Review: Feynan Ecolodge

Thanks, Tiffany. This is a very comprehensive and useful review. I must admit, I'd never considered going at that time of year, so good on you for braving the cold temperatures. (I'm highly amused by the confusion over the hot water bottle – as a Kiwi I'm quite familiar ...)

@ Malc -- Hah, thanks! They're really not a thing in the U.S. that I'm aware of, at least not for my generation!

Seems like a pretty cool place Tiffany. The earthen water holders are common in the subcontinent and I guess the middle east too. It's just condensation cooling the water but a pretty neat method. Loved the sunset pictures!

I first read the title as "Feyan Econologe Review" which I was a little shocked by. Even without electricity this place is nicer than and Econologe. How was the WiFi? lol.

Am I the only one who read "Econolodge" at first glance?

If you want a hot water bottle in the US, buy one from Amazon....the german brand Fashy is good.

the American bottles in your local drugstore leak very quickly, especially if you actually put close to boiling water in them......

@ Bo -- The hotel offered wifi only in the lobby, and only during certain hours. I could never get it to work though. Our local SIM card had excellent service, even when we were out hiking, surprisingly!

Oops, I meant evaporation above!

Hi Denise

I am not surprised re leaking if you put close to boiling hot water in them. In the UK we are always taught to let the water from the kettle sit for a few minutes because they can not cope with boiling hot water.

Very cool and unique trip report Tiffany! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Never stayed in a Ecolodge. Will have to give it a try during mild temperature/season..

Nice writeup Tiffany. We were in Jordan at almost the same time and passed on Feynan when we heard it would be unheated 🙂 it would have been a stretch with a 6 year old.

Hi Tiffany, just wanted to understand why you claim Jordan is very poor country. They are classified as an Upper Middle Income country by the World Bank. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Jordan .

Sorry, just one more. Clay pots are traditionally used to keep water cool. They are still fairly prevalent in India. The sweating is why it remains cool. Namely, the water evaporates through the porous clay. When water evaporates it draws heat away from the pot, keeping it cool.

That was absolutely amazing review, thank you so much for sharing it!

Well vegetarian dishes are wise option in any eco-friendly property. Meat production is the main source of air and water contamination. Unfortunately not many people are conscious of that.

Very interesting review, thanks. Probably just a little too "rustic" for me, but looks fascinating nonetheless. It's also interesting how the landscape resembles Death Valley, right down to the sunset over the hills.

How much did you pay for each night?

@ Ken -- ~$218 per night, plus tax. The full breakdown for the trip is here: https://onemileatatime.com/jordan-road-trip/

Thanks!

Reminds me a bit of our trip to Morocco last year in February. We spent one night in a kasbah in the mountains with no heat or electricity. I think it got down into the 30s that night, but we had 3 or 4 blankets! It was interesting, and worth doing, but not sure I'd do it again in winter any time soon.

Feynan is an amazing place, but definitely is tough if it is too hot or too cold. The excursions are worth participating in if you can - the hike to the old copper mines was a highlight for us, as was visiting with one of the Bedouin families in the area for tea.

With regard to the vegetarian menu, my understanding is that it isn't just an eco-thing. Part of the reason they do it that way is to reflect the limited access and affordability of meat for the local residents. They feel that since they are bringing lots of affluent tourists into the local community, it would create economic resentments if they were serving meat with every meal when the locals eat it much more infrequently. I know that many people will disagree with that rationale, but again, my understanding is that it is part of the reason they do it the way they do.

@747always...Jordan is water poor and natural resource poor. It is also faced with a massive refugee crisis. Best estimates put somewhere between 25% and 33% of the country's residents as refugees from Syria (most), Iraq (some), and Palestine (a small number). These facts put enormous strain on Jordan's resources and economy. So, while it is definitely better off than many countries, and certain areas, like Abdoun in Amman, are very ritzy, and the country is a joy to travel in, I think most people reading this blog would definitely be struck by some of the poverty that they encounter while traveling in Jordan.