For my visit to Jordan I’m spending most of my time in the capital Amman – unorthodox I know but I’m just too lazy! My original plan was to spend four nights at the InterContinental, costing a total of less than 70k points thanks to my Chase card.

I decided in favour of the Fairmont in the end, because:

• It is ranked #1 on TripAdvisor
• I’ve never stayed at a Fairmont hotel before
• The Accor Step rate is very attractive: 3-for-2 + breakfast + $100 spend and more

I booked a Fairmont Gold room for three nights for less than £500.

I arrived in Royal Jordanian’s chauffeur. Ride from the airport takes about 40 minutes.

Lots of festive decorations in the hotel, and many “Merry Christmas” greetings from the staff.

The lady at the front desk explained to me about the breakfast, welcome drink, and $100 credit. They don’t have a brochure about restaurants and facilities, which I think can be improved.

Safety is taken seriously in this country. Vehicles and guests must go through security check when entering the hotel. The key card is programmed to work for the public floor and your floor only.

Floor 14, 15 and 16 are Fairmont Gold floors.

I got no upgrade at all, despite being an Accor Gold member booking the Step rate. Considering I probably paid less than most standard-room guests, I will not complain.

It is a corner room though, so might be slightly bigger.

It’s got a small vestibule and wardrobe. They use the space fairly well and the room is very well appointed.

There’s even a small office at the back.

The TV set supports Miracast, not as good as Chromecast but usable.

The bathroom is spacious with separate toilet and shower cabins.

There are two nuisances though. Cover on the flush button is falling off, and there’s only one set of body wash and shampoo fixated to the wall in the shower cabin, which is a hassle when you are bathing in the tub.

Fairmont, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons and Sheraton occupies the four corners of the intersection. It is probably one of the most affluent areas of Amman.

Welcome amenity:

I was told about the closure of the Fairmont Gold lounge (for renovation) at check-in. It was neither communicated on their website or prior to my stay, which feels unprofessional.

Breakfast is served in the Lebanese restaurant Nur.

It is all buffet and no a-la-carte dining. I haven’t had the best experience in terms of breakfast in the Middle East, and Fairmont Amman didn’t change that. There are some international options such as chow mien and fried rice, but I’m not impressed by the quality either.

The egg station:

Afternoon tea is served at the Crystal Lounge, between 2pm and 4pm.

Happy Hour is hosted at the Caprice restaurant, between 5pm and 7pm.

The menu this time is very solid!

You’ve got multiple options for appetisers, mains and desserts. You won’t be short of alcohol supply either.

This kind of dinner easily sets you back £50+ pp in London, so Fairmont Gold pays off.

To spend the $100 credit I had two lunches in the hotel too. First one is Lebanese at Nur.

The lamb wrap is decent. Another meal is at the Asian restaurant Tsuki. The Korean fried chicken and lobster laksa are pretty good.

Spa and gym is at floor 3.

The outdoor swimming pool is closed in the winter, and the only spa facility most guests can use is a steam room. If you staying at the Gold floor however, there’s an exclusive VIP area reserved for you. You’ll find a jacuzzi, sauna and steam room in the changing room.

In the public area there’s another jacuzzi and a swimming pool.

There’s a also relaxation room with snacks and tea.

The spa (for Fairmont Gold) is great. Weather was pretty bad for my first two days so I mostly stayed in except for purchasing some essentials, and I spent a lot of time here.

The staff on the other hand, are lacking in profession. No one mentioned the Fairmont Gold spa to me at all, even when I inquired they mentioned only the regular steam room to me, without considering the possibility that I was on the Gold floor. Thankfully I asked a cleaner who was very keen on showing it to me.

When I asked about late check-out the front desk was also very rigid, saying that it would be upon availability on the day of checking out. On the last day however it was the (suspected) deputy manager who served me, and she was much more friendly and professional. She didn’t even look in the system before agreeing to my late check-out request, and proactively gave me half an hour more to “enjoy the lunch”.

When I saw a #1 hotel with top TripAdvisor rating I was expecting a flawless experience, but Fairmont Amman didn’t live up to that expectation. It is however still an upscale and decent property, on a par with some of the Waldorf Astoria and St Regis hotels that I’ve stayed at.