could someone tell me about the best budget hotel in damascus?
How can I rent an apartment for one month if I decide to stay in Damascus for one month. I have never been to Syria but will be there shortly before I visit Iran.
Greatly appreciate your help.
Eeryone will have their own idea, but for me it's got to be Al Haramein. An old Ottoman house, simply restored, down a quiet lane off a busy street, 10 minutes walk away from the old city.
Nice staff, and all the taxi drivers know it too.
They have shared rooms [clean sheets] and, in summer, sleeping on the roof [matresses supplied] is even cheaper. Showers in the basement are spotless and hot water all day.
Downside - don't bother having breakfast there - it;s ok-ish, but there's a nicer little kiosk-cum-cafe a bit further up the same lane.
Can't give you current prices but they have a website and I paid about 200 Syrian Pounds a couple of year ago in a shared room.
If you want private, en-suite, but still cheap, Al Rabie is a couple of doors away. Owned by the same family.
The word budjet differs from one person to another(depends on the budjet of individual).I consider damascushostel.com is a quality budjet hotel located in the Old Walled City of damascus where all the action is
syriafullbottle
Al Haramein has the problem that anyone over 5 ft 8 in cannot close the toilet door when sitting down.............
When I was last there they had two or three toilets for up to fifty people!
Consider alternatives like damascushostel.com
Thanks, Raki Man for highlighting this problem, I had that problem too. At some hostels I had to wait in a queue for a long time to use the toilet. I had diarrhoea too which made it worse!!!! My husband stayed at Damascus Hostel where there was a clean bathroom and toilet for no more than 4 people. Heaven!
Yes, well you would recommend your own hotel, wouldn't you Marco?
And [if you ARE female] I'm not surprised your husband stays at your hotel too.
How much does it cost to stay there, by the way?
Al Haramain had two toilets last time I was there, and the 1st floor one didn't have much leg-room but the next one up was just fine and I've never had to wait to use either one.
Thanks GoldenOldie for alerting me.
The facts are;
FACT 1. Yes indeed we own Damascus Hostel and I have been recommending it OPENLY to TT users for the past few months in my efforts to assist them.
FACT 2. I am a retiree in my 60s, a new technology and TT user, and still learning how to use computers and naturally enough I make mistakes. Just a month ago I discovered that I have a PM user mailbox with a large number of unread messages! One English couple Norma and John, stayed at Damascus Hostel then came to visit West Australia and have been our guests here since Christmas. Norma, bless her, grabbed my laptop which I always keep open and decided to add her two bob's worth to the open page of the TT forum. It was my account but I did not write, edit or send it. I am grateful to you for alerting me to it. Lesson learnt: always log off in future.
FACT 3. We opened Damascus Hostel as a hobby and absorb any losses made because we LOVE the Middle East with a passion. We aim to assist people because myself and my wife stayed at budget hotels there and were very disappointed with the quality and standard of service. That's why we are passionate about giving people quality accommodation at affordable prices. The same goes for my three homes that I have in Australia, Amman and Damascus. I offer them for rent when I am not there to TT users at affordable prices.
I stayed at the Al Haramein in 2006, was great and very clean. A friend of mine spent a month there recently and still the staff is excellent and friendly.
For the Damascus Hostel: I went there to have a look at their "student's accommodation" and I can really not recommend anyone to stay there. Feel free to check it out yourself but the rooms really didn't look nice.
Finding a room for a month is not difficult as long as you don't have too high demands (and ithelps if you're not coming in the winter - it's freezing cold now, even in expensive flats...). A basic room in the Old City with shared bathroom will cost you 8 000-15 000SYP. Look in shop windows around Bab Touma, ask in internet cafés and your hotel and you'll find something.
Good luck, you'll love Syria.
Hi Octopus,
What didn't you like about the rooms "didn't look nice?" Was it the room built in the turret overlooking the airport road or the one on the first floor that overlooks the city? Or the fully equipped American style kitchen, the bathroom with an actual bath tub, air cond/heating? Did you see a wall covered with photos of foreign students and guests having a good time at the Hostel?
Do you know all of our guests make their reservations on the Internet and they don't have a chance to come in and have a look themselves as you suggested on your post? If our customers are to heed your advice "I really cannot recommend anyone to stay there"maybe we should shut down the Hostel and send home the hardworking staff. Is that what you really want? Do you realise the seriousness of your statement?
Marcopoloo, this is over the edge. If you're a hotel owner, you have to accept that people make criticism. No need for talk about "seriousness of your statement".
I stayed a week or two back at ghazal in 05, haven't been back since then, at the time it was very good.
http://hotels.lonelyplanet.com/hotel/Damascus-Ghazal-Hotel-P1000189948.html
If prices are now 8000-15000 in the old city for a room, OMG, prices really have steeped.....