Petra Marriott: Bottom Line Review

The ancient, rock-cut façades of Petra are on many travelers’ bucket lists and are a must-visit for anyone going to Jordan. Wadi Musa, the town that surrounds the entrance to Petra, is full of lodging options at all budget levels…but in high season the actual city can be a bit of a circus. Above Wadi Musa, with spectacular view of the entire area, the Petra Marriott can be an appealing alternative for folks wanting somewhere a bit quieter to retreat to.

Petra Marriott Bottom Line Review

In many ways, the Petra Marriott isn’t much different from any of the plethora of large conference or tour-focused hotels around the world. What sets it apart is its spectacular setting, perched high above the Petra Valley with nightly sunsets casting a lovely spell over the property. There’s no club lounge, no fitness area and the kitchen isn’t turning out head-turning cuisine. But it’s a comfortable, convenient and good value alternative to the busier city center. Thumbs Up

Price: We paid 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points/night, including one 35k Marriott Free Night Certificate. Cash prices were ~$550/night during our stay. Seasonal pricing varies, however, and it can dip below 25,000 points.
Value: When we were there the value was terrific at over 1.5 cents per point (we value the average redemption of Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.8 cents each).
Location: The hotel has a stunning location above Wadi Musa, Petra Valley and the surrounding mountains and is ~ 2.5 miles or 7-10 minutes drive to the Petra visitor parking area. The hotel provides shuttles to/from the visitor center in the morning and afternoon, but we never had any problem driving ourselves and finding space in the public lot.
Room: We booked a standard (King Deluxe) room and were proactively upgraded to a 325sq ft King Deluxe Premium, effectively the same room with a “better” view. The highlight of the room was undoubtedly the expansive vistas of Petra Valley and the mountains. Outside of that, it could have been a generic room in any Marriott hotel in the world.
Parking: Complimentary on-site parking.
Resort/Destination Fee: None.
Internet: Very good throughout the property.
Service: Overall, the hotel seemed to be quite busy with a variety of tour groups; the speed and efficiency of the service varied accordingly. Even so, everyone was quite friendly and the general manager sought us out personally several times to check on our stay.
Turndown service: None.
Dining:
- Dushara Restaurant: Breakfast buffet restaurant located on the ground floor behind the pool. This is where the complimentary elite breakfast is served. It’s nothing extraordinary, but it’s perfectly acceptable for fueling-up pre-hike. Open daily from 6am-11am
- Hala Hala Arabic Restaurant: Primary dinner restaurant located on the same floor as the lobby. Open daily from 6pm-12am.
- Al Matal Bedouin Tent: Sort of a Bedouin luau, served beneath a tent nightly with a fixed menu, live music and fire pits. Open daily from 6pm-11pm (seasonally).
- Aretas Bar and Lounge: For my money, the star of the show among the dining options. It has a limited (and underwhelming) menu, and service was never speedy, but the ambiance is terrific. The outdoor seating is on a sunset-view terrace with stunning views of the valley. Indoors, it’s spread across cozy, luxurious couches and overstuffed chairs with live music in the evenings. Open daily from 6pm-1:00am.

Spa: There is an on-site “Turkish Bath” that provides body scrubs, massages and facials on appointment.
Fitness Room: Oddly for a Marriott of this size, there wasn’t one.
Marriott Titanium Benefits:
- Room Upgrade: We booked a standard room and were proactively upgraded to a King Premium room with a balcony.
- Free Breakfast: There is a good, if not great, breakfast buffet served daily at Dushara Restaurant. It includes Middle Eastern, Western and Asian selections; with made-to-order egg dishes, a smoothie station and made-to-order espresso drinks.
- Club Lounge: None.
- Late Checkout: We were automatically given a 4pm checkout.
- Welcome Amenity: Middle Eastern sweets and nuts were waiting in our room when we arrived.
Would I stay again? Absolutely. The hotel itself isn’t necessarily memorable, but the views and the sunsets are. It’s a comfortable, good value points option for a visit to Petra.