Cham Palace Hotel

The thing that stood out most was the high level of cleanliness. I had a wonderful one-day stay at the hotel.

The staff were generally welcoming and gave a good impression of hospitality, though there were a few exceptions. Abeer at the front desk was especially helpful and welcoming, which made the stay feel more personal. The hotel is in the city center, within walking distance of most central neighborhoods. Its Damascus mosaic design still stands out, especially the lobby, where a glass skylight brings in natural light and green plants hang along the sides. It was seen as an architectural icon among Damascus hotels in the 90s and early 2000s. It needs renovation badly, and that work has been neglected for years, possibly because the decade of war has exhausted the country. Smoking throughout the indoor areas bothered me. The shampoo and body wash were so poor that I used my own, and although the room was generally clean, it wasn't great. I found a pile of hair that should have been vacuumed.

I only went to use the pool. It was a cool experience, and the location is 5/5: right in the city but calm and away from the hustle. The pool is relatively small, maybe room for only 5 people lol, so try to go when it's not crowded. It was mostly dirty, with black things floating in the water. I didn't know what they were and didn't want to know. Entry was fine at 100K per person in Aug 2024, inexpensive compared with pools at fancy hotels. Staff were very nice and friendly, so service gets 4/5. Cleanliness gets 2/5 and prices 3/5. Avoid ordering anything inside because it all costs 2x as much. You can smuggle things in, but make sure they don't see anything with you or you'll have to pay taxes, sometimes 100% of the item's price.

Some of the rooms are old even though the building is still new. Service is good, but you need to tip a lot.