Hotel Review: Al Sultana Luxury Camp in Wadi Rum, Jordan

Getting up at dawn, I slipped out of bed and walked alone across the red sand dunes of Wadi Rum to a hillside to catch the sunrise. In one direction, a man rode a camel. In the other, Al Sultana Luxury Camp glittered against a sandstone cliff with its tidy rows of tents and martian domes (glamping tents). The Wadi Rum Protected Area, nicknamed Valley of the Moon, shot to fame in the 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia and stood in for Mars in 2015’s The Martian. The desert wilderness is in southern Jordan near the border with Saudi Arabia. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is an astounding desert landscape that’s full of narrow gorges, natural arches, towering cliffs, caverns, petroglyphs, inscriptions and archaeological remains.

Value for Money

Wadi Rum is home to nomadic Bedouin tribes and 400 or so competing camps. Al Sultana has 74 ensuite units, which include 20 standard tents, 34 panoramic tents and 20 martian domes. Room rates include a breakfast buffet and may include dinner. People usually book separate two-hour, 4X4 Jeep journeys across the desert. My standard tent (which is more of a tented cabin) came with a queen bed, towels, electricity, air conditioning, bathroom, desk, wardrobe and a small front deck with two chairs facing the pool. September — shoulder season between cold winters and hot summers — was warm by day and chilly at night. There is free parking and WiFi, a seasonal outdoor pool (with lounge chairs) and a restaurant. Airport shuttles are possible. You can’t put a price on the starry skies.

Safety + Accessibility

In 2023, I had to be shuttled to an off-grid Wadi Rum camp that felt a million miles from civilization (but probably wasn’t). Al Sultana is along the main road and not far from Wadi Rum village, which makes it ideal for women who don’t want to feel too remote. It was filled with Jordanian families during my visit and the tents have just enough space between them. There were two steps up to my tent and the bathroom included a shower. A large window allowed natural light to flood in but heavy curtains kept the room dark at night. Rooms had good locks with keys. At reception, I spotted security cameras keeping watch over the camp.

The Story

Al Sultana is owned by a businessman who is from the area but now lives in Wadi Musa (near Petra). The camp was built in 2019 and claims to be the first to use domes and build a pool so travellers would spend more than one night in Wadi Rum. Since Al Sultana is connected to the electrical grid, it doesn’t have to run generators. I visited with G Adventures during its GX Jordan birthday party and summit. “We chose it because it was locally owned and showed that you can find comfortable camps in Wadi Rum and the location worked well with our schedules,” said Yves Marceau, VP of operations for G Adventures.

Sustainability

The hotel is run by Bedouins who want to share their hospitality. They say, “…with our nomadic roots, we understand and respect nature, striving to protect it as we enjoy it”.