Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Ashgabat
æ
Sights
24
City Pub ....................................................E4
1
Archive of the Communist Party of
25
Iceberg Bar............................................... D1
Turkmenistan....................................... G4
2
Earthquake Memorial..............................F5
ý
Entertainment
Earthquake Museum.......................(see 2)
26
Magtymguly Theatre .............................. F4
3
Independence Square.............................F5
27
Mollanepes Drama Theatre ...................G4
4
Iranian Mosque ........................................A1
28
Pushkin Russian Drama Theatre........... C1
5
Kopet Dag Stadium................................ D2
6
Magtymguly State University ............... G5
þ
Shopping
7
Majlis..........................................................F5
29
Altyn Asyr Marketing Centre ................. F4
8
Ministry of Defence .................................F5
Altyn Göl .........................................(see 29)
9
Ministry of Fairness .................................E5
30
Miras Bookshop.......................................G5
10
Mosque of Khezrety Omar .................... C4
31
Russian Bazaar........................................ F4
11
Museum of Fine Arts ...............................E5
32
Tekke Bazaar ...........................................E3
12
Ruhyyet Palace ........................................E5
13
Soviet War Memorial.............................. G5
ï
Information
14
Statue of Lenin........................................ G4
33
Azerbaijan Embassy ...............................B2
34
Brilliant...................................................... F3
ÿ
Sleeping
Dagsyýahat .....................................(see 17)
15
Ak Altyn Hotel.......................................... D2
35
DN Tours .................................................. F3
16
Grand Turkmen Hotel .............................F4
36
French Embassy...................................... C1
17
Hotel Daýhan............................................E3
German Embassy...........................(see 15)
18
Hotel Paýtagt...........................................G4
37
Iranian Embassy...................................... A1
19
Hotel Syýahat.......................................... A2
38
OVIR ..........................................................G4
39
Russian Embassy ................................... H4
ú
Eating
40
Tourism-Owadan..................................... F4
20
Çeşme ......................................................H3
UK Embassy....................................(see 15)
21
Coffee House...........................................H4
41
US Embassy.............................................G4
Pizza Haus ...................................... (see 18)
42
Uzbek Embassy.......................................C3
22
Seafood Ayna ...........................................F2
Shokoladnitsa ................................ (see 17)
ï
Transport
43
Bus to Tolkuchka Bazaar .......................H5
û
Drinking & Nightlife
S7 Airlines........................................(see 16)
23
Cafe Güneş ...............................................E3
44
Train Ticket Office...................................H3
4
¨Sleeping
Ashgabat has no budget accommodation
and even its midrange offerings are fairly
bleak. The government's ongoing obsession
with building hotels has left an enormous
number of perfectly comfortable but deso-
late options in the new suburb of Berzengi.
Many tour companies suggest that their
clients stay in these, although they can be
rather isolated and somewhat overpriced.
Hotel¨Daýhan¨
HOTEL $$
(Map p376;
%
93 23 72; Azadi köçesi 69; r US$50;
a
)
This tired old Soviet joint downstairs
has surprisingly good accommodation up-
stairs and enjoys a great location. Around
half the rooms have been renovated (though
prices are the same whether the room has
been redone or not!) and have nice paint
jobs, decent beds, TV, fridges and hot water,
although bathrooms have been tidied up
rather than transformed. The 'lux' rooms
are two normal rooms joined together and
are no newer in design. There's no break-
fast, but Shokoladnitsa (p380) is next door.
Hotel¨Paýtagt¨
HOTEL $$
(Map p376;
%
94 02 36; Magtymguly şayoli 74; s/d
US$35/50;
a
)
Ashgabat's old Soviet standby
has recently been given a makeover, and
from its exterior it looks like any other
modern Ashgabat building. However, the
renovations have only made it to selected
rooms, and even those that have been re-
done are small and poorly equipped, with
fairly feeble bathrooms (ours didn't have a
sink or toilet seat!), and ancient mattress-
es. That said, rooms are entirely bearable,
given the low price and great location. All
rooms have balconies, and those designat-
ed
lux
are made up of two rooms.
Hotel¨Syýahat¨
HOTEL $$
(Map p376;
%
tel/fax 34 45 08; Görogly köçesi 60a;
s/d/lux incl breakfast US$30/50/60;
a
)
Rather
remotely located, this hulking Soviet-era
place isn't a bad deal if you're looking for a
