Last year, during a trip to Jordan, my wife and I had planned an overnight stay in a Bedouin camp in the famous Wadi Rum Protected Area. However, the Spring weather threw us a curveball, in the form of upper-30 degree temperatures and rain. We decided to postpone for a couple of days until the storms cleared, and instead took a detour to Jordan’s historic outpost on the Red Sea, Aqaba. I’d heard great things about the new-ish Hyatt Regency in Aqaba, so decided to try it for a couple nights. It ended up being one of our favorite hotel stays of 2023, so much so that we added another night to our stay.
Hyatt Regency Aqaba Bottom Line Review
We had a marvelous time at the Hyatt Regency Aqaba. From the moment we arrived and were escorted down the water feature-lined corridor, everything was top notch. Located on the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba, the Red Sea spreads out from the marina, with the Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula on one side and the mountains of Jordan and Saudi Arabia on the other. The rooms are large and full of sun, each one with a water-view terrace. Elite benefits are in full force, from the lovely, waterfront Regency Club to the generous breakfast and welcome amenities. Appealing water areas, excellent service and a blissfully peaceful atmosphere round out this winner of a hotel. Thumbs Up
- Price: When we traveled, the hotel was a Hyatt Category 2, and we booked using 6,500 Hyatt points for each night that we stayed. Cash prices were ~110JOD/US$150/night. Since then, the hotel was elevated to a Hyatt Category 3 and will now cost between 9,000-15,000 points/night.
- Value: The value on our award booking was ~2.3 cents per point, right at our value for the average redemption of Hyatt points at 2.1 cents each.
- Location: The hotel is located on a mini-peninsula in the Marina Village of the Ayla Oasis, a gated development along the coast on the west side of Aqaba that’s a few hundred yards from the Israeli border. The hotel is perched just over the marina and is easy walking distance from the numerous shops and restaurants within the village. Central Aqaba and the city’s waterfront is a ~5-10 min drive or a 45-50 minute walk.
- Room: We booked a standard room with one king and were proactively upgraded to a lovely ~900sq ft 1-bedroom Regency Suite. It had floor-to-ceiling windows and a massive, wraparound terrace with comfy furniture and views of the sunset over the water and the mountains of the Sinai Peninsula. The “living” room had both a dining and lounging area, while the bathroom sported a walk-in shower and a soaking tub. There were coffee and tea facilities, as well as non-alcoholic beverages that were refreshed daily. All-in-all, it was a great room; bright, airy and roomy. The hotel states that all rooms on the property have water views from the terrace (and ours certainly did).
- Parking: Complimentary valet parking is available for all guests.
- Resort/Destination Fee: None.
- Internet: Very good throughout the property, indoor and out.
- Service: Marvelous across the board. There simply was no one that we encountered who wasn’t friendly, efficient and eager to help. The staff at the Regency Club was particularly good.
- Turndown service: Nightly.
- Dining:
- The Olive Tree: Located on the main level, across from several of the pools, The Olive Tree serves a buffet-style breakfast in addition to a la carte items. The impressive breakfast spread has plenty of both local and international options, as well as made-to-order egg dishes and espresso drinks. It’s usually open for lunch and dinner as well, but appears to be breakfast only over the off-season. Breakfast is served weekdays from 6:30am – 10:30am and weekends from 6:30am – 11:00am.
- Red Restaurant and Lounge: Italian-themed restaurant on the marina level with an emphasis on prime steaks and seafood. It also offers a decent cocktail menu and a cigar bar. Open for dinner daily from 6:30pm-11:30pm.
- Vista Lounge and Bar: Sleek bar with indoor and outdoor seating that’s located on the lobby level. It serves food, cocktails and afternoon high tea. Open daily from 10:00am-1:00am.
- Cascades Pool Bar: Open-air “Italian pool bar” that also serves the food and beverages for the pool. Has a nice view over the marina. Open daily from 11:00am – sunset.
- La Plage: Outdoor, “barefoot” beach club that sits beneath palms trees on the manmade beach across the water from the main resort area (it’s connected by a bridge). Lovely mountain views. It serves a full food menu, as well as cocktails and wine. Temporarily closed until 4/1/24, but normally open daily from 11:00am – sunset.
- Spa: Aqua is a massive, multi-level spa that’s on-site and has the usual menu of massages and treatments, in addition to a Hammam.
- Fitness Room: There is a very well-equipped fitness center inside Aqua spa on the main floor. It has enough equipment for several days of resistance and cardio workouts and includes Pelotons, rowers and a separate yoga studio.
- Hyatt Globalist Benefits:
- Room Upgrade: We booked a standard king room and were proactively upgraded to a ~900 sq ft Regency Suite with a water and mountain view balcony.
- Free Breakfast: The Globalist breakfast is served at Olive Tree restaurant and includes an extensive buffet, a la carte menu and espresso drinks. There’s plenty of variety for a multi-day stay.
- Club Lounge: The Regency Club here is one of the better ones that I’ve been to in some time. It has a sumptuous interior with dark colors and tall ceilings, but the star is the massive, palm-fringed, outdoor terrace. It’s a great place to unwind and take in the sunset before dinner. There is a broad food selection that changes depending on the time of day, going from lunch/afternoon snacks to dinner appetizers and desserts. It serves complimentary beer, wine and liquor, as well as non-alcoholic beverages, teas and coffee. Open 11:00am-8:00pm daily.
- Spa Access: Globalists receive access to facilities at the spa, including the extensive, manicured outdoor pools and hot tubs.
- Late Checkout: We were automatically given a 4pm checkout.
- Welcome Amenity: Ours included a fruit plate, house-made truffles, and full jars of both candy and nuts.
- Would I stay again? Without hesitation. If I was in the area, I would seek it out.
Pros
- Great views from just about every room in the property, each with a water view terrace
- Rooms are well-sized, with copious windows and high ceilings
- Beautiful location on the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba, with water and mountain views throughout
- Two pool areas and a manmade beach, each with their own appeal
- Lovely grounds and public hangout areas
- Marvelous club lounge that’s actually a place you’d want to spend time
- Service is on point across the board
- Superb elite recognition
Cons
- It’s a bit of a hike to central Aqaba on foot
- Area restaurants are more expensive than those that are downtown
Image Gallery
Hyatt Regency Aqaba Regency Suite
Hyatt Regency Aqaba Regency Club
Hyatt Regency Aqaba Restaurants
The Olive Tree (breakfast)
Red Restaurant and Lounge
La Plage
Cascades Pool Bar and Cafe
Vista Bar
Aqua Spa, Fitness Area and Pool
Hyatt Regency Aqaba Pool Areas
Hyatt Regency Aqaba Beach
Hyatt Regency Aqaba Common Areas
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Thanks for the review. I thought this is a category 3 hotel? Was it a category 2 prior to 2023?
When we went there, it was a Category 2, but you’re right, it’s now a Cat 3. Thanks for the catch, I didn’t realize that it had gone up. I’ll update the post.
Stayed at Movenpick south of Aqaba after a trip to Wadi Rum a couple of years ago. Super fun town & area to Explore. Glad you had a good time.
Out of curiosity how did you get to Aqaba?
Not sure what Tim did but we drove all around Jordan without any issues at all. There are plenty of private charters that can get you to Petra, Wadi Rum or Aqaba from Amman.
Same as Loowit. We rented a car in Amman and drove around Jordan for a couple of weeks. Had a great time.
Thanks for the review. Booked a night there in September in advance of a Wadi Rum multinight tour. Which provider did you use and would you recommend them?
It looks amazing..But I doubt we will ever travel back anywhere near Israel.