Ýyldyz Hotel

The boutique shop has paintings and replicas of the Turkmenistan akhal-teke horse at reasonable prices. Sahra, the lady who runs it, packs purchases nicely for shipment. The hotel makes a real impression from the outside, and the interior has beautiful marble and exotic wood across the walls and floors. The facade is distinctive and fully clad, and my spacious room had a fantastic view of the city and surrounding mountains. The design and construction detailing are easily five-star quality. My TV and shower didn’t work properly, though. Breakfast was disappointing for a hotel with a five-star status, and the service wasn’t attentive at that level either. The building stands out like a gem in the desert.

We spent one night here on our trip to Turkmenistan. The building is iconic, the staff speak English, and our room was luxurious and clean. Breakfast was a decent buffet, and the city views were nice.

I didn’t go inside, so I can’t comment on the hotel itself. From the outside it looks beautiful, perched on a hill above Ashgabat with a great view across the city, especially at night when the lights are on.

We stayed four nights, and the service was top level. The staff were professional and took care of everything we needed. Our rooms had panoramic city views, the spa complex was very well maintained, and the WiFi was the best. There’s also a carpet shop on the ground floor. The seller was honest, and it’s probably the cheapest place for tourists. We paid less for our carpet than at the shops in the city.