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If ever there was place where the gods conspired
to create a spa setting, it is the Dead Sea. By
definition this starkly beautiful, saline wonder
is one of the world’s most remarkable destinations
for hospitality and tourism.
Driving the short distance from Amman towards the
Dead Sea, the highway takes a distinct downward
trajectory after cresting the last of the hills
marking the highlands east of the Jordan River Valley.
The terrain becomes ever more arid the further one
descends.
Eventually a road sign comes into view marking
the passage of sea level, despite being still loftily
upslope.
The Dead Sea, also known as Bahr Lott (the Sea of
Lott in Arabic), emerges like a large finger lake,
which, in essence…it is. While at the Dead
Sea, as with the Grand Canyon of Arizona, light
seems to take on a new dimension. If the planet
mars had ever possessed lakes of standing water,
this is how one imagines it would have looked. Indeed,
when the sun sets upon the Sea, its glistening radiance
is more reminiscent of a pixilated picture from
a Rover Spacecraft, rather than a visage of earth.
One gazes not only upon Pleistocene history, but
the history of mankind as well.
Much has been written of the Dead Sea waters—the
antipode of Mount Everest… venerated in reference
books as the lowest place on earth, it’s curative
salts, mud, and especially the one of a kind sensation
of being suspended in water sans inflatable mattress.
Foremost among the four and five star resorts springing
up along the Jordanian coast is the Kempinski development,
known as Hotel Ishtar, after the Babylonian goddess,
which will be opening its doors on May 1, 2006.
The theme of the design is taken from indigenous
Arabian villages as well as mythology—a marriage
between history and location.
The Kempinski Hotel Ishtar will offer three luxurious
enclaves, beach chalets, villas, and a hotel, set
amidst gardens dotted with lagoon, waterfalls, and
private pools. Each Villa has an uninterrupted view
of the Dead Sea and contains it’s own spa.
In June 2007 a main building will open behind the
initial beachfront lodgings, adding 201 rooms to
the overall complex. An international spa, catering
to people from around the world, and featuring Thai
operators who recently won the Spa of the Year Award,
will be opening as well. Another section of the
spa will be dedicated to cosmetic surgery, and a
health spa will cater to guests seeking improved
fitness, diet, beauty and spiritual healing.
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Of course, water is the mainstay of the development
given its location on the Dead Sea. Kempinski will
boast the longest private beach in all of Jordan.
In addition to its eight outdoor fresh water swimming
pools, each water feature in the landscaping will
have been designed with its own unique characteristics.
The fresh water comes to the resort via private
well and a pipe capturing the flow from nearby mountains.
United Saudi Jordanian Hotels and Tourism (HAT)
traces its beginnings to the construction industry,
building compounds in Saudi Arabia for the influx
of foreign workers coming to work the Saudi oilfields.
"We started designing compounds where people
could have not only security, but a sense of privacy,"
said Juwad al-Kassab, chairman of HAT. The scale
of the developments has grown enormously over the
years, to the point where compounds are now essentially
self- contained cities complete with banks, schools,
supermarkets, gyms, restaurants and even hotels.
"The compounds were built as total communities,"
said Juwad. "Their claim to fame was the speed
in which they were built—from design stage,
to building and furnishing in a mere 26 months."
In addition to favorable costs, and the high quality
that went into the compounds, the idea was later
introduced elsewhere in the world. Then came the
arrangement with Kempinksy in the form of the Ishtar
Dead Sea resort. Now plans are on the board for
taking the compound model to places such as Lake
Dokan in the Zagros Mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan.
"We didn’t simply move from compounds
to tourism projects," said Juwar. "It
started off with compounds in Saudi Arabia and then
the company diversified and conglomerated several
other companies in the construction field under
one umbrella. There is also a waterproofing company,
an IT company, graphic design, and interior design
aspect. The group simply diversified and that’s
how the company took on projects such as the Kimpinski
Hotel Ishtar."
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Jordan 
