Holly Hager
Google
Charming & Authentic with Excellent Service & Food
I can’t recommend a stay with Akmal & his staff more highly! The hotel is a small converted madrasah, but with far more charm than any other we stayed at in Uzbekistan. While it’s not fancy, the decor is thoughtfully authentic with Suzani bedspreads, lovely Uzbek rugs, and traditional furniture. It’s also exceptionally clean. Plus, it’s been updated with most mod cons—plenty of outlets, decent WiFi, well-appointed bathrooms, fantastic AC & a misting system that makes eating breakfast in the picturesque courtyard a delight—even in August. The location is also fabulous, just a short walk from Lyabi Khause. BUT the real stars of the show are the service & the food. I have to admit that I’m not a huge fan of Uzbek cuisine. But, without fail, Amulet’s breakfasts were absolutely delicious—with daily variety & table service instead of the blah buffets we experienced everywhere else. They also have a restaurant with a garden across the street where we ate most of our other meals because the food, service & ambiance were so good as well. (Try the semi-sweet pomegranate wine from Fergana!) Their laundry & maid service was swift & much less expensive than we paid elsewhere. Plus, Akmal arranged the most authentic experience of our trip for me at a 600-yr-old hammam. But the most amazing example of their impeccable service was, when we had to leave at 4:30am to catch a train, they not only got up to help us without being asked, but had also prepared us a wonderful breakfast to take on the train—and wouldn’t even let us pay for it. Oh, and Akmal speaks impeccable English. Several of our fellow guests were single women—while I wasn’t traveling alone this time, I would’ve felt perfectly safe & comfortable if I had been. One last thing, the Amulet just hasn’t kept up their website & the contact info on it’s wrong. So, if you want to arrange anything in advance, you need to contact them thru TripAdvisor.