Hotels

Furkat Guest House is one of the most popular privately run hotels in Samarkand though quite a number of new family hotels have been recently opened. Furkat Hotel is unremarkable from outside, but is a warm and welcoming place. The neighbourhood look rather poor but the hotel itself is clean and cosy. Tucked away behind a wall on a dusty street in the old town is this charming B&B and there are a number of reasons why Furkat B&B attracts people. Firstly, it's the location. Furkat Guest House is close to the main architecture memorial of Samarkand - the Registan square which is literally 2 minute walk away.

The hotel consists of two buildings of fanciful shape. It is a three story building wrapped around a courtyard and giant tree. The windows of the top-floor rooms provide a panoramic view of historically valuable area of Samarkand,  the Registan and the snowcapped Fan Mountains. Numerous Suzanne, chasing and wooden elements rivet your eyes, while you are coming upstairs. Winded stairs lead to the rooms that vary in difficulty and number of stairs to be reached. Truly, the maze of stairs only makes this unique place worthwhile. Above the third floor there is the summer terrace with the wonderful view of 4 architectural Samarkand monuments: Registan Square, Bibi-Khanym, Shakhi-Zinda and Al-Matrudi.

There are 26 rooms: 4 single, 16 twins, 4 double and 2 triple rooms of varying size and quality. Bathroom, air conditioning, satellite TV, mini-bar in the room. The rooms are richly decorated and have carved wood doors and traditional carpets. Still they are not terribly attractive - sort of collections of odd, mismatched furniture and accessories, but they are clean and comfortable.  Beds are comfortable and have (drumroll) tiger bed sheets! Each room has a little table on the passageway outside, overlooking the central courtyard, where there are seating areas. WiFi is for free.

Breakfasts are ample (vast assortment of fruits, good bread, honey, marmelade, juice, coffee, and tea) and quite OK.  Breakfast is served upstairs on a very nice roof top terrace with views of the Registan. The guests are offered tea at any time of the day. No restrictions for late-comers. Small cozy courtyard, surrounded by vines is a good place for recreation. There are a trio of shady tea beds, where guests can enjoy tea and rest and where breakfast is served. The hotel has its dining room, dinner can be ordered.  Sitting at the rooftop restaurant with a beer or having breakfast, with views of both the Registan and Bibi Khanym mosque is just unforgettable.

The owner is wonderfully hospitable and his wife (who doesn't speak English) is very kind. The hotel owner comes to pick you up from the airport if arranged in advance. This hotel is a good option for a few days stay in Samarkand.  The friendly staff and comfortable rooms of the hotel will make your stay in Samarkand a pleasant experience.

The convenient location, friendly service, decent comfort and flexible rates make this small family-run hotel a good choice to stay in Samarkand. Furkat would suit those preferring an informal family run guest house rather than a slick modern hotel.