Jordan · Stays via Expedia
Family Reunion Hotels & Stays in Petra
Planning a family reunion in Petra? Expedia puts hotels and whole-home rentals for the group side by side — book a block of rooms or one big house for ~10, and compare before you commit. Bring everyone together — three generations, one big house.
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Planning a family reunion in Petra
Rose-red canyons, candlelit treasury nights, desert silence at the rim. For a group, weigh a block of hotel rooms against one whole-home rental: the house is usually better value per person and keeps everyone together, while a hotel is simplest for a short stay. Expedia shows both for Petra.
Petra with kids, realistically
Under-twelves enter free, which helps, but the walking does not: two kilometres of Siq before the Treasury appears, and roughly eight kilometres round if you add the Monastery steps. Past the visitor centre the surface turns to gravel and then bare rock, so a carrier beats wheels. Shade essentially runs out once you leave the gorge. Donkey handlers press rides on tired children very insistently.
What to eat in Petra
Wadi Musa, the town above the gate, is where you eat, and the list is short. Mansaf, lamb cooked in fermented dried yoghurt called jameed and served over rice, is the one dish to order at least once. Bedouin camps toward Wadi Rum do zarb, meat buried and baked in a sand pit. Inside the park, stalls sell sage tea at captive-audience prices. Petra Kitchen runs evening classes.
What's actually worth your time in Petra
The Siq delivers the Treasury and everybody photographs it, but Ad-Deir, the Monastery, is the better facade and its eight hundred rock-cut steps thin the crowd to almost nobody. The Royal Tombs glow properly in late afternoon light, not morning. Little Petra, ten minutes up the road at Siq al-Barid, is free and has painted Nabataean ceilings. You cannot go inside the Treasury itself, only stand before it.
What first-timers get wrong in Petra
Buy the Jordan Pass online before you fly. At 70 to 80 dinars depending on how many Petra days you want, it bundles forty-odd sites and waives the visa fee provided you stay at least two nights. Arriving without it, and without an overnight in Jordan, pushes the Petra ticket to 90 dinars. The short horse ride from the gate is included in your ticket; the handler's tip demand is not.
What things cost in Petra
Entry is 50 dinars for one day, 55 for two and 60 for three if you sleep in Jordan; day-trippers who do not sleep here pay 90. The Jordan Pass at 70 to 80 covers all of that plus the visa fee. Petra by Night is a separate ticket around 17. A mansaf dinner in Wadi Musa runs 8 to 15, and the JETT coach from Amman sits in the low teens.
When to go to Petra
| Best months for family reunion | Avg daily high | Rain days |
|---|---|---|
| May | 28°C / 82°F | 1 days |
| April | 24°C / 75°F | 2 days |
| October | 26°C / 79°F | 2 days |
The month to avoid is January — around 13°C (55°F) with roughly 8 rain days. Prices and crowds track the weather here: May is the sweet spot, January the month most people skip.
Pack for peak season: Summer clothes, plus one light layer for air-con and evenings, High-SPF sunscreen, sunglasses, and a refillable water bottle, Comfortable walking shoes — every guide on this site assumes you'll use them.
Common questions
What's the best rental for a family reunion?
A large whole-home rental — 5+ bedrooms with multiple bathrooms, a full kitchen, and shared living space — keeps everyone under one roof. Look for ground-floor bedrooms for grandparents and a yard or pool for kids.
How many bedrooms for a big family?
Plan roughly two people per bedroom, plus a sofa bed or two for kids. A group of 10–12 is comfortable in a 5–6 bedroom home with 3+ bathrooms.
How far ahead should we book a reunion?
Big homes for peak dates (summer, holidays) book 6+ months out. Lock in early and use free-cancellation listings so you can adjust the headcount as RSVPs firm up.
What amenities matter most?
A big dining table, a full kitchen, plenty of bathrooms, parking for several cars, and outdoor space. Accessibility (step-free access, a ground-floor bedroom) matters if elders are joining.
Where should we stay for a family reunion in Petra?
A central, walkable base in Petra keeps you close to the restaurants and nightlife. Rose-red canyons, candlelit treasury nights, desert silence at the rim. On Expedia, compare hotels and whole-home rentals side by side, sort by guest rating, and check the free-cancellation options before booking.
When is the best time for a family reunion in Petra?
May (around 28°C, ~1 rain days), April (around 24°C, ~2 rain days), October (around 26°C, ~2 rain days) rate best on Petra's 5-year climate normals. January is the month most groups skip.