Jordan: Middle Eastern Luxury at the Four Seasons
You know a hotel is good when you have no inclination whatsoever to discover the world outside its doors.
The lobby at the Four Seasons in Amman, Jordan is extensive and grand, the muted decor a mix of contemporary and Middle Eastern pieces and palettes.
We approach the front desk, immediately served by a young woman who appears at once industrious and coolly professional. With a smile, she tells us that we have been upgraded to an executive suite for our two night stay. Liebling and I surreptitiously glance at each other, he with a cocked eyebrow, me with an impish grin. We like it here already, even without having seen the room. We make our way up the elevator, through the long corridor, and up to our suite. It does not disappoint.
Named the Best Business Hotel in Amman in 2011, this Four Seasons apparently caters to the business traveller, but I wouldn’t have known it if I hadn’t read it in the hotel’s promotional materials. The demographics are varied, with couples and families composing the guest population.
Everything you’ve heard about the Four Seasons’ brand is true. It is luxurious, effortlessly classy. The service is impeccable. The facilities are impressive and make it difficult to want to leave the property: there is a spa, a full-service gym, and two rooftop pools (one indoor and one outdoor).
But what is interesting to see at the Four Seasons Amman is the Middle Eastern spin on a hotel chain known the world over. The difference is mostly apparent in the food. The lavish breakfast buffet has a range of Western and Middle Eastern options, and swag sent to our room by guest services includes tasty Jordanian treats and a keffiyeh (the traditional red and white checkered head covering worn by men in Jordan).
As we’re travelling through Jordan during Ramadan, one evening the hotel kindly invites us to its iftar. Iftar is known as the evening meal when Muslims break their fast during the month of Ramadan and is attended by both Four Seasons guests and local families who have purchased a ticket. After sundown, tables are piled high with sizzling foods of Arab extraction, and a Jordanian outfit serenades the crowd with their musical stylings.
