by car, you are picked up for free in the village on the way to the camp and charged 10 JD for the return trip. We found this disguised price increase slightly disappointing.
#16 Al Nawatef Eco Camp offers a traditional Bedouin camp located 5 kilometers south of Dana Village. A traditional breakfast buffet is served in the morning. Enthusiastic reviews praise the stunning location, hospitality, beautiful surroundings, and unique experience.
#17 Rummana Campsite provides an exceptional glamping experience in the vicinity of Dana. Guests sleep in tents surrounded by beautiful scenery. You can enjoy lovely walks around the campsite, marveling at extraordinary rock formations and exceptional views.
Unique places to stay in Amman
Amman was originally built on seven hills, and most of the city’s attractions can be found around these original hills. When looking for a place to stay in Amman, it’s best to choose Downtown Amman, located west of the Citadel and the Roman Theatre. Although there are several distinct neighborhoods, they are closely connected, so it’s not worth specifically choosing a particular neighborhood. If you want to base yourself in a specific neighborhood, we recommend Jabal Amman. It is one of the trendier parts of Amman, where you’ll find many restaurants and the famous Rainbow Street.
The best hostels and hotels in Amman:
#18 The House Boutique Suites offer luxurious and comfortable accommodation in a central location. The popular Rainbow Street is just around the corner, making the location excellent. There is a pool for cooling off after a hot day. Free parking is available for your rental car.
#19 Nomads Hotel Amman is a vibrant hostel located near Rainbow Street and Amman’s nightlife. It is particularly popular among backpackers. The common areas are colorful and modern, while the rooms are basic and bright. Nomads Hotel offers both dormitory rooms and private rooms.
#20 Gallery Guest House provides a charming and budget-friendly hotel in a central location. The iconic Hashem falafel restaurant is nearby, as well as the Darat al Funun art gallery. The hotel offers spacious, bright, and comfortable rooms adorned with captivating artworks by local artists.
#21 Carob Hostel is a cozy and atmospheric hostel with exceptionally high review ratings. The hostel features a garden, a communal lounge, a rooftop terrace, and a restaurant. Positive reviews praise the view of Amman from the rooftop terrace, delicious food, and friendly staff.
Unique places to stay in Madaba
When booking your stay in Madaba, you’ll come across many options in the heart of the city. Due to its proximity to the airport and its delightful atmosphere, Madaba attracts many travelers. Consequently, you’ll find numerous hotels in the city center, and we have selected the most charming ones.
The best hotels in Madaba:
#22 Moab Land Hotel is a budget-friendly hotel where we enjoyed a comfortable, spacious room with a view of the Saint George’s Greek Orthodox Church. This hotel has an excellent central location directly opposite Madaba’s main attraction. Breakfast is served on the rooftop terrace, offering a beautiful view of the city.
#23 Aitch Boutique Hotel is one of the most beautiful hotels in Madaba. The rooms are modern and stylishly furnished. The hotel features a seasonal outdoor pool, free parking, a garden, and a terrace. Positive reviews highlight the value for money, convenient location, and beautiful garden with a pool.
Unique places to stay in Aqaba
The best places to stay in Aqaba can be found in the luxurious resorts that the seaside town is known for. While these large-scale beach resorts may not offer the coziest accommodations, they provide the best beach experience. These resorts have private beaches where women can comfortably wear bikinis or bathing suits without concern. They also offer beautiful swimming pools where you can relax on sun loungers.
The best hotels and resorts in Aqaba:
#24 Al Manara Luxury Hotel is located right on the beach and receives exceptionally high ratings. The hotel features an outdoor pool, beautiful gardens, a sauna, and a seafood restaurant. Enthusiastic reviews praise the ambiance, spacious rooms, and stunning gardens.
#25 Marina Plaza Hotel Tala Bay is situated in Tala Bay, south of Aqaba. While you won’t be staying in the coastal town itself, it doesn’t really matter since the main attraction is the beach. If you wish to visit Aqaba, a free shuttle service is available. The hotel is part of a large resort with beautiful pools set in lovely gardens. Positive reviews mention the great location, good value for money, and the opportunity for snorkeling directly from the private beach.
#26 Arab Divers Dive Center B&B is a bed and breakfast with a family-run dive center. This accommodation, featuring an outdoor pool, is located near South Beach and Aqaba Marine Park. It’s particularly great for divers as you can easily rent equipment or take a diving course on-site.
