Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cheap-but-official bed. Rooms come in var-
ying states of decay and each seems to have
its own wallpaper pattern. The bathrooms
are not a highlight. For an extra US$10 you
get a half-
lux
room that comes with TV. Ho-
tel amenities include a bar and sauna. It's
located a short taxi ride from downtown,
or take bus 4, 10 or 28 to the Hotel Syýahat
stop.
Hotel¨Aziya¨
HOTEL $$
(Map p380;
%
48 01 80; Archabil şayoli 31; s/d incl
breakfast US$50/60;
pa
)
Offering the best
value in the city at this price, the Hotel
Aziya's rooms are enormous and come com-
plete with flat-screen TV, good Turkmen car-
pets and eye-wateringly tasteless furniture.
Despite the hotel's large size, there are just
eight rooms - the rest of the building houses
offices. There's a good Chinese restaurant
here too, but otherwise you're somewhat out
of the city centre on the edge of Berzengi. To
get into town, take bus 19 to Görogly köçesi
or bus 34 to the station.
o
Sofitel¨Ashgabat¨
Oguzkent¨Hotel¨
LUXURY HOTEL $$$
(Map p380;
%
44 95 00; www.sofitel.com; Bitarap
Turkmenistan şayoli; r from US$230;
pnaWs
)
Effortlessly Ashgabat's best hotel, this
gleaming palace is perhaps Central Asia's
single most impressive place to stay. Com-
bining the local fashion for marble and
fountains with the solid management of the
French Sofitel hotel chain, this is a full five-
star experience with 299 fabulous rooms
that include touches such as TVs in the bath,
rain showers, fast and free wireless, three
pools, a gym, spa, sauna and what is defi-
nitely Turkmenistan's best breakfast buffet
(even if you're not staying here, treat your-
self to the US$20 feast).
Nusay¨Hotel¨
LUXURY HOTEL $$$
(Map p380;
%
22 10 25; nusay-hotel@online.tm;
1995 köçesi 70; s/d US$144/164;
aWs
)
Follow-
ing a very fancy transformation, the Nusay is
now Ashgabat's best-value luxury option. It's
perfectly located between the new and old
city, and overlooks the Presidential Palace
(which unfortunately gives the area a rather
sterile and uptight atmosphere). Rooms are
spacious, comfortable and luxuriously ap-
pointed. Wireless costs US$5 per 24 hours
and works in the lobby only.
Grand¨Turkmen¨Hotel¨
HOTEL $$$
(Map p376;
%
92 05 55; grandhtl150@gmail.
com; Görogly köçesi 50; s/d/ste incl breakfast
US$90/106/125;
paiWs
)
Blessed with
a fantastic location, the Grand Turkmen is
a great choice. The standard rooms are in
good shape (if perhaps a little small for the
price) and all have balconies. It's a lively
downtown place, within easy walking dis-
tance of many restaurants and sights, and
in-house amenities include a gym and
sauna. Wireless is free, but erratic: many
guests use the paid premium wireless serv-
ice (ie one that actually works; US$10 per
day).
President¨Hotel¨
LUXURY HOTEL $$$
(Map p380;
%
40 00 00; photelreservation@
gmail.com; Archabil şayoli 54; s/d/ste incl break-
fast US$165/175/230;
paiWs
)
The lobby
at Ashgabat's top hotel says it all - the blur
of gold, crystal and marble is enough to
make even Donatella Versace exclaim 'too
much!' - but if you want to impress and
can't quite pay Sofitel prices, this place is
for you. Rooms are large and extremely
comfortable, and gold-effect fittings pre-
dominate throughout. Wireless costs US$5
per 24 hours, but the two pools, gym and
sauna are free for guests.
Ak¨Altyn¨Hotel¨
HOTEL $$$
(Map p376;
%
36 37 00; akaltyn@online.tm;
Magtymguly şayoli 141/1; s/d/ste incl breakfast
US$75/91/105;
paWs
)
The golden-rust
facade of this 109-room hotel a short dis-
tance to the west of downtown suggests
an era of bygone splendour, and that's just
what you get here, though the interior is
somewhat more impressive than the exte-
rior suggests. The rooms are anonymously
styled and comfortable, and there's an out-
door pool, a nightclub and temperamental
wireless access in the lobby.
5
¨Eating
With the best range of eating options in the
country, Ashgabat may not be Paris, but
after a long trip through the desert, the hun-
gry traveller will be spoiled for choice.
Erzurum¨
TURKiSH $
(Map p380; Shevchenko köçesi 53; mains 10-20M;
h
9am-10.30pm;
E
)
The food is good at this
friendly local institution and includes
pide
(Turkish pizza) and delicious kebabs. The
service is attentive and swift, although it
can get very hot in the summer months
due to the wood-fired oven; that's when the
outdoor seating comes into its own. There's
no alcohol.
