Budget-friendly guesthouse run by welcoming local family. Simple but clean rooms, excellent home-cooked meals, rooftop views, and genuine hospitality. Hosts provide insider tips for visiting Petra and arrange affordable tours. Great value for budget travelers.
Valentine Inn is a long-established family-run guesthouse in Wadi Musa, the town that serves as the main base for visitors to the ancient Nabataean city of Petra. The property has built its reputation over many years on a combination of genuine Jordanian hospitality, honest prices, and the kind of local knowledge that can only come from hosts who have been welcoming travellers to the Petra region for decades. The guesthouse is popular with independent backpackers, long-stay travellers, and those seeking a more personal experience than the large hotels on Tourism Street provide.
Rooms range from basic shared dormitories to simple private rooms with double or twin beds. Facilities are clean and functional rather than luxurious, with shared bathrooms maintained to a good standard on most floors. The rooftop terrace is the guesthouse's social centrepiece — a low-key gathering space with chairs and cushions where guests and the host family converge in the evenings to share meals, tea, and travel plans.
Home-cooked Jordanian meals are the guesthouse's culinary offering. Breakfasts include flatbread, labneh, olive oil, olives, eggs, and fresh tomato — a traditional Jordanian spread that fuels a full day of walking the archaeological site. Dinners follow a similar philosophy, with mansaf, maqluba, or slow-cooked lamb stew prepared in a home kitchen style.
The host family's knowledge of Petra is genuinely extensive. They advise guests on the best entry times, lesser-visited trails and viewpoints, how to avoid the most congested areas of the Siq, and how to negotiate rates with local guides and horse-carriage operators at the gate. Affordable tours to Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, and Jerash can be arranged through a trusted network of local operators.
The guesthouse sits in the residential neighbourhood of Wadi Musa, a short walk from the town centre and around 1 kilometre from Petra's main visitors entrance.
Amenities
- free Wi-Fi
- rooftop terrace
- home-cooked meals
- tour arrangements
- parking
- family-run
Location
Wadi Musa, Petra, Jordan
30.3156, 35.4803 View on map
Highlights
- Family-run atmosphere with hosts whose local knowledge of Petra and the surrounding region is genuinely exceptional
- Home-cooked Jordanian breakfasts and dinners prepared by the host family in traditional style
- Rooftop terrace with evening gatherings, communal meals, and authentic insight into local Jordanian life
- Budget-friendly rates among the most affordable private accommodation near Petra's entrance
Tips for visiting
- Ask the hosts for advice on visiting Petra — they know the site intimately and can point guests toward trails and viewpoints that most tour groups miss.
- Private rooms at the Inn fill quickly during peak seasons (April–May and September–October) — book at least two to three weeks in advance.
- The guesthouse can arrange shared taxis to the Petra gate in the morning, which helps budget travellers avoid the uphill walk at the start of a long day.
- Bring cash in Jordanian dinars — the guesthouse does not accept credit cards and neither do many of the town centre services.
- If visiting Petra by Night, ask the hosts about timing — they will often advise on whether the experience is worth the ticket cost on a given evening.
When to visit
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to October) are the ideal seasons for staying in Wadi Musa and visiting Petra, with comfortable temperatures for long walks in the site. Winter can be cool and occasionally wet, while summer is very hot during the middle of the day.
Accessibility
Valentine Inn is a traditional multi-storey guesthouse with staircase access only — there are no lifts, and the building is not wheelchair accessible. Guests with mobility impairments will find the property unsuitable. The rooftop terrace and upper-floor rooms are reached exclusively via stairs.
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Frequently asked questions
Does Valentine Inn serve meals?
Yes. The guesthouse serves traditional Jordanian breakfasts and dinner at modest additional cost. Guests who want to eat in should confirm with the family on the day so meals are prepared in the right quantities.
Is Valentine Inn close to the Petra visitors centre?
The guesthouse is approximately 1 kilometre from Petra's main entrance, a mostly uphill walk of around 15–20 minutes. Shared taxis and arrangements through the Inn can get guests to the gate faster.
Does the guesthouse have Wi-Fi?
Basic Wi-Fi is available in common areas. Connectivity is sufficient for messaging and maps but may not support video streaming reliably.
Can the hosts arrange transport to Wadi Rum?
Yes. The host family can arrange shared or private transport to Wadi Rum through a network of local operators. Costs and departure times vary — ask at check-in or the evening before departure.