Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MIDRANGE
Most two-star hotels, and all three- and four-star rooms, will come with a clean private
bathroom, phone, fridge and TV (sometimes with foreign channels). There might be a
reasonable restaurant, and breakfast will be included. You'll find toilet paper but bath
plugs are a long-shot. Like a 40-something boxer, a lot of places in this range charge rates
that reflect a more glorious past than the beaten-around present; try negotiating. Aside
from garden-variety hotels, the midrange includes:
Traditional hotels
The most charismatic midrange places are the
hotel sonnati
(tradition-
al hotels), where old courtyard houses have been transformed into social little hotels. If
you're staying in a
hotel sonnati
, you'll know you're in Iran. Yazd has many and others
can be found in Kashan, Esfahan and Shiraz.
Apartment hotels
In the upper midrange are a growing number of modern 'apartment ho-
tels', which can be good value outside the high season.
Tourist Inns
Most towns of decent size have a government-run Tourist Inn (
mehmansara
jahangardi
). Standards vary considerably but they are usually fair value and often employ
at least one English speaker.
BOOK YOUR STAY ONLINE
For more accommodation reviews by Lonely Planet authors, check out hotels.lonelyplanet.com. You'll find inde-
pendent reviews, as well as recommendations on the best places to stay. Best of all, you can book online.
TOP END
Until recently, many of Iran's top hotels pre-dated the 1979 revolution. Several accident-
ally maintained decor which, like the Bee Gees, became so out-dated that it was almost
retro-cool. However, competition from new luxury hotels and apartment hotels has seen
many, though not all, of these places refitted.
In most top end establishments the rooms and service will not live up to Western stand-
ards, but while prices are high by Iranian standards they are not (in most cases) out-
rageous compared with what you'll be used to. Note that hotels with indoor pools and
saunas have segregated swimming times for men and women. The generously sized out-
door pools of the disco-era hotels are purely ornamental these days.
