Laleh International Hotel Tehran

I stayed here 30 years ago, when it was called the Intercontinental Hotel. It was very good, about a mile from the prison near the fairground.

The furniture was dirty, the tables had cigarette burns, and there was mold throughout the bathrooms. That's unacceptable anywhere, let alone at a place calling itself a 5-star hotel. There was a hole under the bathroom sink, and a constant bad smell came through it and filled both the bathroom and the room. I told management, and they blamed the government, saying, “This is a government hotel, it's the government's fault.” Yet they were quite ready to charge high rates, over $40 per night when converted to USD, a huge amount in Iran, as if they were a private luxury hotel. I deeply regret staying here. It was one of my worst hotel experiences, and nowhere near worth the money. Tourists would be better off in a roadside motel. I attached photos to show the real condition.

This was the worst hotel I've ever been to. The rooms had nothing positive about them, from the washroom and furniture to the cleanliness. We booked for one night because it was “five star” and didn't bother checking reviews, which was a big mistake. They've made the entrance and lobby look really good to manipulate people, but don't be fooled.

The room wasn't bad, and the price was reasonable. The building itself is old, but WiFi worked well. Breakfast was included and amazing. Check-in was smooth. Staff were okayish, and the male staff were kind and nice. In the morning I asked one of the women on staff to help me with a SIM card. I explained that I was a foreigner and needed to call a SIM card place to ask whether they provide SIM cards for foreigners. She didn't help, and her expression was so annoyed. I felt bad about it.