Yazd

Thanks to the recent refurbishment of a number of grand, Old City houses into atmospheric hotels, Yazd now boasts some of the best value hotels in Iran. Many of them offer immaculate, comfortable rooms arranged around tranquil garden courtyards where you can eat, drink tea or puff away on a ghalyan while gazing at the sky above. If you've been slumming it through questionable mosafekhanehs until Yazd, you're in for a pleasant surprise.

The cheapest and most popular of these is the atmospheric, friendly and conveniently located Silk Road Hotel (No 5, Tal-e Khakestary Alley, Masjed Jame St; Phone: 625 2730; Email: silkroad_hotel@yahoo.com) hidden in an alley near the Jameh Mosque; look for the signs pointed on the wall. Dorms (IR 20,000), doubles (from IR 150,000) and triples are available. If you've got your own sleeping bag, you can even sleep on the roof for only IR 10,000. While the rooms are great value at Silk Road, the admittedly delicious, dual-priced food is not (IR 17,000 for breakfast).
The recently completed Traditional Hotel Kohan (100 metres to Alexander's Prison, Phone:6212485; Fax: 621 0393; Email: info@kohanhotel.com; eb: www.kohanhotel.com) is a little pricer and difficult to find, but also worth the effort. Luxurious dorms (IR 50,000), doubles (IR 150,000) and triples are available. They also have a beautiful courtyard restaurant but at the time of writing are only serving tea.

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