Rumi Mini-Hotel Hostel

The room we got at check-in was like a storeroom, with cleaning supplies and even a vacuum cleaner inside. It wasn’t the room shown when booking. We also weren’t given tourist registration, which is mandatory in Uzbekistan. They said they’d send it after checkout, then never replied. I had a terrible stay at Rumi Hotel. Very unprofessional and unreliable, I wouldn’t recommend it to tourists.

The price on the online booking didn’t match what I paid at the hostel, they charged double, so be prepared to bring extra money. They also didn’t give me proof of registration. The service was very poor. My experience felt like a scam, and I don’t recommend staying here.

The owner was incredibly accommodating. I arrived at 7am after taking the night train from Tashkent and she promptly brought out a wonderful Uzbek style breakfast, with more dishes and tea or coffee appearing as I ate. In the dorm, she let me pick my bed and switched on the A/C for me. When I checked out, she gave me a receipt for the city tourist tax and let me leave my bags safely in the lobby for the day. I missed my evening train because I went to the wrong station, my mistake, and came back to the hostel. She checked me in again and gave me the same bed, already cleaned with fresh linen. It’s a lovely, quiet, clean and very affordable hostel near the centre of Bukhara.

The location is handy for the main sights, but I regret staying here. The advertised 24-hour check-in was misleading. I waited outside for hours, hoping someone would let me in, instead of getting a message from the property. There were no blankets on the first night, and I was charged extra. I did get the amount adjusted against my next booking, but only after asking. They also moved me to a better bed with some privacy, since the first was an open standalone bed with no curtain. As I was leaving, the receptionist asked for my passport even though I’d handed it in when I arrived. She spent several minutes doing something questionable with it and ignored my questions. When I asked what was going on, she rudely said, “Don’t create drama here.” That felt very unprofessional. I’d advise against this hostel. A friendly atmosphere matters, and I hope the management learns from these shortcomings.