Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
BEYOND THE SHRINE COMPLEX
HOMESTAY
Vali's Non-smoking Homestay$
( 851 6980, 0915 100 1324; vali32@imamreza.net; 6th Alley, off Enqelab-e Eslami St,
house 277; dm/s/tw US$6/15/15; )
Vali is an eccentric and ever-enthusiastic carpet
merchant-cum-multilingual guide who offers a twin-bedded guest room in his charming
home along with communal carpeted sleeping spaces, some on the open-air terrace. This
is the nearest Mashhad gets to a backpacker hostel but it's vastly more personal and invit-
ing with Vali arranging biking tours of the surrounding region and is keen to show foreign
guests the highlights of Khorasan. Great home-cooked evening meals cost only US$3 (of-
ten vegetarian) and a good breakfast is a decent US$1. Prices stay the same all year. Take
bus 85 from near the main terminal or 13 from Falakeh Ab, either way getting off at
Charahe Lashkar (Metro Emam Khomeini). Highly recommended.
Hotel Pars$
( 222 4030; fax 221 4944; Imam Khomeini St 26th Alley; s/d US$12/22; closes low-
season)
Mashhad's oldest hotel, the Pars occupies a 1935 brick building and its manager
lived nine years in England. Rooms have ageing en suite bathrooms but are just as good as
many midrange equivalents. The basement
sofrakhane sonati
is a lovely vaulted teahouse
(qalyan - waterpipe - US$1; open 24 hours in season) with a tandoori oven providing
fresh bread to accompany meals.
TRADITIONAL HOTEL
Iran Hotel$$
( 222 8010;
www.irhotel.com
;
Andarzgu St; s/d/tr/q incl breakfast US$45/60/100/130;
)
This hotel with friendly, English-speaking staff gets it right with a restrained eleg-
ance that's personable and not overformal. Bathrooms are small but sparkling clean. Ex-
cellent value for singles during peak season, if you can get a room.
APARTMENT
Homa Hotel Mashhad$$$
( 761 1001;
www.homahotels.com
; Khayyam Blvd; s/d/ste US$120/149/157;
)
Mashhad's inconveniently located top hotel has a shopping-mall-sized lobby with a
blue-glass pyramid roof that mimics the Louvre's. Rooms are very large, clean and well
kept but lack any real style. Women can only use the indoor pool-spa four mornings a
week. Good breakfast buffet with lots of fresh fruit.
LUXURY HOTEL
