Silk Road By Minyoun

Even on the 15th floor, I could feel bass vibrations from the nightclub on the 20th. When Samarkand’s air is bad in winter, as it is among the world’s most polluted cities, it gets indoors because many windows aren’t properly sealed. It feels like living next to a factory exhaust pipe. Hot water was another serious problem. In my experience and among my colleagues, MANY rooms had only tepid water. I changed rooms twice, and after nearly a week, the hotel’s repeated promises that the “engineers” would fix it hadn’t led to any change. A 5-star hotel shouldn’t make a hot shower a gamble. UPDATE: The hotel’s response below says the hot water issue was resolved to my satisfaction, but that isn’t true. My water is still merely lukewarm. The receptionist admitted the hotel has had this problem for 2-3 months. Be warned. This could be a world-class conference center destination, but it falls short in these crucial ways.

It was my first stay in a 5-star hotel, and it didn’t meet my expectations, particularly because of the staff. The amenities and cleaners were great.

The staff were supportive, and everything else was great, but dinner has only one vegetarian option. Entry was restricted because of an event. There were several challenges, including getting a taxi, the market being very far away, and having no other vegetarian choices.

Elegant design and total comfort made this a standout luxury stay. The service was impeccable, and every detail felt carefully considered. I truly look forward to coming back.