Iran - Andrew Burke [86]
Mashad Hotel (Map; 8883 5120; 190 Mofatteh St, near Taleqani Ave; s/d with breakfast US$55/65; ) A recent facelift has transformed the Mashad into a good-value, well-located midrange option. Rooms are smallish but attractively furnished, and those on the 4th floor and above have some views into the old US Embassy compound. Service is so so.
Ferdossi Grand Hotel (Map; 6671 9991-3; www.ferdossigrandhotel.com; 24 Sabt St, off Ferdosi St; s/d US$65/85; ) Within an easy walk of the museums, Golestan Palace and bazaar, the Ferdossi is the best midrange choice in this part of Tehran. The whole place has recently been renovated, there’s professional service and facilities, and the quiet, spacious rooms are fairly priced. The restaurant and coffee shop aren’t bad, either.
Amir Hotel (Map; 8830 4066; www.amirhotel.ir; Taleqani Ave, near Iranshahr Ave: d/ste with breakfast US$83/93; ) In the midst of the business district, the Amir is a modern business hotel with 70 reasonably sized, clean rooms boasting wood-panelling, soft beds and satellite TV. Service is professional and prompt, and the foyer coffee shop serves real coffee! In-room internet is planned.
These hotels in central Tehran share a pre-revolution heritage and everything about them screams ‘make me over, now’.
Azadi Hotel (Map; 8884 2479; info@azadihotel.net; Somayyeh St; r US$48) Rooms at the back are best.
Bolour Hotel (Map; 8882 3080; 191 Qarani St; r with breakfast US$52; ) Large rooms, larger bathrooms but little atmosphere; ask for a room away from the road.
Top End
Tehran has a few ‘five-star’ hotels, most of them built in the ’70s by big chains and renamed after the revolution. Those places have experienced a supernova or two (that is, the stars have burst), but a couple of boutique-sized hotels offer the sort of service and comfort more familiar elsewhere. Following is a selection of places that are comparatively central and reasonable value.
Raamtin Residence Hotel (Map; 8872 2786; www.raamtinhotel.com; 1081 Valiasr Ave; d with breakfast from US$140; ) White leather couches might not be your thing, but the Raamtin’s 50 spacious rooms are otherwise very well-equipped. There’s free wi-fi internet, DVD players and double-glazing, which keeps out the noise of Tehran’s main commercial strip. Service is efficient and professional, the location ideal for business and the classy Bistango restaurant downstairs a centre of lunchtime deal-making.
Simorgh Hotel (Map; 8871 9911; www.simorghhotel.com; 1069 Valiasr Ave; r with breakfast from US$170; ) Virtually next door to the Raamtin, this modern-looking 69-room hotel is also popular with business visitors for its stylish, well-fitted rooms (free wi-fi internet throughout) and well-trained staff to go with facilities including gym, Jacuzzi and pool.
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VOICES OF IRAN: FARAHNAZ TAHERI
Age: 44
Lives in: Western Tehran
Occupation: Housewife
‘My husband is a driver and sometimes he brings his foreign passengers home. We Iranians don’t see many foreigners so it’s very interesting when they come to visit. Some of our customs are unusual for them and we get to see some of their culture, too.
For example, when we eat we sit on the floor – on the carpet – but some foreigners can’t sit that way and it’s funny to see them with their legs stuck out. Some foreigners forget to take their shoes off, but it’s not a problem for us as we understand that they have different customs.
If they come for dinner, the foreigners eat what we normally eat, though I might go to some extra effort to make sure they have good memories of our house. I am from the Caspian Sea region so I like to cook dishes from that area, such as mirza ghasemi, fesenjun, khashke bademjan, fish and gheyme. Among the foreigners, fesenjun, ghorme sabzi and fish are probably the favourites – I think because they are sick of eating kababs all the time!
The men and women who come here always ask how to cook the dishes and I’m happy to tell them. This is funny, too, because Iranian men