Al Manara is the most polished place to end a Jordan honeymoon on the Red Sea. Part of Marriott's Luxury Collection, it sits on the seafront in central Aqaba with a private beach, an infinity pool and a private lagoon. Its villas come with their own pools. After days of dust at Petra and nights in a Wadi Rum camp, it is the kind of hotel where you can sleep late, float, eat well and let someone else plan the evening.
It suits couples who want resort comfort with the town on the doorstep. The souk, seafood restaurants and the waterfront promenade are a short taxi ride away. The best snorkeling reefs on the south coast are about 20 minutes by car. Rates are moderate by luxury standards, especially compared with Red Sea resorts across the gulf. The trade-offs are a city setting rather than a secluded bay and a conservative local culture outside the hotel gates. If you want to snorkel straight off your beach, look at Tala Bay further south. If you want a stylish base with a private pool and good food, Al Manara is the pick.
Highlights at a glance
- Villas with private pools
- Private beach and lagoon on the Red Sea
- Kubba Levantin fine dining
- Spa with a couples' treatment room
- 15 minutes from Aqaba's airport
Why Couples Love Al Manara
The hotel is built around the water. Rooms look out over the Gulf of Aqaba or the hotel's own lagoon. In the late afternoon the mountains of Sinai across the gulf turn pink and then purple. It is a view worth timing your return from the beach around.
The design is contemporary with Arabic touches, cooler and calmer than the larger chain resorts along the shore. Service has the Luxury Collection polish: butlers for the top suites and villas, staff who can arrange a private dinner on the beach and a concierge used to stitching Aqaba into Petra and Wadi Rum itineraries.
Winter is the hotel's moment. From roughly October to April, days are warm and sunny when the rest of Jordan is cool, which makes Al Manara a natural reward at the end of a long road trip.
Rooms and Villas to Book
Every category has a terrace or balcony facing the Red Sea or the lagoon, so even standard rooms feel bright and open.
- Sea-view rooms are the sensible choice for a short stay, especially if you plan to spend your days at the reefs or on a boat.
- Suites add living space and butler service, which is useful if you want in-room breakfasts and help with excursions.
- Penthouses give you the most space and the highest views over the gulf.
- Villas with private pools are the honeymoon pick. You can swim without leaving your own terrace, which matters in a city where the public beaches are busy and conservative.
Ask for a villa or room facing the sea rather than the city side and mention your honeymoon when booking. Luxury Collection hotels often add a small welcome touch when they know.
Food, Drink and the Spa
The hotel has four restaurants and a bar. Taybeh serves breakfast through dinner with an international menu. Kubba Levantin is the fine-dining room, built around Levantine cooking. It is the place to try a long mezze dinner with lamb and fresh bread. Amwaj focuses on seafood with a lounge atmosphere by the water, good for a sunset drink before dinner.
Alcohol is served at the hotel, which is not a given everywhere in Jordan. Outside the resort, Aqaba's seafood restaurants are worth an evening. Try sayadieh, the local spiced fish with rice.
The spa has eight treatment rooms, a dedicated couples' room and saunas. Book a massage the day after you arrive from Petra or Wadi Rum, when your legs will thank you. During Ramadan, expect restaurant hours and the town's rhythm to change.
Why guests fall for it
Things to Do
Aqaba's reefs are the main attraction. The Japanese Garden on the south coast is an easy snorkel over hard and soft corals in calm, clear water. The wreck of the Cedar Pride is a favorite dive, with coral growing over the sunken cargo ship. Dive centers on the south coast run trips for beginners and certified divers alike.
A sunset boat trip on the gulf is the classic couple's evening, with the lights of neighboring coastlines appearing around the bay as it gets dark.
In town, wander the souk for spices and dates, visit the small Aqaba fort and walk the seafront in the evening when locals come out. Dress modestly away from the hotel, with shoulders and knees covered for both of you. Wadi Rum is about an hour inland and Petra about two hours north, so either can be a long day trip if you have not already been.
Getting There
King Hussein International Airport (AQJ) is only about 10 km from the hotel, roughly 15 minutes by car, with seasonal flights from Europe and domestic links to Amman. Most couples, though, arrive by road at the end of a Jordan trip.
From Amman's Queen Alia International Airport (AMM), the drive down the Desert Highway takes about four hours. From Petra allow around two hours. From Wadi Rum it is about an hour. JETT buses run between Amman and Aqaba if you are not driving.
Aqaba is a special economic zone, so shopping is cheaper than in the rest of the country. Two to four nights is enough for most honeymooners: one day on the reefs, one on a boat or in the spa and one for doing nothing by your pool. Taxis are easy to find in town. Agree the fare before you get in.
Is It Worth It?
Yes, as the soft landing after the adventure part of Jordan. Al Manara gives you a private pool, good restaurants and a spa at prices well below Red Sea luxury elsewhere. Its central location means you can explore the town without a long drive.
What it does not offer is seclusion or a reef off the beach. The hotel sits in the city. Serious snorkelers will spend time in taxis heading south. If coral is your top priority, a Tala Bay resort puts you closer to the water you want to swim in.
Couples who want an all-inclusive beach week should also look elsewhere, since Aqaba works best as a short stay. But for two to four nights of comfort, a villa pool and a sunset over Sinai after Petra and Wadi Rum, Al Manara is hard to beat in Jordan.
Insider tips
- Book a villa with a private pool for privacy in a conservative city.
- Schedule a couples' massage for the morning after you arrive from Petra.
- Take a taxi to the Japanese Garden reef early in the day for the calmest water.
- Visit between October and April, when the weather is warm but not scorching.
