B&B Emir

The common room at B&B Emir was a nice place to work or chat with other travelers, and the four-person room had two bunk beds. My bed was comfortable, with a small lamp and a charging port. We arrived very late, but check-in went smoothly, and they arranged a taxi to pick us up at the train station. It's a good budget choice in Samarkand, conveniently located near Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum. Breakfast was pretty average, with only a few options, and the bread was so hard I saw some of the older guests struggling to eat it.

The room can be quite noisy, though I can understand that in a cheap B&B. Water flow from the shower and faucet was extremely weak, so washing took a long time, and the little water that came out didn't drain properly. Breakfast wasn't good quality, and they wouldn't give any more water after a small cup of tea or milk. I couldn't swallow the food.

The guesthouse is well placed near the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum and the town center. I paid about $30 for two nights, and the room was comfortable, matched the photo, and had everything I needed, including good air conditioning. The bathroom was kept clean, breakfast was nice, and the staff helped me order food and have it delivered to my suite at night. There were problems with the shower water pressure, though, and one night there was no hot water. I had to use a different, unoccupied room to shower afterward. I apologized and offered to cover the extra expenses when I checked out late. The owner took the money, but said it wasn't about money and told the other guests to "complain" to me. It's a decent choice for a short stay, as long as you stay out of conflicts with the staff.

The location worked well for a night, close to Gur Emir Complex in central Samarkand, with two grocery shops only steps away and traditional and local restaurants about a 10-minute walk. Breakfast was included, with bread, eggs, jam, cheese and coffee, just a normal breakfast. The staff were helpful: they made noodles for us and brought hot water and tea, though their English was limited. There was free Wi-Fi too. The room was very small, with four single beds, and housekeeping didn't clean it or take out the trash during our stay. The bed made a loud noise whenever anyone moved; staff said that was normal.