Mövenpick Samarkand

The rooms are clean but extremely cramped, with barely enough room to move around. Even the bathroom feels too small for one person. The bed and pillows were comfortable, and there was a desk and chair, TV, closet, safe, scales, iron, bathrobes, and slippers. Tea and coffee bags, a teapot, and complimentary water were provided. The bathroom had a bath and the necessities. Soundproofing could be better, since corridor noise carries through. The location is excellent: 10-15 minutes on foot to both Registan square and Gur-Emir Mausoleum, 15 minutes by car from the airport, and 10 minutes by car to the railway station. Boulevard restaurant is a three-minute walk away and has very tasty food. There are also small stores, a Mandarin supermarket, and cafes nearby. The hotel feels fairly new, and the staff are polite, friendly, and helpful. Breakfast runs from 7-11am and costs 250M UZS per person. There’s a restaurant and bar on site; they serve continental and local dishes, and I found the local ones tastier. Wi-Fi is fast, and there’s a spa with a pool and a gym.

The location is the hotel's main advantage. Gur-i Amir Complex and Registan Square are both a 10-20 minute walk away, close to Samarkand's main tourist sights. My check-in at 11 PM was really poor. The hotel felt deserted, there was no concierge or security at the entrance, and the receptionist wasn't welcoming or even checking my Accor Platinum status. My preferences weren't recognized, including a simple request for a higher floor. There were no amenities, room upgrade, or business lounge, and almost none of the staff gave a genuine smile. When I casually asked about membership benefits, they responded arrogantly and gave me incorrect information, saying point redemption was the main Platinum benefit. I felt insulted at times. The service and hospitality don't reflect Accor and Mövenpick standards at all. Even though it's the only Accor hotel in Samarkand, I won't return. The facilities and hospitality feel no better than a 3-star hotel, and the price is too high for that.

Our apartment was absolutely giant, with two bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen. It's a lovely place to stay, and the sauna and hammam were nice. The pool was a bit cold and on the small side. For historical sites, it's well located, with everything within a 20-minute walk at most. Right across the street there's a nice restaurant called Boulevard cafe.

The hotel felt soulless, and the rooms were basic and unattractive. At reception I had to wait to be seen, and even then the staff barely paid attention. The lifts were awful and nearly squashed you if you didn't move fast, which isn't good for someone with mobility issues. The bathroom lights flickered, there was barely anything on the menu worth eating, and breakfast wasn't good value. There was hardly any drinking water in the rooms, so we kept asking staff for more, but they didn't seem to care.