Iran - Andrew Burke [197]
Saadi Hotel (Map; 220 3881; saadi_hotel@yahoo.com; Abbas Abad St; s with breakfast US$15-20, tw US$21-28; ) Quiet location, alright rooms, nice price.
Hotel Totia (Map; 223 7525; Masjed-e Sayyed St; tw/tr with breakfast IR250,000/300,000; ) Another welcoming, family-run place with spotless rooms at fair prices. Adjoining rooms are available and the overhead fans are a bonus if you hate air-con. Discounts for single travellers.
Everything’s full? Try these:
Persia Hotel (Map; /fax 220 4062; Chahar Bagh Abbasi St, near Takhti Junction; s/tw US$20/28; ) Family-run; very clean, relatively spacious rooms with bathroom; dubious plumbing.
Tous Hotel (Map; 222 1599; toos@yahoo.com; Chahar Bagh Abbasi St; s/tw/tr IR180,000/260,000/315,000; ) Rooms are bigger than some, and noisier than many.
If you have an early bus, functional Hotel Kaveh (Map; /fax 442 5440; s/d US$21/27; ) is at the northern end of Kaveh terminal, and Hotel Soffeh (Map; 668 6462; s/d US$21/27; ) is at Soffeh bus terminal.
MIDRANGE
All the rooms in this range have bathrooms, air-con, fridge and TV, though there’s no guarantee on English-language channels.
Bekhradi Historical Residence (Map; 448 2072; Sonbolestan Alley, off Ebn-e Sina St; r IR250,000-900,000; ) This quiet, modest-sized khan-e sonnati (traditional house) is the real Safavid-style deal; five wonderfully restored rooms, some with bathrooms, some not – like the old days. Set around two garden courtyards, there is also a restaurant. It’s beside the Masjed-e Dawazeh-Noh.
Hasht Behesht Apartment Hotel (Map; 221 4868/9; hotel8behesht@yahoo.com; Ostandari St; apt from IR350,000; ) The family-run Hasht Behesht offers reliable, comfortable-if-not-desperately-stylish two-, three- and four-bed apartments in a wonderfully central location. English-speaking Mohammad is efficient, engaging and informative, and (don’t fall over) charges everyone the same price. Great value!
Iran Hotel (Map; 220 2740; www.iranhotel.biz; off Chahar Bagh Abbasi St; s/d with breakfast US$28/43; ) Not desperately charismatic, but the bright rooms with double-glazed windows are not bad in this price range. Bathrooms have squat toilets.
Pol and Park Hotel (Map; 667 4785-7; park_pol_hotel@yahoo.com; A’ineh Khuneh Blvd; s/d US$34/43; ) With half the 35 rooms sporting balconies overlooking the Si-o-Seh Bridge and an overall friendly feel, you can forgive the ageing but clean rooms. Excellent value.
Tourist Hotel (Map; 220 4437; www.esfahantouristhotel.com; Abbas Abad St; s/d/ste with breakfast US$30/44/66; ) Helpful English-speaking management has transformed this place into a reliable, if not exciting, lower midrange place. The suite has a kitchenette.
Hotel Melal (Map; 222 4532-4; Kemal Esma’il St; s/d with breakfast US$41/64; ) Overlooking the river east of Si-o-Seh Bridge, Melal is so professionally managed that staff refused all our attempts to actually see a room because it was full. However, several readers have reported the three-star standard rooms and top-floor restaurant (with views) are both excellent value.
Zohreh Hotel (Map; 223 1060; www.zohrehhotel.com; Ferdosi St; s/d/tr/ste with breakfast US$46/67/92/150; ) The new, 50-room Zohreh is a temple to classic Persian kitsch – think lots of odd-shaped mirrors, gold paint, moulded plaster, chandeliers and portraits of colourfully clad maidens. Then there’s the Achaemenid motifs. Rooms are more restrained and a fair size. Some have bathtubs, and all have ADSL internet.
Safavi Hotel (Map; 220 8600; Felestin St; s/d from US$49/72; ) Nearer to Imam Sq than the Zohreh, the Safavi seems to have used the same stylists as the Zohreh with the head-spinning basement restaurant the pièce de résistence! Rooms are modern and mercifully less psychedelic to look at. Don’t miss the views from the rooftop teahouse.
Dibai House (Map; 220 9787, 0912 154 6964; www.dibaihouse.com; 1 Masjed Ali Alley, Harunieh; s/tw/tr with breakfast €35/60/75) Dibai House is Esfahan’s most atmospheric hotel. Hidden away off a narrow, vaulted alley deep in the Bazar-e Bozorg