Property Overview
The Kempinski Hotel Ishtar occupies the most visually prominent position along the Jordanian Dead Sea shore. Its terraced architecture descends in tiers from the main road toward the waterline, referencing the stepped gardens of ancient Babylon. The design is deliberate: each level offers unobstructed views across the Dead Sea toward the Judean hills, and the descent from lobby to beach mirrors the broader experience of traveling from Amman’s plateau to the lowest point on Earth.
With approximately 345 rooms and suites, the Kempinski is the largest five-star property in the Jordan Dead Sea resort corridor. The scale allows for amenities that smaller properties cannot support: 9 swimming pools at various levels, a 100-meter lagoon pool, multiple restaurants spanning Mediterranean, Asian, and Middle Eastern cuisine, and the Anantara Spa occupying its own wing of the property.
The Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea contains approximately 345 rooms across terraced levels inspired by Babylonian garden architecture, with 9 swimming pools including a 100-meter lagoon pool descending toward a private Dead Sea beach at approximately 430 meters below sea level on the Jordanian shore near Sweimeh.
Rooms and Suites
Room categories range from Superior rooms at approximately 40 square meters to multi-bedroom suites and villas. Standard rooms feature balconies with Dead Sea views, and the terraced layout means that even lower-category rooms benefit from the property’s westward orientation. Rooms are finished with stone and natural materials consistent with the desert setting.
The property’s suites and villas occupy the upper terraces, providing the most expansive views and private outdoor spaces. Some categories include private plunge pools. Room furnishings reflect a Middle Eastern design vocabulary without the generic international hotel aesthetic that characterizes some regional properties.
Beach and Pool Complex
The Kempinski’s private Dead Sea beach sits at the lowest level of the property, accessed by pathways that wind through the terraced gardens. The beach provides direct entry into Dead Sea water containing 34.2% dissolved minerals, with the characteristic buoyancy that allows floating without effort. Freshwater showers are stationed along the beach for rinsing, which is essential given the water’s mineral concentration.
The 9-pool complex is spread across the property’s various levels, providing swimming options at different temperatures and settings. The 100-meter lagoon pool is the centerpiece, designed as a gradual-entry experience. Several pools are heated during cooler months.
Anantara Spa
The Anantara Spa operates within the Kempinski as a branded spa partnership, offering treatment menus that combine conventional spa services with Dead Sea-specific therapies. Mineral mud wraps, salt scrubs, and hydrotherapy circuits using Dead Sea water form the core of the therapeutic menu. The spa includes indoor treatment rooms, a hammam, and outdoor relaxation areas overlooking the Dead Sea.
Dead Sea mud used in treatments is sourced from the local shoreline, containing concentrated magnesium, calcium, potassium, and bromine. Clinical research has documented the therapeutic effects of these minerals on skin conditions including psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (Al Bawab et al., 2018). The spa’s offerings translate this research into accessible wellness services.
The Anantara Spa at the Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea provides mineral-based treatments using mud sourced from the Dead Sea shoreline, containing concentrated magnesium, calcium, potassium, and bromine, minerals whose therapeutic effects on skin conditions have been documented in peer-reviewed dermatological research.
Dining
The Kempinski operates multiple restaurants covering a range of cuisines. Options include Mediterranean dining, Asian cuisine, Middle Eastern specialties, and casual poolside service. The property’s scale supports a dining rotation that prevents repetition during multi-night stays, a meaningful consideration given the resort corridor’s limited external dining options.
Practical Information
The Kempinski is approximately 60 kilometers from Amman and one hour from Queen Alia International Airport. Hotel transfer services are available. The property offers day passes for non-guests, typically including pool and beach access. Spa treatments and dining are charged separately. Check-in is typically at 15:00 and check-out at 12:00.
The resort corridor near Sweimeh has limited options outside the hotel properties themselves. Guests planning multi-night stays should expect to use the hotel’s dining and recreation facilities extensively, which the Kempinski’s scale accommodates better than most properties in the area.
The Kempinski Hotel Ishtar is located approximately 60 kilometers from Amman and one hour from Queen Alia International Airport, situated in the Sweimeh resort corridor where limited external dining and entertainment mean that the property's 9 pools, multiple restaurants, and Anantara Spa function as a self-contained destination.
FAQs
How many pools does the Kempinski Dead Sea have?
The Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea features 9 swimming pools spread across the property’s terraced levels. The largest is a 100-meter lagoon pool that descends toward the Dead Sea. Several pools are heated during cooler months, and each level offers a different pool setting with varying views across the basin.
Does the Kempinski Dead Sea have a private beach?
Yes. The Kempinski maintains a private Dead Sea beach at the lowest level of the property, providing direct access to water with 34.2% mineral concentration. Freshwater showers are available along the beach for rinsing after Dead Sea bathing, which is essential to remove mineral residue from skin and hair.
How far is the Kempinski Dead Sea from Amman?
The Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea is approximately 60 kilometers from central Amman, roughly 50 to 60 minutes by car via the Dead Sea Highway. From Queen Alia International Airport, the drive is approximately one hour. The hotel offers transfer services for an additional fee.
What spa treatments are available at the Kempinski Dead Sea?
The Anantara Spa at the Kempinski offers Dead Sea mineral mud wraps, salt scrubs, hydrotherapy circuits using Dead Sea water, hammam experiences, and conventional massage and facial treatments. Dead Sea-specific therapies use locally sourced mud containing concentrated magnesium, calcium, potassium, and bromine.
