Where to Stay in Petra – Mövenpick Resort Petra
Being one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, the ancient city of Petra is Jordan’s most famous landmark. Accordingly, there are many accommodation options all around, making it quite difficult to decide where to stay near Petra.
Of course, Petra can be visited as a day trip from Amman or many other locations in Jordan. However, the area is quite large and you’d most likely want to spend 2-3 days exploring the historic site.
Moreover, if you visit Petra as part of a tour, you’ll probably arrive in the late morning or around noon. At this time, the place is usually extremely crowded already.
So as you can see, there are advantages to booking a hotel nearby. That’s also why my partner and I decided to spend three nights in Wadi Musa, the town where Petra is located.
After looking at the options and comparing those that were shortlisted, we made a decision: We’re going to stay at the 5-star hotel Mövenpick Resort Petra.
Now that I’m writing a blog post about the hotel, you can probably guess we didn’t regret our decision. On the contrary! We were quite positively impressed by everything it had to offer.
I firmly believe that the Mövenpick Resort Petra is the best hotel in Wadi Musa. Of course, I have no idea what the other hotels are like, but several factors contribute to this belief and in this post, I’m going to share them with you.
(This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking.)
7 Reasons Why The Mövenpick Resort is The Best Hotel in Petra
1. Close Proximity to The Entrance of Petra
The first and one of the major reasons why we booked this hotel is its unbeatable location right at the entrance of Petra.
The only thing separating the hotel and the entrance is a road you need to cross. That’s it. We even had a direct view of the visitor center from our balcony!
Instead of taking a taxi, using a rental car or bus to reach Petra, you only have to take a few steps and you’ll find yourself right in front of it.
This way it’s also pretty easy to be there at or shortly after 6:00 am when the ticket office opens, without having to get up in the middle of the night. That’s, btw, something I highly recommend to do!
The breakfast buffet at the Mövenpick Resort Petra is even available from 6:00 am so you can grab a bite to eat and then take a stroll to the entrance – completely hustle-free!
2. Mesmerizing Architecture With Intricate Details
Second, the architecture of the hotel is absolutely mindblowing. The moment I entered the reception hall, I felt like stepping into a fairytale from 1001 Nights.
The entire building is designed in an oriental-Islamic architectural style mixed with international designs, creating a luxurious atmosphere.
Whether in the reception hall, lobby lounge, guest rooms, or breakfast room, majestic chandeliers, natural stones, and handcrafted woodwork can be found everywhere!
3. Spacious & Luxurious Rooms
Among the most important factors in a hotel are, of course, the guest rooms.
At the Mövenpick Resort Petra, you’ll find yourself staying in spacious, luxurious, and modern rooms featuring king beds, a complimentary minibar, a balcony with mountain views, and lots of other conveniences.
In total, the hotel offers 183 rooms and suites in different categories. From classic rooms to superior rooms (the category we chose), junior suites, and king suites, there’s something for every budget.
4. “Chocolate Hour” With Sweet Treats
For all those out there with a sweet tooth, including me, the Mövenpick Resort Petra offers something very special.
Every day from 4:00 to 5:00 pm, the so-called “Chocolate Hour” takes place. During this time, you can treat yourself to Mövenpick chocolate, seasonal delicacies, and homemade pastries in the lobby lounge.
When we attended the Chocolate Hour on the two days we were at the hotel in the afternoon, there was a chocolate fountain, various fruits, homemade cakes and other sweets, and even popcorn!
In addition, it was Happy hour so many drinks were half off.
We didn’t know about this at the time of booking, so it was a very pleasant surprise when they told us about it at check-in. And of course, we couldn’t miss out on this!
I mean, who doesn’t want free chocolate, right? 😉
5. Big Outdoor Pool in a Quiet Courtyard
Since we visited Jordan in summer, an important criterium for us was an outdoor pool for some relaxation in the sun.
During our research, the Mövenpick Resort appeared to be one of the very few hotels near Petra that had one which made our decision even easier.
The large swimming pool is located in a quiet courtyard with lots of sunbeds available. There’s also a bar where you can order food and drinks which you can enjoy directly at the sunbeds.
Returning from an exhausting day exploring Petra in the hot summer temperatures and jumping right into this refreshing pool afterward was truly satisfying!
6. Zara Spa With Signature Treatments
In addition to the wonderful swimming pool, the hotel also features a great spa where you can treat yourself to their signature treatments such as the Natural Dead Sea salt scrub and mineral-rich mud wraps.
If you prefer a soothing massage, you can choose from various kinds such as a classic Swedish massage, a Nabatean Zara Spa Massage that blends special techniques with herbal oils and scents, and many others.
I opted for a classic full-body massage which was relaxing but also effective, as some of my tensions were noticeably relieved.
7. Vast Breakfast Buffet
Last but not least, the extensive breakfast buffet, offering a plethora of options to suit every taste, makes the Mövenpick Resort the top pick for accommodation near Petra.
It includes a big selection of Arabic cuisine as well as international dishes, baked goods, a wide range of fresh and dried fruits, a huge salad buffet, and sweet treats like french toast, pancakes, and waffles, that are freshly prepared on request.
To be honest, I’m not much of a big breakfast eater. A cup of coffee, some bread with jam, fresh fruits, and maybe some cereals – that’s it for me.
Good for me there was plant milk available and they even prepared a Latte with soy milk for me. However, it didn’t taste that good because I think they used filter coffee for it, which I, as a picky coffee drinker, didn’t like. But that’s a matter of taste.
There was also a super adorable “kids’ corner” with breakfast options specifically for the little ones.
Plus, the stunning setting in a room designed in the typical oriental-Islamic architectural style made enjoying breakfast here a real blast!
So, enough spoiling, I guess you now know why I recommend the Mövenpick Resort Petra as the place to stay near Petra.
The best thing is to book a stay and see for yourself what it’s like!
Check out:
Top 10 Places & Ruins to See in Petra
12 Important & Useful Tips For Visiting Petra
A Complete Guide to Visiting Wadi Rum
Is This The Best Hotel at The Dead Sea in Jordan?
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Flights: I prefer using CheapOair or Skyscanner to book flights. The destination everywhere feature is perfect for finding some cheap deals!
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Tours: I love taking tours to explore destinations like a local. My favorite website to book them in advance is GetYourGuide.
Camera Gear: I use a Nikon D5300 camera with an 18-105 mm and a 10-20 mm wide-angle lens to take my photos.
