Amman.
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Overview

Amman (Arabic: عمان ʻammān) is the capital and largest city of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan with a population of about 4 million as of 2020. Amman forms a great base for exploring the country and does, despite popular belief, hold a few items of interest to the traveler. The city is generally well-appointed for the traveller, reasonably well-organized, and the people are very friendly.

Although not seen as much when in the air over Amman, the city holds many surprises for the visitor. Anything can be found in Amman if one asks. Visit Amman's Roman Amphitheatre or stay in a luxurious hotel. Shopping malls are abundant in Jordan. With new construction in Abdali, in a few years the high-end traveller could eat in the most high-end restaurant, stay in a five star hotel or shop in massive malls, all a few metres from one another. Much less is being done to cater to the budget traveller, although urban beautification in the city centre (old town) is cleaning it up and making it more pedestrian-friendly.

Amman is experiencing a massive (some would say: reckless) change from a quiet sleepy village to a bustling metropolis, some of whose neighbourhoods seem hell-bent on wanting to imitate Dubai. Amman's roads have a reputation of being very steep and narrow in some of the underdeveloped parts of the city but now the city has state of the art highways and paved avenues. The steep terrain and heavy traffic remains challenging for pedestrians and for the rare cyclist. New resorts and hotels dot the city and there are many things for the traveller to see and do. Use Amman as a staging point for travels to nearby cities and settlements in Jordan.

Amman's ancient roots date its origins to biblical times. Referred to as the City of Seven Hills, the Jordanian capital's cityscape includes a collection of modern-style houses, mosques, souks and ancient historic ruins.

Understand

A city built of white stone, Amman's growth has skyrocketed since it was made the capital of Trans-Jordan in the early 1920s, but especially after the 1948 and 1967 wars with Israel when hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees settled there. Another wave arrived after the second Iraq war, with Iraqi refugees forming the majority of newcomers.

Its history, however, goes back many millennia. The settlement mentioned in the Bible as Rabbath Ammon was the capital of the Ammonites, which later fell to the Assyrians. It was dominated briefly by the Nabataeans before it became a great Roman trade center and was renamed Philadelphia. After the Islamic conquests, Amman became part of the Islamic Empire until the Ottomans were forced out by the Allies, with the help of the Hashemites, who formed a monarchy that continues to rule to the present.

Today, West Amman is a lively, modern city. The eastern part of the city, where the majority of Amman's residents live, is predominantly the residential area of the working class and is much older than the west. While possessing few sites, Amman makes a comfortable base from which to explore the northwestern parts of the country.

Amman is a very diverse city. Palestinian, Iraqi, Circassian, Armenian, and many other ethnic groups reside in Amman. Amman never stops growing.

Despite the common assertion that most Jordanians understand English, that knowledge is quite limited. Charmingly, the most commonly known English phrase seems to be "Welcome to Jordan". The only non-Arabic language used in signposting is English, and you will find "Tourist Police" near the major monuments. It never hurts to know a few useful phrases and come prepared with a translation book, or to have the names and addresses of places you are going written in Arabic for use with a taxi driver.

Remember, if you're travelling during the holy month of Ramadan, it is almost impossible to buy food from sunrise to sundown, even for tourists. Big shopping malls like City Mall don't let food stores like McDonald's, Sunset and Starbucks sell food during these hours.

Get in

for comprehensive and complete visa details when entering Jordan in Aqaba or Amman, and possibilities to waive your visa fee.

Early arrival: If you have an early arrival flight and don't want to pay a full-day hotel for just 4 or 5 hr staying there, you can wait in the baggage claim hall at the airport. There are some 50 seats or so available—not too comfortable but acceptable.

It runs from the airport around the clock every hour on the hour, with additional half-hourly departures 08:30–17:30. It is necessary to purchase the ticket from a kiosk outside the airport exit—the kiosk is easily identified after exit but often only takes cash and frequently does not have enough change for larger bills. As of 2025, payment by card seems to work. Note that during night time there is no service to the airport. Additionally, this service may be run by a minibus with extremely limited seating and space for baggage. Beware that taxis tend to crowd the bus stops, especially at the final stop, the North Bus Station. These taxis will generally overcharge and very aggressively attempt to sell to you on arrival, including boarding the bus to tell you they are the official taxi service. They are not! The route is: QAIA – 7th Circle (after 20-30 min) – Six Circle – Fifth Circle – Fourth Circle – Housing Bank Complex – Tabarbour North Bus Station (after 45-60 min). From the 4th Circle, where the bus will turn north, it is possible to catch a taxi (1-1.5 JD) from the bus stop to your hotel, but beware of taxis drivers trying to rip off the newly arrived traveler. Or just walk the last 1-2 km. Note that if you are travelling with luggages, you might not be allowed to go out of the bus wherever you want. With luggages, the only officials stops are 7th Circle and Tabarbour North Bus Station. It can be quite expensive and unpredictable to catch an Uber from the city back to the airport. Repeatedly searching for a driver could cause a significant delay to your arrival at the airport for your flight. It is not hard to get a ride from city to airport for 20 JD. If the driver is trying to charge more, make your stand and say no.

Very occasionally, regional or charter flights use , centrally located in east Amman a few kilometers beyond the railway station. You may also want to consider arriving and departing Aqaba airport and then continue with an intercity bus—in summer there might be cheap flights there. Also, you may be entitled to a free visa.

From: West Bank and Israel – For information on coming in via the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge border crossing, see Jordan#King Hussein "Allenby" Bridge. Damascus, Syria – JETT runs buses every day Baghdad, Iraq – JETT runs several buses per week. Jeddah or Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – As of December 2019 there are no bus services.

From Syria Scheduled services within Jordan and to Damascus have been suspended by Hedjaz Jordan Railway, and they are unlikely to resume. Train excursions run occasionally, as do local services to Zarqa. Neither operate more often than once per week, if at all. Amman's tiny, charming railway station (Mahatta) with its museum is worth a look even if you do not (or cannot) take a train.

From Saudi Arabia Trains do not yet enter Jordan, but you can take a train from Riyadh to Al Qurayyat, from where you can continue into Jordan. For more details, see Jordan#By train.

Get around

On foot Some areas of Amman are not easily navigated on foot. Be aware when walking through areas of Amman that are not familiar to you because the walkable route might be inconvenient. Unlike other cities frequented by tourists, tools such as Google Maps may not provide an easily traversable route even when used in walking mode. In this case, a walk that appears to be only a few minutes on Google Maps may take half an hour or longer due to unforeseen obstacles. For example, in some areas of Amman you may encounter roads that quickly become highways/expressways, roads up very steep hills, roads that lack a functional sidewalk, roads that have sidewalks but not functional pedestrian crossings at busy intersections, parts of sidewalks that are heavily obstructed by vegetation, and crossings that require the use of an overpass that is far away. It is not impossible to walk in Amman, but some areas of the city are designed primarily for vehicle traffic and it is better to arrange for a ride.

By taxi Yellow and grey taxis are readily available and can be easily found anywhere in Amman. Hail them in the street as Jordanians do. Taxis for Amman will have a green logo on the driver and passenger doors. The grey ones have an advertisement on top of the car.

Beware of drivers offering to give you a short ride "for free" as a "Welcome to Jordan", especially if you're walking between the Citadel and the Roman Theater; they will then offer to wait for you to take you to your next stop, and will use the "free" ride as an excuse not to start the meter. They will then charge you exorbitantly when you arrive at your next stop. Also, be wary of the private cars posing as taxis around the bus stands and stations. They will offer their services asking you to pay as much as you want but later on insist on pocketing more money from you.

Many drivers do not carry much change, so exact change should be given when possible.

If a driver is pretending he has no change, it is likely that he just wants to keep it, so that you'll have to pay more. If you mind this, ask the driver to find a nearby shop and get change or get the change yourself from a shop or (if you don't mind being rude) look into their money box to find the change yourself.

All taxis are allowed to take passengers to the airport; only special Airport Taxis may take passengers from the airport into town.

If you are visiting the Citadel, call it al'Aqal. The driver may try to convince you that the Roman theater is nicer so that he can drop you off there at the bottom of the hill. It's best to be dropped off at the Citadel and walk down the hill to the Roman theater.

Uber and Careem operate in Amman in the same way as anywhere elsewhere. It is best to select the Uber option as opposed to taxi, and card payment as opposed to cash to avoid being asked for more money by the driver.

By car rental There are several car rental companies located in Jordan some will even give you a driver for free if you book a car rental with them. Some of these are Hertz, Sixt Rental Cars, and National.

By bus Big, municipal buses serve many parts of Amman. They are used by low-income workers, working-class youth and foreign workers, but are perfectly safe. As of 2025, you can also simply swipe a MasterCard or Visa. Sometimes it doesn't work if you are in a tunnel for instance. In that case, just wait and the bus will reconnect to the internet network when leaving the tunnel, making the payment possible.

Since a few years, there is a very efficient BRT network (Bus Rapid Transfer) for only 610 fils. With its own roads, it avoid most of the traffic jam. Moreover, it connects the Northern Station to downtown (close to the Jordan Museum), which is very useful if you sleep downtown.

Most buses are numbered; some display their destination in Arabic only. Bus no. 26 conveniently travels between the old town (Balad) and the 7th Circle along Zahran Street. No. 27 goes from the old town towards the posh Abdoun neighbourhood. No. 43 passes near Shmeisani (as does no. 46) and continues along Mecca Street towards Mecca Mall. Many bus stops are marked by bus shelters, but buses also drop passengers at unmarked spots wherever it is safe to stop. Private minibuses shadow the municipal buses. They do not display route numbers, but a conductor usually shouts out their destination.

By bicycle Bike tours are a good way to see the local scenery and meet local cyclists. There are a couple of bicycling tour firms in Amman.

Tareef Cycling Club. It was founded in 1982 and developed into an active group in August 2007 by a former Jordanian National Team cyclist. They provide fun active weekend cycling and hiking trips, supporting all levels of fitness all around Jordan.

Cycling Jordan. Offers tours and weekly trips to the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea.

See

Although the capital of a diverse kingdom, Amman is not what one would call "packed" with things to see, making it a great gateway to explorations further afield. Even so, the city does hold a few items of historical and cultural interest (allow maximum 2 days to see them).

Amman Citadel. A national historic site at the center of downtown Amman. Its history represents significant civilizations that stretched across continents and prospered for centuries, as one empire gave rise to the next. Settlement at the Citadel extends over 7,000 years.

Jordan Archaeological Museum. The museum hosts a small but interesting collection of antiquities from all over Jordan. Fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls which used to be housed here are now being transferred to the new National Museum of Jordan (see below).

Temple of Herakles. Roman period remains.

Umayyad Palace. In the northern portion of the Citadel, it offers a great view of Amman.

Byzantine Church. Dating to the 5th-6th centuries.

Roman Theater. Built during the reign of Antonius Pius, 138-161AD, this impressive theater could seat up to 6,000 people. Next to it are a folklore museum and a popular culture museum which the entrance fee also covers. Next to it is the Odeon theater, a smaller theater built at the same time. There are two small museums (Folklore and Popular Traditions) to the right and left as you enter.

Roman Nymphaeum. A partly-preserved Roman fountain.

Ammonite Watchtower. A circular watchtower built by the Ammonite kingdom some time between 500-1000 BC.

Rainbow Street. Near the 1st Circle in Jabal Amman, this is an interesting area to walk around and explore, it is named after the old Rainbow Cinema which is now out of use, but the area has experienced a revival with many of the old houses being restored and put into use, in the area there are some cafes and bars including Books@cafe and Wild Jordan, both with great views, a Caribbean restaurant, an Indian restaurant, a sushi joint, and an ice cream shop. There is a hammam, and the Royal Film Commission which sometimes holds outdoor screenings on its patio and some interesting small shops. Across the street from the British Council on Rainbow St., there is the refreshing Turtle Green Tea Bar where everything is in English and you can borrow a laptop to access the internet while enjoying your snack.

Darat al Funun. The 'small house of the arts' in Jabal el Weibdeh, overlooking the heart of Amman, is housed in three adjacent villas from the 1920s (and the remains of a sixth-century Byzantine church built over a Roman Temple), it has a permanent collection and also holds changing exhibitions. In the same area there are other small art galleries and the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts.

Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts. Situated in two separate buildings and in between a (open to the) public park of sculptures, it is showing international, contemporary art with a focus though on regional work.

The Jordan Museum. This is a modern and well-preserved museum. Many of the artifacts from the citadel have been moved here. A great summary of Jordan's history. The entrance to the museum can be hard to find as the pedestrian entrance is sometimes closed so you must enter through the parking entrance. The current Google Maps location is slightly inaccurate: the museum and entrance are just south of the mosque.

Abu Darwish Mosque. Built in the 1920s by a private donor called Hasan Mustafa Sharkas and situated on a hill, this mosque impresses through its black and white striped walls.

King Abdullah I Mosque. Impressive new mosque, with a church opposite. Together, they give an interesting view.

Cave of the Seven Sleepers. These caverns are part of a Byzantine necropolis 10 km east of city centre. In legend they contained the Seven Sleepers, persecuted true believers hiding or immured here circa 250 AD, and emerging 300 years later to find Christianity the official religion, glory hallelujah. The same legend attaches to seven sites from China to Tunisia - Turkey has 3 - but this one is described in the 18th Surah of the Qu'ran and has an adjacent mosque.

Royal Automobile Museum. A collection of cars, from the 100-year-old royal dynasty vehicles, to modern sports cars, to the Rover from the movie The Martian.

Wadi al-Seer. A region to the west of Amman, it is a small valley leading down towards the Dead Sea. Nearby is the al-Bassa Springs, the source of the valley's river. Above the spring is the al-Deir monastery. It's a 20-minute climb up to the monastery.

Iraq Al-Amir. 15 km from Wadi al-Seer, the , close to , are southwest of Amman and are great for a day tour.

Day trips can be done to the Desert Castles Amra, Kharaneh and Azraq in the east, about 30-50 km from Amman around the nearby city of Azraq.

Do

See the sunset from the view point near the Citadel. But pay also your attention to the time of the muezzin call. If you listen to it from the view point, where the whole city lies before you, you get the unforgettable acoustic impression. Due to accelerated growth the past several decades, the styles of living differs considerably as one travels from east to west throughout Amman. Visitors desiring a more exotic and traditional experience should explore "Old Amman", the central downtown, or , which features many souqs, shops, and street vendors. Also known as the Souq with traditional sights and smells of the spice market, and shop for authentic souvenirs. A maze of streets with everything from a fruit market to spices, souvenirs, clothes, hardware. Drink a cool glass of Sugar Cane juice, watch the talented young men make artistic sand designs inside the glass bottles, go and smoke a shisha (hubbly bubbly) in any of the numerous street cafes. Enjoy some tasty falafel in the famous Hashem cafe, enjoy a mansaf dish at Jerusalem restaurant or a nice slice of tasty Kanafe from Habibeh sweets. Busy crowded streets with the real taste of Jordan. Abdali, a section of downtown Amman, is being transformed into a modern center for tourists and natives. The plan includes a broad pedestrian boulevard where visitors can shop, eat, or do numerous other activities. New office buildings and residential hi-rises have been built, and more are on the way. The massive, modern Abdali Mall draws Amman's young and monied. The cultural scene in Amman has seen some increased activities, notably cultural centers and clubs such as Makan House, Al Balad Theater, the Amman Filmmakers Cooperative, Remall, and Zara gallery. Around the 1st of September the Jordan Short Film Festival takes place.

Amman Waves Aqua Park and Resort. The biggest water park in Jordan (80,000 m²), opened in 2004.

Learn There are many universities one can study in. Irbid, Madaba, and Aqaba also hold many educational institutes for foreigners. Jordan's universities are world-renowned and respected for their hospitality and methods of instruction.

Buy

All ATMs charge a relatively high fee for withdrawing money. In Jordan you can withdraw money from your credit card in various currency exchange places. A reliable and low-priced currency exchange service is Alawneh Exchange. They have multiple locations in the city, including downtown. They charge a low percentage fee for withdrawing money from your credit card. Many locals use that agency. You need to show your passport.

If it's shopping you're after, then the pedestrian offers a wide selection of international brand names to choose from.

Amman has numerous antique dealers littered throughout the city. Those in the western parts of the city will most likely be served by those with a competent grasp of the English language, but you run the risk of the items being a bit overpriced.

Some interesting, original souvenir items that one may consider taking home are: a keffiyeh, the traditional checkered headpiece of Jordanian men an antique brass tea/coffee pot, distinctly Middle Eastern with its artistic etching and curved spout olive wood carvings of various objects or figures can be purchase nearly everywhere hand-crafted Jordanian daggers hand-made Bedouin-style embroidered clothing spices.

Also Rainbow Street is populated with small antique stores, clothing, restaurants, sheesha tea shops and the well-known Falafel al-Quds, reputedly the "best" falafel in the Middle East (some Saudis even financed the opening of one in Saudi Arabia). Further down the street you will find a small park that overlooks the city. Further still on a side street, during the warmer months, is a side-walk flea market. At the end of this street and down some stairs you will find Wild Jordan.

Eat

Prices range from ultra-cheap to moderate, depending on one's taste buds. For those on a budget, Arabic food is very affordable and can be obtained everywhere.

Arabic food generally consists of several general basic groups. Meat dishes will generally consist of lamb or chicken; beef is more rare and pork is never offered. Shwarma, which is cooked lamb meat with a special sauce rolled in piece of flat bread, is a local favorite. Rice and flat bread are typical sides to any meal. Jordan's specialty, mansaf, is a delicious lamb and rice meal, typically eaten with your hands. Arabs serve plenty of cucumbers and tomatoes, many times accompanied by a white yoghurt sauce. Another favorite is chick pea-based foods such as falafel, hummus, and fuul.

One of Amman's most famous local foods restaurant is Hashem in the downtown. This restaurant is one of the favourites of the Royal family and you will see a lot of photographs of the Royal family of Jordan dining in this literal hole-in-the-wall. See the listing below.

In an alley off King Faisal St. is Habibah, which serves traditional east Mediterranean sweets such as baklava, but is most famous for serving a traditional dessert known as knafeh nabelseyyeh in reference to its origin from the Palestinian city of Nablus. 800 fils for a "half quarter kilo", which is enough for one person (Oct 2018). The original store is easy to spot with the long queue spilling onto the street: if you're just there for the food rather than the vibe, try the new extension that opened 100 m further up on King Hussein St.

Do not forget the good surprises coming from the countless shawarma outlets and other very cheap places.

Zahret Al Madaen Restaurant & Butchery.

Shawermat Reem. The allegedly best shawarma in Amman is found in this street-side kiosk. It is very famous and there are even lines at 02:00.

Lebnani snack. This is a great place to eat Middle Eastern sandwiches, delicious ice cream and cocktails.

Books@Cafe - a beautiful old house turned into the then-first bookstore/internet/cafe. Opened in 2000 and a hot spot ever since. This cafe is on Rainbow street overlooking all of the old city (Balad) and has two wonderful terraces with the best views in Amman. Free wireless network and three Internet terminals. A must see. (updated May 2022)

Hashem. During meal times, the place is swarming with locals and tourists. Wash this classic Arab meal down with a glass of mint tea.

Jafra Restaurant & Cafe. A quaint Lebanese restaurant that also offers pizza and shisha.

La Maison Verte. An impressive French restaurant, with excellent food and excellent ambience. A must go to place. Moderate to pricey, but it's worth it; the atmosphere alone is worth it, it's quite fancy yet very cozy. Their house specialities include "Entrecote", various steaks and a variety of sea food.

Levant. A very comfortable restaurant with excellent service, excellent English and excellent food. They serve "gourmet" Arabic food, which means fresh local ingredients in surprising and delicious combinations. For more information you can view their website.

Cantaloupe. A fairly trendy restaurant and cocktail bar with terrace impressively overlooking the city. Salads and fish are good, steaks are excellent. Regional and local wines are remarkably good. Service is excellent and unobtrusive. A little loud as the evening progresses.

Fakhr al Din. A real classical of Amman's Lebanese-oriented restaurant. Quite pricey but worth it, especially if you're in the terrace on a warm evening. For local wine, try their "Gerasa" red wine. Reservation highly advised. Great place, but beware of waiters who deliver unordered food to your table. Don't accept anything you don't order.

Sufra. It serves traditional Jordanian and Bedouin food with some more modern stylings. The restaurant is located in a traditional Jordanian villa with beautiful garden seating. Garden seating will likely require advance reservations. The food is more expensive than you can likely find elsewhere but is well-known, and is known for being a frequent favourite of the Jordanian Royal Family. Though, travellers have also been known to consequently have their reservations pushed back or cancelled for a last-minute appearance of members of the Jordanian Royal Family.

Noodasia. Nothing to do with Arabic food, as the menu handles the whole map of Asia, from Thailand to China, through Japan (good sushis) and Indonesia. Nice place, excellent service and good food for the money, but no alcohol served.

Kan Zaman. Impressive medieval castle on a hilltop turned into a beautiful restaurant. The place is worth the visit. The food is pretty basic but ok. Ask for their local "Kan Zaman" red wine. Hopefully, the prices are not proportional to the size of the hall.

Drink

For the coffee lover, Amman's Starbucks locations (Swefieh, Abdoun, Taj Mall, City Mall, Mecca Mall, Abdali Mall) offer various mugs, tumblers, and to-go cups with distinctive Jordanian and Middle Eastern flair.

Those who crave gourmet coffee have a number of choices along Rainbow St. off of First Circle in Jabal Amman with other shops sprinkled throughout the city.

Alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, liquor), can be purchased in liquor stores across the city. Most are distinguishable by an advertisement for Amstel or some like beverage outside. There are also bars up and down Rainbow St. in Jabal Amman and throughout Abdoun. Drinking age is 18 but some bars and cafes might card you and admit 21+ customers only.

Jordan's national beer is aptly called Petra Beer, and there are many liquor shops and kiosks around Amman where you can find it. There are two types: 'black' and 'red', which have 8% and 10% alcohol percentage respectively. The red is usually slightly more expensive than the black, but you should expect to pay 2-2.5 JD for a 500 ml can at a shop. You will often find that bars prefer Amstel and other international brands and do not have Petra beer available.

The local spirit is arak, an aniseed or licorice flavoured spirit similar to the Greek ouzo. At 50% alcohol by volume, it is usually served with water and ice, causing the clear liquid to become milky white.

For night clubs and bars visit the cosmopolitan West Amman where many Western and American franchises operate here.

Picadelli Pub. Friendly place that serves alcohol, food, and complimentary snacks

Jafra Café. A great spot right in the heart of the downtown area. It has an old, rustic feel to it with more young locals than tourists. They have a great selection of nargileh (water pipe) and the entire menu is reasonably priced. Expect to pay about 10 JD for dinner, including an appetizer, kebab, fresh juice and nargileh. Live music starts at 21:00 most night. There is another one near Paris circle in Jebel Al Webdeh.

Maestro Bar. Jazz and pub. There have been complaints about their entry policy.

The main places people who live in Amman spend time during the evenings are hookah shops.

Al-Mawardi. Coffee shop with traditional hookah, a wide selection of coffee and beverages. Offers Backgammon boards but no card games.

Sleep

Amman has the full range of accommodation options from very basic 1-star accommodation to luxurious 5-star facilities.

Cliff Hostel. An option for low budget travellers. In the winter it can get very chilly, make sure that you ask for more blankets. Sometimes they heat your room if you ask for that.

Farah Hotel. Good backpacker option, has common area with satellite TV & movies, organises tours & very friendly English speaking staff.

Jordan Tower Hotel. Dorm rooms male & female - 2-, 3- & 4-bed rooms some with ensuite bathroom and air conditioning and satellite TV. Friendly English-speaking staff. Cheap light snacks and airport pick ups.

Sun Rise Hotel. One-star hotel with good location near Abdali station. Safe area, near Capitol Police Center. TV, free internet, free WiFi and air cond or fan in the room; rooms are very basic, those in the back are colder.

Sydney Hotel. Nice people, clean and safe.

Normas Hotel. Super friendly and helpful, clean and safe.

Zidian Hotel. Wi-Fi, hot shower, great view from the rooms on the back side.

Abbasi Palace Hotel. Clean and well-run. Good staff, knowledgeable and helpful. Free Wi-Fi and internet. Free tea.

Amman Castle Hotel. Seems to be more catered to males and locals

Amman Pasha Hotel. Organizes free walking tours of Amman, and paid group tours to Madaba, Mount Nebo, Bethany Baptism site, Dead Sea, and Jerash. Tours are open to non-guests.

Al Fanar Palace Hotel. Standard hotel with reasonable facilities. Wi-Fi in reception (3 JD/hour). Indoor swimming pool, restaurant (but no bar). You can easily take a taxi down the road to the Regency Palace if you want a bar. Hot water can be a problem.

Beirut International. Good location, nice big rooms, including Middle Eastern breakfast.

Beity Rose Suites Hotel. In the progressive district of Shmeisani, next to the Royal Cultural Centre and the Amman Stock Market. Friendly hotel in an attractive setting.

Crystal Suites Hotel. Nice suites hotel in a prestigious area opposite to the Four Seasons and Sheraton, comfortable for short and long stays, mainly one and two bedroom suites, some studios

Gardenia Hotel. Friendly hotel in nice and very quiet neighbourhood

New Park Hotel. Two-star hotel offering rooms with en-suite bathrooms, satellite TV, air-con, and central heating.

Gallery Guest House. Nice small hotel in a good location, only a few meters to the old center. The host speaks English and takes care of his guests. Roof terrace for the evening, WiFi, air conditioning and airport shuttle.

Bristol Hotel. Very good hotel if you can put up with the ever present smell of cigarette smoke (even in the non-smoking rooms). Wireless internet works well.

Four Seasons Amman. A wonderful luxury hotel.

Grand Hyatt Amman. A favourite of the expat set for its laid back ambiance, terrace views and quality restaurants.

Intercontinental Amman. Another hotel popular with foreign professionals.

Kempinski Amman. All the luxury of a 5-star with interesting modern art features in the designer building.

Regency Palace Hotel. Popular 4-star hotel. Some areas need updating, but rooms are comfortable. There is a very good breakfast buffet. Internet access is available in the rooms.