Aseman Hotel

For what the rooms cost, the Asman hotel complex is acceptable. Its location in Isfahan is good, and I’d say it holds up as a four-star Iranian hotel. I haven’t tried the revolving restaurant, so can’t comment on that. The breakfast restaurant gets 80 out of 100 from me compared with other four-star hotels in the city. Inside the room, cleanliness was acceptable, but the window glass was very dirty. There was no bad smell in the rooms or corridor, and nothing else especially stood out. Phone orders took a little while. Guests’ clothes were ironed so much that the electricity went out and they had to be replaced.

We stayed at Aseman Hotel for 18 days, from Dec 23 to Jan 24, and left deeply disappointed. Some things were good, including the cleanliness and the quality of breakfast, but the way much of the staff treated us and the repeated disruptions made the stay stressful. We can’t recommend it, and travelers from America or Europe should be cautious about comparing it with one or two-star hotels. There are surely better places for a similar price. The problems began when renovation work started above our room with no warning during the reservation. Hammering on the walls disrupted our plans, and we had to move to another floor. We were paying about 100 Canadian dollars a night for a suite, but the hotel’s condition didn’t compare with hotels at similar prices in Canada. Near the end, the workers’ use of the elevators meant long waits or taking the stairs. The elevators were also set aside for staff or renovation workers at other times, adding to the delays. Rather than apologizing or compensating us, the hotel charged more for services that weren’t properly provided. There were also unexpected charges. The fridge in our new room was empty, but we were billed for its contents. They may show you a price list, but in my experience the final charges can be different, with extra costs. At checkout, laundry cost almost twice what it would in Canada, and they hadn’t provided the prices before doing the work. Meals weren’t peaceful either. Staff kept staring at us, and cleaning often involved servants bumping our chairs every day. Breakfast itself was commendable, but the atmosphere around it wasn’t. We were left constantly concerned about the hotel’s treatment of guests and its overall gross behaviour.

The staff were professional and nice, and the restaurant is on the hotel’s 11th floor. It turns slowly as people eat, taking about an hour to complete a circle. It’s a luxurious place, though the menu is quite expensive in Iran’s currency. The food tasted okay, but I’d expected more. Still, I think it’s worth trying once.

We had a very pleasant family stay, thanks to staff who were friendly, helpful, welcoming, accommodating, and cooperative. Ismaili the bell boy deserves a special mention. He was extremely helpful and went out of his way to make sure we were comfortable.