Long before wellness was a global industry, one family had already made it a way of life.
The Nazzals, a name synonymous with hospitality across Jordan and Palestine, has been quietly shaping the region’s tourism story for over five generations. From the cobbled streets of Jerusalem to the crimson cliffs of Petra, their touch has always been one of personal warmth, cultural pride, and an enduring pursuit of excellence.
Michael Nazzal, Chairman of the Dead Sea Spa Company, grew up immersed in the rhythms of hotel life.
“As a young boy, I would report to the hotel every day as if I were one of the staff,” he tells Anovia, smiling. “One day I’d be helping with tiling or maintenance, another I’d sneak into the kitchen, fascinated by how meals were prepared and presented.”
This immersive, hands-on upbringing instilled more than just know-how, it ignited a generational passion.
That passion would eventually lead the family to a bold frontier: the shimmering, ancient shores of the Dead Sea.
In 1990, they made a daring decision to build Jordan’s first-ever hotel on the Dead Sea, venturing into uncharted terrain, 430 meters below sea level. “It was a bold but essential step,” Nazzal explains. “We didn’t hesitate. We simply studied the land carefully, searched for the most suitable spot near the shoreline, and committed to building something that would stand the test of time.”
And so, the Dead Sea Spa Hotel was born, not as a conventional resort, but as a sanctuary. With architecture inspired by traditional village life and pathways that wind through lush gardens, the hotel feels more like a living memory than a modern structure. It redefined wellness not as sterile luxury, but as something elemental, intimate, and rooted in place.
The therapeutic power of the Dead Sea’s mineral-rich waters and mud, celebrated since Cleopatra’s era—was elevated into full-fledged spa experiences. Guests from around the world began to arrive in search of healing, rejuvenation, and that unique stillness the Dead Sea offers.
But the soul of the hotel has always been more than its treatments. It lies in the stories. In the memories of a family who never abandoned their compass. In the corridors once walked by a curious boy who is now the man steering its future.
From Jerusalem to Amman, from Petra to the Dead Sea, the Nazzals have built more than hotels, they’ve built bridges across time and place, connecting heritage with modern hospitality.
Today, the Dead Sea Spa Hotel stands as a monument, not just to vision and resilience, but to what happens when personal legacy is turned into national treasure.
