Amman doesn’t command the attention given to most other Middle Eastern capitals, with many tourists moving quickly past it to appealing destinations like the Dead Sea and Wadi Rum. That’s a shame, as it’s a vibrant, interesting city with some terrific Roman ruins right in middle of it. The Grand Hyatt Amman, completely recovered from its tragic past, is a great place from which to explore the city.
Grand Hyatt Amman Bottom Line Review
We loved both of our stays at the Grand Hyatt Amman. The location is terrific, right in the center of the city and a short distance from the historical center of Amman, where the Roman Theater and Citadel are. The staff is delightful, the rooms are spacious and the Grand Club is a lovely place for some pre-dinner cocktails. Free, secured valet parking is provided for all guests. The rooms and some of the facilities are feeling a bit dated, but it’s all in excellent shape, making it good base for exploring the city and nearby areas. Thumbs Up
- Price: We booked using 8,000 Hyatt points/night. Cash prices were ~100JOD/US$140/night.
- Value: Seems to normally hang out in the 1.5-2.0 cents per point range, below our reasonable redemption value for Hyatt points of 2.1 cents each.
- Location: The Grand Hyatt has a central location in the business/diplomatic district of Jabal Amman, about a 30 minute drive from the airport and a 10 minute drive/45 minute walk to the historic area of Amman. There’s plenty of restaurants and shops in between the two, including the famous Rainbow Street.
- Room: We booked a standard room with one king and were proactively upgraded to a ~800sq ft 1-bedroom Grand Suite. The room was incredibly spacious with a massive bathroom and a walk-in close with a makeup desk and chair. Like other parts of the property, the room felt somewhat dated, but was obviously well-kept (and comfortable). The views of the surrounding city and sunset were terrific.
- Parking: Complimentary on-site parking.
- Resort/Destination Fee: None.
- Internet: Very good throughout the property.
- Service: Excellent across the board. The staff at the front desk, club lounge, restaurant and security/valet were all terrific. Everyone was courteous and warm, always taking extra steps to help us with our stay or to help with any logistics were working through.
- Turndown service: Nightly.
- Dining:
- 32º North: Located in the atrium across from the front desk, 32º North was only serving breakfast when we were there (and it appears that’s still the case). This is where the complimentary elite breakfast is served and, like many hotels in Jordan, the spread is extensive and excellent quality. Breakfast includes made-to-order espresso drinks and fresh-squeezed juices. Fun decorations during Ramadan. Open for breakfast Sun-Th from 6am-10:30am and Fri/Sat from 6am-12pm.
- The Lombard: Fine dining Italian restaurant in a beautiful, glassed-in dining room near the terrace. Supposedly quite good. Open for lunch and dinner Sun-Th from 1pm-12am and Fri/Sat from 11am-12am.
- The Terrace: Beautiful Italian-themed outdoor terrace, complete with marble finishes and sleek sofas. Seems to be primarily a beverage area, but does serve small plates and lunch. It appeared as though items from The Lombard could be had here as well. Open for breakfast Sun-Th 6:00-10:30am and Fri/Sat 6:00am-12:pm. Lunch is served daily from 1:30-3:30pm and dinner is 7:00-10:30pm.
- Spa: There is a full-service spa on-site in the same location as the fitness area. It offers the normal array of spa treatments and some limited salon services.
- Fitness Room: There is a sizeable fitness center right next to the spa. It has a full selection of free weights, resistance and cardio machines, as well as a separate room for yoga and stretching.
- Hyatt Globalist Benefits:
- Room Upgrade: We booked a standard room with one king and were proactively upgraded to a massive, ~850sq ft 1-bedroom Grand Suite.
- Free Breakfast: There is a very good breakfast buffet served daily at 32º North Restaurant. It’s a wide-ranging spread, with Middle Eastern, Western and Asian selections. Includes a menu of good made-to-order egg dishes as well as made-to-order espresso drinks.
- Club Lounge: There is a large, somewhat dated Grand Club on the 9th floor with expansive views of Amman (and lovely sunsets). The excellent, attentive staff provides table service and the modest buffet has a revolving set of cold and hot snacks and/or desserts throughout the day. Also serves complimentary espresso, soft drinks, liquor, beer and wine.
- Late Checkout: We were automatically given a 4pm checkout.
- Welcome Amenity: Fruits, Middle Eastern sweets and bottles of still and sparkling water were waiting in our room when we arrived. I believe that they often leave a bottle of wine as well, but I imagine that they weren’t when we were there because of Ramadan.
- Would I stay again? You bet. It’s a convenient place to stay in Amman with a great location and good facilities.
Pros
- Great views from the upper floors of the property
- Nice, central location in Jabal Amman
- Very good breakfast and club lounge
- Service is excellent across the board, with helpful and attentive staff
Cons
- Not a stellar points value
- For some, part of the hotel will seem a bit dated
Image Gallery
Grand Hyatt Amman King Grand Suite
Grand Hyatt Amman Grand Club Lounge
Grand Hyatt Amman Restaurants
32º North Restaurant (breakfast only)
The Lombard
The Lounge and Terrace
Grand Hyatt Amman Fitness Area
Grand Hyatt Amman Common Areas
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Thanks so much, Tim. As someone who is less Europe/Hawaii/beach focused, I especially enjoy reviews of the “less traveled” cities. I’ll be in Amman next month–is there a particular activity, place or restaurant you recommend (other than the must-see stuff)?
We really enjoyed our stay there. The staff is wonderful. It was nice to be there to prepare ourselves for the 5 day desert hike to Petra. If you have time, do a food tour of the city. Outstanding. Just loved Jordan overall.
Sue, I’ll be in Amman next month. Do you have a specific food tour you recommend? Or any other particular highlight?
We went through Viator. We chose the one Private Street Food and Walking Tour. I believe there is a group one, too.
Amman really is a gem. We spent a day and a night there as part of a quick 2 days in Jordan. I definitely want to return. We flew to Amman from Dammam early (watched a religious dispute get to pushing but not punching during the flight), private car hire to Christ’s baptism site and the Dead Sea, back to Amman mid afternoon, Citadel, amphitheater, knafeh of course, shopping. It was a long day and really needed 2. Then to Petra the next day and very late flight to Cairo. Great experience, especially Prayer Call from the Citadel as it echoed through the valleys, a very spiritual experience for me. I can’t wait to go back to Amman, good to read your review of the Grand Hyatt, it’s not that far to the old town and is in a really pleasant part of the city.
We stayed there about three nights in May. Spot on. Staff was very friendly and professional.
Enjoyed the Arabic coffee welcome at check-in. So much good food in lounge.
Appreciate the review. Staying there in September.