Many Questions

Hi, We have been to Syria in 07 and 08. Absolutley love the place and you will too. We found though that some of the sellers in Damascus can be a little full on and you need to watch that a few of the taxi drivers like to see if you will part with more of your money, you may need to haggle them down, very safe though. We stayed twice at the Riad in Hama, very safe, very friendly people in the hotel and when you are out and about. Both times we have based ourselves mainly at the Riad and tour fron there. Across from the Riad was a circus last year that was pretty cool, go if it is still there it is an experience. Do not stay at the Hotel Somar in Alleppo that was disgusting. I have only heard good reports from travellers we met in Syria regarding the Tourist Hotel. It was full when we went there, you always have to try and book ahead a few days. Happy travels

hi
-all hotels including 5* ones do not claim responsibility for any lost thing inside the hotel so it's better to use their safe box
-surely it's very safe to walk aroud at night
-the hotels you mentioned are al good but much difference in pricce, you have counted 2 hotels like Cairo and 5 like Meredien. It depends on your budget

Have a ncie trip

it is safe to walk around in the day and at nights but as in all places you have to be careful about your positions. hotels rooms are not safe you need to be careful.
as for transportation you have a counter in a taxi you can pay as it reads and give a small tips as the native people do but if you wand to go from city to another city there are big buses comfortable and not expenses.
the hotels are good it depends on the budgets.
good luck

Thank you all for the help. Do most hotels come with safe boxes? My budget is mixed, so I can afford to stay at some expensive places, but I'll try for midrange for most. Another questions I have is has anyone been to Mishtayieh? It appeared on a draft itinerary a travel agent put together for us but I have no idea what it is. Thank you for the advice on the hotels though, this will definately come in handy.

We visited Syria 5 times, and are planning a 6th trip in the foreseeable future. The country is one of the safest destinations in the world, but anyway you need to use your common sense and use hotel safes if they are available - not always the case in Syria, we occasionally experienced that the 'safe' ( and not in a budget hotel ) was a brown envelope, which was put in a drawer of the reception desk. As honesty is part of life in Syria, we never had a problem, although I admit that we would have felt more comfortable if a key locked safe would have been available.

We have been staying in several of the hotels you selected :
> Damascus: Afamia - a fine if not luxurious *** hotel, relatively quietly situated within 10 mins walk from the old city and souks ; I recommend you to ask for a renovated room, so called 'business room' ( in 2007 on the 2nd floor, perhaps in the meantime also on other floors ), for which we US$ 41,- for 2 persons ( it was actually a triple room ), with a decent shower, hot water, toilet, TV ( if only for Syrian and - if I remember well - Jordanian or Egyptian programs ), breakfast ( rather basic but OK ) was extra @ US$ 3,- per person - also recommended in the new LP guide ; we have stayed there

4 times, always several nights, between 2002 and 2007 ;+-
> Hama: most 'popular' on this branch is Cairo Hotel, but we stayed 5 t imes between 2001 and 2007 in Noria Hotel, in the same street and under the same management ; a decent * hotel, relatively small but comfortable and pleasant rooms ; I strongly advise to ask for a room at the back side, as traffic on the street starts between 5 and 6 a.m., and the noise can then be very unpleasant : decent breakfast, very helpful and charming staff, warmly recommended ; day trips to e.g. Krak des Chevaliers, Afamia,... can be organised through the reception at reasonable rates ; entrance by elevator from a shopping gallery ( the hotel is on the 3rd floor ), next to the best ice cream parlour in town ; and opposite the elevator - can be very useful - a good laundry shop with a friendly owner ;
> Palmyra : Heliopolis Hotel* was our choice ( we were there only once, in 2001 ), and we did not complain : nice rooms, overlooking the oasis and the Baal temple ; nice breakfast buffet on the top floor, with a great panoramic view over the oasis and entire archeological site !

Aleppo: Dar Zamaria Martini Hotel**, was the best place we've stayed in in Aleppo, in 2007 ; a great historical place, very quiet, in great, very comfortable rooms, spread over 3 different buildings in a narrow side street near the main square of Jdeida christian quarter, around the corner from some the country's best ( and for western standards very affordable ) restaurants ; prices in this hotel are definitely higher than in the others quoted here, but we think this unique place deserves it ; a generous buffet breakfast in the courtyard is included in the room rates ; even if the service level needs some improvement ( hotel and restaurant staff schooling is still unsufficient in Syria, although this may be part of the country's charm... ) - warmly recommended

Enjoy your holiday in this extremely friendly and hospitable country !

I enjoyed Riad Hotel in Hama as well. Cairo is nearly next door to the Riad, also a nice budget hotel. Riad's tours are somewhat cheaper than Cairo's (or at least they were in 2005), and the manager is extremely friendly.

"Damascus":
Fardoss Tower,- stayed there only 1 night, seemed a bit shabby to me Yasmin House: old fashioned house in the old town with lots of atmosphere, just get a room with no dripping tap (the sinks are very noisy), and avoid room no 108 next to the reception (noisy phone and doorbell at night)

"Palmyra:"
Zenobia. I don't know if there are traditional rooms in the hotel proper, I stayed in a sort of hut which was intended to resemble a tent. I didn't love the room, but the position of the hotel and the view from the restaurant is extraordinary and simply marvellous, just next to the ruins.
Villa Palmyra: stayed there many years ago. Good view from the restau
rant. Rooms o.k., but the staff was a little bit too "cordial" to some of the women staying there.