Arbil Hotels

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fwohl
Reviews: 1

5 out of 5 stars User Rating

2.5 out of 5 stars Helpfulness

NOBLE Hotel: Quality 4/5 Star

Professionally run, well managed hotel very close to the airport. Decent restaurant and good room service. Room well kitted out and bathroom facilities decent

Fast internet, decent business center, good location with multi-lingual staff

Opinion of Price: about average
Related to: Business Travel
Written September 12, 2011

maykal
Reviews: 1290

4 out of 5 stars User Rating

3.5 out of 5 stars Helpfulness

Hotel Bekhal

Determined not to have to stay in either the Qandil or the Shahan on my return to Erbil, I gave a huge sigh of relief when the owner of the Bekhal Hotel told me he had a room available. Cleaning was in progress as I arrived, and these guys took cleaning seriously, a three man operation with buckets of water, hosepipes and mops all put to good use in reception. The room wasn't bad either, overlooking a busy street in the bazaar, and with a useable bathroom and clean sheets on the bed. Finally, a good clean cheap hotel in Erbil!

The staff here were great, chatting in Arabic and teaching me bits of Kurdish, and also helping out with directions to the hellish residency office when it came to extending my visa.

Comfy beds, clean bathrooms, hot showers and friendly staff. All for 25,000 dinars a night. Can't complain.

Opinion of Price: less expensive than average
Written May 11, 2010

From my bedroom window, Erbil

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maykal
Reviews: 1290

2 out of 5 stars User Rating

3.5 out of 5 stars Helpfulness

Hotel Shahan

Leaving the Qandil tired and in a bit of a bad mood, I assumed I'd find another hotel fairly quickly, as the bazaar area is flooded with cheap hotels. What I didn't expect was for them all to be full, as there happened to be a big book fair on in town. While taking a breather in another small park with a fountain off Qalat Street, I happened to look up and saw a sign for the Shahan Touristic Hotel, and decided to give it a shot as it looked like a contender from the outside. Reached through a sparkling clean stairway inside a tiny shopping complex, I found an impressive looking reception area with equally impressive views of the citadel. I decided I wanted to stay...it was either that or suffer the humiliation of having to check back in to the Qandil!

"50,000". Hmmm, a little bit steep. "40,000? Is that better?" 25,000 would be, but 40 is still above my budget. "I can go down to 35,000, with breakfast". 30 and you have a deal. "OK done."

I should have walked out then. A cleaner came with me to my room to give it a clean. "I can wait in reception until you've finished" I offered, but he was adamant it would only take two minutes. That should have been a warning. I watched him "clean" the room. A mop swirled a bit of dust around, the sheet, crumpled and stained from the previous guest, was turned over and tucked in, and the most attention was paid to turning on the television for me. "Cleaning done, thank you please" and he hung around, perhaps waiting for a tip. I was not sure whether to laugh or cry. He'd missed an overflowing ashtray on the cupboard, and I could see an empty cigarette packet and a bottle of something under one of the beds. The only tip I could have given him was to learn how to clean.

The bathroom at first glance didn't seem to be too bad, and the shower was indeed hot...so hot that I almost scalded myself, then froze myself trying to cool the water down a fraction. Shower over, I noticed something move out the corner of my eye. Then another. And another. I'm not sure how many contitutes an infestation, but I reached 20 before giving up the count. But calm down, they're just cockroaches. I've lived in Sudan, for God's sake, I can cope with a few cockroaches in the bathroom...at least they're not in the bedroom.

Stepping out into the bedroom, there was a crunch under the bright orange hotel flipflops I was wearing. I stood on one foot to investigate, and to my horror felt something run across my other foot. Oh hell, they're everywhere!

Still, breakfast of bread, cheese, jam and endless tea with a view of the citadel through the window went some way to cheering me up in the morning.

Opinion of Price: about average
Written May 11, 2010

maykal
Reviews: 1290

2 out of 5 stars User Rating

3.5 out of 5 stars Helpfulness

Hotel Qandil

Err...where to start? Far from being the "clean and friendly cheapie" offering "the best deal for the dinar" as stated in Lonely Planet, I had such a bad night's sleep here I checked out the following morning. My room was filthy and dark, no natural light at all (probably just as well, as it meant I never got a good look at the sheets...they smelt funny, so I can imagine they looked funny too). The bed...well, it was like sleeping on a tombstone, and a short one at that. My room was also next to the chamber of horrors that was the shared bathroom, and walls are very thin, so all night i heard a procession of flip-flopped feet slapping their way down the corridor, followed by all sorts of noises i didn't want to hear, then yet more flip-flopping. I didn't test the shower, which wasn't more than a tap and a bucket by the toilet anyway. It did however have satellite television in all rooms...just a shame there was no volume control on any of them, and as I said, walls are very very thin.

Maybe I'm just getting old...I'm sure it isn't the worst place I've ever stayed...but it was a long way off the best.

15,000 dinars for single occupancy of a twin room. The location was I suppose the biggest plus, on the corner of the big main square with the impressive fountains, right opposite the citadel and in the thick of the bazaar. A shame the rooms didn't take advantage of the views.

Opinion of Price: least expensive
Written May 11, 2010

caesar-09
Reviews: 1

4 out of 5 stars User Rating

2.5 out of 5 stars Helpfulness

Monaco Palace Hotel: 100% recommend

We stayed at the Monaco Palace Hotel for 3 nights. It was a very pleasant experience throughout.

The room was spacious, clean and the beds was very comfortable.
Single rooms: 100 USD, double rooms: 125 USD.

Breakfast was delicious and very various, it was an open buffet.
In the evening there was a lot of choices for national as international food.

The host were very welcoming, they care about their guests

I was so glad that they offered 24 hours internet and for free to!

They have a meeting hall with a data show. The only thing that wasn't there. were gyms and swimmningpools. But that didn't bodered us at all.
They offer alcohol for nice prices.

Well I have dinnered Sheraton( Arbil International) and Khanzad too, but they weren't that clean like Monaco Palace.
.

It is a 4 stars hotel, but the service was really worth 5 stars.

Opinion of Price: about average
Related to: Business Travel
Written January 24, 2010

baghdadfamily
Reviews: 1

1 out of 5 stars User Rating

2 out of 5 stars Helpfulness

apartment: Newcity motel

Very shabby rooms and very expensive. You're much better off staying in a hotel

Opinion of Price: about average
Written January 1, 2007

1W1V
Reviews: 580

3 out of 5 stars User Rating

2.5 out of 5 stars Helpfulness

Erbil International Hotel: The best hotel in Erbil but not up to Sheraton std

Did not stay there but met a lot of people who did.

despite the fact that EIH claims to be a 5*, they have never been able to strike a deal with the Sheraton chain in order to have their name advertise as part of the business.

Basically, most of the people told me that the quality is the one of a declining 4* with cheap furniture and bad services.

I was told that upon arrival guests are asked to cash 500 USD as a deposit before getting in to the room.

Pls note that CASH IS KING in Iraq including Kurdistan. USD is widely accepted and money exchange easy to do in town.

The hotel has restaurants, swimming pool, gym, business center, travel agency, ...

The buffet lunch is ok.

The price in normal circumstances is about 200 to 250 USD + 10 % for a single room. During the tradefair of Sept 2006, this price was increased to 385 USD + 10 %. This is a highway robbery !!!

In town
know from everybody
Best in Erbil

Opinion of Price: more expensive than average
Related to: Business Travel
Written September 21, 2006

1W1V
Reviews: 580

3 out of 5 stars User Rating

3 out of 5 stars Helpfulness

Kanzhad Hotel: Hotel by the Kurdistan wilderness

Did not stay there but have visited the hotel and facilities in Sept 2006.

The hotel is out of Erbil but close enough to run your business there. I guess the approximate traveling time from the hotel to Erbil Intl Hotel is about 15 min by car.

The Khanzad belongs to the same owner of Erbil Intl Hotel and shuttles are organised between the two location.

The location is great especially if you have a mountain view room.

As it is a bit isolated, it is the favorite place for US officials to stay. I was told that Khalilzad was a regular customer.

The place is of course very quiet without noise or pollution.

The rooms have the usual facilities like airco (central + individual), minibar, sat tv, ....

In addition, the hotel has a fitness room (closed when I visited) a pool and a helipad !

Restaurants and bars are available in the premises and alcohol is served.

The hotel host one or two bank branches but I doubt it is possible to withdraw cash with a credit card.

The manager that I knew from my previous stay in Baghdad is charging 140 USD + 10 % for a single room + Breakfast.

Location
Price

Opinion of Price: about average
Related to: Business Travel
Written September 21, 2006

single/double room

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1W1V
Reviews: 580

2 out of 5 stars User Rating

3.5 out of 5 stars Helpfulness

Hawler Plaza Hotel: an ok 2 1/2 star hotel

I stayed there in Sept 2006 for the Erbil trade fair (Rebuild Iraq). The prices in all the hotels went up 100 %.

KRG found me that hotel that was brand new at that time.

I paid 200 USD/night which is far too expensive. The regular price for a single room is 135 USD and still it is too expensive. For such a hotel in the region (except Dubai), the price should be around 60 USD.

The building is made according to Turkish standard, equipment and furniture so it will not last for long (pls no offence). I guess in 5 years this hotel will be a wreck.

Nevertheless, the hotel was new, clean with reasonably helpful staff.

Please note that an extra 10 % is requested for services.

The breakfast is included but is nothing special.

There is a business center with a good internet connection. Wireless card are also sold for 10 USD/24H.

Sat TV available in the room but may need some fine tuning !

Minibar in the room with a good working fridge.

Alcohol available at the restaurant.

Good working airco.

The management was lebanese (at that time) and very friendly (most of them can speak French).

Price list (+ 10 %) as per Sept 2006 when no special event held in Erbil :

single 135 USD
double 145 USD
Regular suite 185 USD
Executive suite 260USD

New (sept 2006)
good location

Opinion of Price: more expensive than average
Related to: Business Travel
Written September 21, 2006

single room 402 (twin bed)

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