The Best Hotels and Stays in Petra, Jordan

On high ground overlooking Wadi Musa, Harmony offers simple, neat homestay accommodation provided by a welcoming couple. Although bathrooms are shared, and there’s also a communal kitchen, rooms feature small fridges and microwaves plus satellite TV. Breakfasts are more like feasts, setting you up well for a full day of rambling around Petra, while the awning-shaded and shrubbery-lined terrace makes for a pleasant downtime retreat.

Up on the northernmost edge of Wadi Musa, Petra B&B has three simple, hostel-like rooms, but the atmosphere’s homely and rates include breakfast. The straightforward family home has a part-shaded roof terrace plus a cosy dining room and lounge, while the charming little garden features a gazebo with a table and benches. Don’t be surprised by whinnying horses in the adjoining stables, the proprietors run horse-riding trips in the area – anything from a few hours to six-day expeditions to Wadi Rum.

The modest four-storey Tetra block stands on high ground overlooking the heart of town. Polished marble floors and tall windows in the lobby lend a faintly upscale atmosphere, one reinforced by comfortable settees and armchairs plus a small part-covered swimming pool which, oddly, segues into the dining room. Rooms are small and straightforward yet comfortable enough, though you’ll more likely be hanging out on the roof terrace, which has a candlelit cafe and restaurant atmosphere.

You can’t really miss the quartet of uber-kitsch throne-like armchairs in the lobby festooned with faux-gilt bunches of grapes and canine armrests. Thick silvery pillars, a peacock-framed fireplace and star-like designs on the ceiling add to the excitable interior design, all thoroughly unexpected in such an unassuming building. By comparison, rooms are fairly restrained, some with checkerboard-like wall patterns, and there’s a small bar with a pub-style wooden counter and stools.

North of Wadi Musa near Little Petra, this “bubble hotel” has rooms comprising transparent interlinked pods arranged on a raised deck. Panoramic views across the sloping arid landscape towards the wrinkled Petra mountains blend romance and remoteness. Bedrooms, of course, can be screened but remain open to the sky, and the outdoor hot tubs mean you can catch rays by day and admire stars at night, while the ribbed spherical dining hall resembles a sci-fi movie set.

Just a few hundred metres from Petra Visitors Centre, this modern hotel has a range of smart yet unfussy rooms and suites. The owner has helped instigate several tourism initiatives including Petra by Night (a candlelit walking tour of the site) and, within the hotel, Petra Kitchen: nightly cooking classes with local chefs featuring typical dishes. If you haven’t helped source ingredients from local markets you can certainly wash them down contentedly up on the terrace.

North of Wadi Musa in Al-Baydha village near Little Petra, the Garden House offers low-key rustic simplicity in a small authentic Bedouin village. Essentially a three-bed room sharing facilities in a family house, it’s a distinctly down-to-earth homestay experience though you’ll be well fed at breakfast and there is wifi. You’re also within easy walking distance of some dramatic, get-away-from-it-all scenery that cradles Little Petra, inviting spontaneous and random exploration.

This small contemporary hotel in downtown Wadi Musa features a tasteful lobby and reception with comfortable armchairs, decorative jugs and knick-knacks along with framed pictures. Rooms are small and plain though reasonably comfortable, but you’ll likely be more tempted to spend downtime on the panoramic roof terrace. This, along with the adjoining and enclosed dining room, features rustic masonry walls and lantern light bulbs suspended from wooden ceilings and looks particularly fetching in the evenings.

The closest place you can stay without actually sleeping in Petra Archaeological Park, Petra Guest House is a motel-meets-hotel, with a few rooms perched on the mountainside. It’s not ultra-luxe but, thanks to the location, it’s a top choice for visitors who want simple accommodations for an early start and don’t mind paying a premium for the location alone. The guest house has a popular bar on the premises, the Cave Bar, which, as the name suggests, is in an actual stone cave, complete with an outdoor courtyard surrounded by roughly hewn natural rock walls.

Just a five-minute walk uphill from the park gates, Petra Moon is a great-value spot if you’re looking to stay close to the rose-red city. It has everything you need for a getaway to Petra; perks include a rooftop bar, newly added roof pool area and reasonable rates.

Mövenpick Petra is a top choice for those of you willing to pay for a few luxuries such as a serene pool area, a gorgeous Arabic-style atrium lobby and bar, and half-a-dozen dining options. Those with a lavish travel budget will appreciate the convenient location just steps from the entrance to Petra, the almost-four-star luxury and the extensive early morning buffet.

This small, family-owned hotel has a stunning view of the surrounding mountains (especially at sunset – get a room with a balcony). A favourite among budget travellers, rooms here have small private bathrooms, while the rate includes a traditional Arabic breakfast. It takes about 40 minutes to hike down to the main gate of Petra, but most prefer to take the complimentary hotel shuttle, particularly at the end of the day, since the 2.4km (1.5mi) uphill walk can be daunting after a full day of hiking.

Perched on a quiet hilltop, away from the bustle of Tourist Street, this Marriott property is known for beautiful views from the pool terrace, particularly at sunrise. Get pampered at the Turkish hammam spa, enjoy tea in the Arabic-style inner atrium, or have dinner in a traditional Bedouin tent. The location is just far enough from town to be peaceful, while still only an eight- to 10-minute drive to the park.

Even though the main gates of Petra are 15 to 20 minutes away by car, this hotel built from the remains of Taybeh, a 19th-century Bedouin village, is worth the commute. Though it joined the modern Hyatt hotel family in 2018, this is a property that feels firmly rooted in history. The Hayat Zaman is built from ancient local stone and has panoramic views of the Sharah Mountains, plus a basic gym, a traditional hammam and an outdoor pool.

Try Seven Wonders Bedouin Camp for a traditional desert camping experience, with communal bathrooms, campfire dinner with live Arabic music and limited hot water and electricity (showers and electricity are available from 6pm to 11pm). Staying in the traditional goat-hair tents, either private or communal, is a delightful way to connect with the traditions of the region. If you’re not entering the park the adventurous way, through nearby Little Petra, getting to the main park entrance will take 12 to 15 minutes by car.

There are no hotels in Petra proper, but many families from the local tribe, the Bdoul Bedouin, still live in and near the park. While you are not allowed to stay overnight unaccompanied in Petra, you can book a traditional Bedouin cave stay. Most hosts offer the full traditional experience, including dinner cooked over an open fire, the option of sleeping under the stars, as well as transportation back to the park entrance in the morning. These are actual caves, so think of it as camping – no running water, no electricity, but amazing stories to tell when you return home.

Stay among ruins in stone bungalows at the Old Village Hotel & Resort (formerly Bait Zaman), an idyllic property on the outskirts of Wadi Musa, just a 10-minute drive from the main entrance of Petra. This quiet location is worth the splurge if you want distinctly (and tasteful) Jordanian accommodation with a deep sense of history, but with all the modern conveniences. This well-maintained historic property overlooking the Sharah mountains also features two year-round pools (one indoor, one outdoor). You can stay here on Culture Trip’s specially curated small-group Jordan tour.