Igor Per
January 7, 2026
Kempinski Aqaba is a good hotel, but my daughter was vomiting the entire night after eating at their Lebanese restaurant — they clearly messed with the food there.
Let’s be honest: yes, this is probably the best hotel in Jordan outside Amman. Good location, sea access, solid building. That’s the baseline.
Now the reality.
After dinner at the Lebanese restaurant, our daughter got severe food poisoning. She ate a very basic kebab — nothing exotic — and was vomiting all night. This strongly suggests old or reheated food. For a hotel of this level, this is unacceptable. Whatever they are doing in that kitchen, it is not safe. Avoid this restaurant.
Service overall is weak and poorly trained, with one clear exception:
a woman at reception in a red suit. Professional, organized, calm, and efficient. She arranged our diving perfectly within two hours, last minute, everything flawless. Unfortunately, she seems to be the only person in the hotel who actually understands hospitality. One professional cannot compensate for an entire untrained team.
Breakfast is chaotic and uncomfortable.
Long lines for eggs (15 minutes), long waits for simple tea, small selection, many staff, very little efficiency.
The gym is a joke: tiny, badly equipped, and absurdly located above the lobby, so any noise is immediately heard downstairs. Proper training is basically impossible.
Bottom line:
Yes, Kempinski is the best option here.
And yet we got food poisoning, weak service, and poor design decisions.
If this is the best, the bar in Aqaba is extremely low.
