Monday, 3 October 2011

My Jordan Diary: Arrival in Amman

Once I arrived at the airport at c.8pm I was asked for my passport in order to obtain my visitors visa. This guy wearing a large woollen coat and shades disappeared for 20 mins before re-emerging with my visa and passport. I was so relieved! I was collected by a pre-booked taxi and was taken straight to the hotel. Amman has wide streets filled with traffic going somewhere in a hurry.
Imperial Palace Hotel
The weather was cold, wet and windy. From the looks of the buildings, including my hotel, they don't seem to be prepared for rain or wind for that matter. Marble steps are great for adding cool but when wet they are a danger to all.
I stayed at the Imperial Palace Hotel which is a 4-star 'boutique' hotel that supposedly offers 'a blend of the hospitality of the Orient and the luxurious comforts of the modern age'. It is ideally situated in the Fourth Circle, one of the most affluent districts of west Amman and 10 minutes from the hustle and bustle of downtown Amman so was great for getting out and about but a taxi was needed to get anywhere. I found the breakfast to be very limiting with little fresh produce available and orange cordial called orange juice. The restaurant staff were on the boarder of being rude which isn't wasn't a good first impression of Jordanian people. The guest toilets were filthy and everywhere smelt of drains. The lovely chandelier you can see in the picture was filthy and looks as it has never been dusted. 
Not the best first impression of a country but I have 7 more days to investigate.
Overview
Read my diary of my trip to Jordan:



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