Hotel Zarafshon Parkside Hotel

The area around the hotel felt cleaner and quieter than the Registan area, and we’d definitely stay here again. We loved the atmosphere and how clean the hotel was. The restaurant onsite had excellent food and attentive service, though we didn’t see the pool mentioned in the listing. A sauna would be nice. Breakfast was enjoyable, but a bigger choice of protein or meat would improve it. We were surprised to be charged for extra bottled water. If we’d known, we would have bought it from the minibar instead. Special kudos to the female staff member we saw carefully cleaning the front outside area, brushing away fallen leaves and even cleaning the red carpet. We hope the hotel keeps up its pristine standards.

The place looks like a palace, and there’s a massive garden at the back, but nowhere to sit in it. A few things felt odd: breakfast only starts at 8 am, even in low season, and they play loud pop music in the breakfast room that early. I was woken at 6 am by construction noise on the floor below mine. The bathroom soap and shampoo all had anti-theft devices, which looked a bit cheap. Also, alcohol isn’t allowed anywhere in the hotel.

The backyard garden is stunning, and the restaurant is well worth trying. Service throughout the hotel was top notch. Breakfast was rich and delicious. The king size bed and pillows were super comfortable. The air conditioning kept the room at a perfect temperature without blowing directly on us, and it made no noticeable noise. There’s an ATM in the hall, with the lowest withdrawal commission in town.

The local design is quite rich, with gold and all that, but it doesn’t feel too kitch. The hotel is new and seems to be trying hard to reach a 5 star standard, with a good overall result so far. Service is very good and the staff are trained. Breakfast is also very good, with salmon and red caviar, though the tea bags weren’t from a very good brand. I did notice stains in the shower that might have been black mold or grease, I’m not sure, and that’s not okay for the level they’re aiming for. The interior doesn’t seem very durable, so I can imagine it will need renovation in a couple of years.