Kamila

I needed somewhere at the last minute and booked Hotel Kamila in Samarkand. The staff were friendly and attentive despite the short notice, and I was pleasantly surprised by the comfort and quality of the service. The room was basic but clean and comfortable. Its location made it easy to reach nearby attractions when I felt well enough to explore. A reliable last-minute choice.

The place has potential, especially the outdoor area, which could be lovely, but it wasn’t organized or particularly clean. Our room was dusty, the bathroom was falling apart, the shower leaked, and the skirting boards were coming away from the wall. The door wouldn’t lock properly, and we only realized on our last night that we’d been sleeping with it open, so pretty much anyone could have walked in. The AC didn’t work either. At checkout, the staff couldn’t find our passport details for registration, although we’d given them on arrival a few days earlier. We had to sit and wait, hoping it would be sorted in time for us to catch our train.

The terrace is a lovely bonus, with a view over the city that you don't usually get. The place is decent and well positioned for sightseeing, but our room and bathroom were very small. We also had no water, and breakfast was just so-so.

The price feels far too high for what you get. The rooms are only okay, the Wi-Fi and breakfast were so-so, and there wasn't even a courtesy bottle of water. The beds are tiny too: what they call a double felt more like a single. The bathrooms need work, and the hotel's listed phone number is wrong. There are also two map entries under the same name. One place exists, but the other listing, Komila Prima B&B, points to somewhere that doesn't exist. Breakfast only runs from 7 to 9, which is a very tight window and should go until 10:30. There are many Samarkand hotels that aren't listed online, so it may be better to ask someone who knows the city where to stay. The good hotels you find online are very expensive.