The Dead Sea is a popular destination for those seeking some spa treatment and pampering while in Jordan. After hiking all over Petra and climbing sand dunes in Wadi Rum, we were glad to have a few days to slow down at the Crowne Plaza Jordan Dead Sea Resort & Spa.
Crowne Plaza Jordan Dead Sea Resort & Spa | from $140 per night
Location: Located in Suweimah adjacent to several other resorts, the Crowne Plaza Jordan gives you immediate access to the salty waters of the Dead Sea via a white, sandy beach. If you’re coming here for the resort experience, the good news is that the Crowne Plaza features several restaurants and a slew of amenities to keep you well-fed and occupied. But if you’re looking to explore the region around you, it’s easy to arrange a trip to Bethany-Beyond-the-Jordan, site of Jesus’ baptism; the city of Madaba, famous for its Byzantine mosaics; and Mt. Nebo, where Moses peered into the Promised Land. Also in the region is Lot’s Cave, so called for the inscription inside mentioning the nephew of Abraham. You can arrange tours with the concierge, although it will probably be more affordable to make arrangements on your own with localtrips.net.
Rooms: The rooms consist of a number of condo-style buildings around the main pool at the center of the property. Upon check in, we were awarded a large suite due to our Platinum IHG status granted by our Chase IHG Rewards Club MasterCard. Our suite had a large living room with kitchenette, a bathroom-and-a-half, and a bedroom with king bed. There was also a large balcony connecting both the living and bedrooms with views overlooking the pool. It was huge! Way bigger than what we needed, but definitely a nice perk for having Platinum Status. A huge tray of fresh fruit and beverages were included, and Iylana was happy to find that the kitchen had an espresso machine ready to brew a latte.
View from our balcony.
Property Amenities: As mentioned before, you have a number of options to occupy your time. Obviously one of the biggest draws will be the beach and floating in the salty waters of the Dead Sea. Unfortunately, during our stay, the weather was bad with double red flags flying everyday. We were able to dip our toes into the water under the supervision of the beach staff, but we couldn’t swim. The good news is that the on-site spa has a pool with Dead Sea water, so you can still experience what it’s like to float in the saline-rich waters. Platinum status again came to the rescue here, giving us wrist bands with unlimited access to the spa during our stay, of which we fully took advantage. The band gives you access to the indoor pools (heated, regular, and Dead Sea), as well as the steam and sauna rooms, and rooms for cooling down. If you’re interested, they offer a full range of spa services including massages and facial treatments for an extra bit of pampering.
The dead sea water pool.
Saunas and steam rooms were separated by gender.
One of the hallways of the spa.
We had bad weather the whole time, but sitting on the balcony watching the storm was pretty awesome!
When it wasn’t raining, we got to walk along the beach and soak our feet in the Dead Sea.
There are seven on-site restaurants and bars to choose from; however, the room rates are not all-inclusive. You can book packages that include some meals, likely at the buffet-style Ambrosia Restaurant. Paying a la carte for the buffet can get pretty expensive per person, so a booking a room that includes meals might end up being a good cost-savings strategy. The best way to do this is straight on IHG’s website. For a la carte options, we found the options at the Rabbel Lobby Lounge affordable and filling. A little over a mile (2km) up the road from the resort was a shopping mall with several restaurant options which could be a good choice if you’re looking to save some money or feeding a family.
Part of the buffet at Ambrosia Restaurant.
Staff: Everyone we interacted with was courteous and professional. From the servers at the restaurants to the bartenders, the concierge to the spa staff, all were exceptional at making us feel like welcomed and valued guests. The Rewards Club concierge was quick to greet us by name every time we walked through the lobby, a nice touch.
In Conclusion: The Crowne Plaza Jordan Dead Sea Resort & Spa was a nice stay for us, especially considering we were able to book it free using just 20,000 IHG Rewards Club points per night. Even at the paid rate, however, you get a lot for your money, especially if you have status to obtain a few extra perks. Meals can be expensive, so make sure to budget for them, or consider nearby options or taking advantage of the kitchenette to save some money.
Planning a trip to Jordan? Start here:
Rough Guide to Jordan
How We Took a Three-Week Trip to the Holy Land for Less Than $300 Per Person
Itinerary and Price Breakdown: Christmas in the Holy Land