Bundi, August 21

RN Haveli, roof room
Run by Mama and a couple of helpers, this haveli is just like staying in a family home. Actually, it is a family home. And a very basic one. Mama has a huge personality and will tell you to treat her like your Indian mother, and her house as your home. It's all rather sweet, and she is a lovely lady, but she doesn't get upstairs much, we think, and our room was a bit of a hovel. The bathroom was badly connected and emitted the smell of raw sewerage whenever the toilet was flushed (hmmm, to not flush the toilet and watch it all pile up, or flush it and dry retch...it's a tough one). The bed was hard, the windows had no glass, so it was a mozzie free-for-all, and the roof is made of corrugated iron which the local monkeys like jumping on from about 6am. Oh, and there was a bat flying round the room the second night when we went to bed. This is REAL.
Bathroom: private, but horrific
View: Bundi fort
Cost: A tiny 250 rupees
Recommended: We won't be doing this again. But go for the cleaner downstairs room if you want a basic and honest homestay experience.

Udaipur, August 17-20

Jaiwana Haveli (aka Caravan Serai), room 30
A step up into the mid-range category and boy did we notice the difference. Rooms here are spotless with crisp white sheets, comfy beds and soft pillows. The bathroom was new, although amusingly, the toilet has been installed somewhat high, so when seated, you feel like you are a child again, with your legs dangling above the ground. Our room had a view of the Lake Palace out of one tinted window (we opened the window for a better gawk and the breeze, but look out for the mozzies). Apparently management (who, by the way, managed to strike the perfect balance between professional and friendly), were shortly to install LCD TVs in some of the rooms, which will make the Jaiwana even more of a bargain for the price.
Some rooms have views
Bathroom: private, spotless, lovely
Cost: 800 rupees. A steal
Recommended: Oh yes. Nowhere else we stayed came close to this for value and style.
Contact details: www.jaiwanahaveli.com

Udaipur, 16 August

Lake Ghat Guest House (aka Lake Ghat Palace) room 8
A range of rooms are available at this haveli-style guesthouse. Its name change from 'guest house' to palace is stretching it a bit, though. We went for the cheapest room in the house, at 400 rupees, which was clean and well kept, with small windows giving a view of the lake. The bed was hard and lumpy, as were the pillows. The bathroom, too, was rudimentary with a cold shower, although it too was clean. If you want better rooms, they are available here, but bargain hard as we think the price asked for most does not reflect the quality. Management are a friendly family, and there's a good restaurant on the rooftop doing excellent dinners, although average breakfasts.
View: glimpse of lake palace
Cost: 450 rupees
Recommended? Yes, but try bargaining the price down for the more expensive rooms
Contact details: +91 294 2521636 Email: lakeghatanis@hotmail.com

Ajmer, 15 August

Hotel Ajmeru, room 301
Reasonable choice not too far from the train station - although not where the Lonely Planet says it should be on the map! Bad Lonely Planet, and poor us, who arrived at 11pm and traipsed around the neighbourhood in vain trying to find it, eventually having to throw ourselves upon the mercy of a local rickshaw driver to drive us across the road and around the corner 150 metres to the real address. Once there, reception was friendly, the room was ok, usual story with the stained sheets but clean, at least. Shower had hot water to have a bucket shower.
Bathroom: Private
Views:District, from balcony
Cost: 600 rupees
Recommended? Yes.
Contact details: www.hotelajmeru.com

Delhi, 14 August

Vivek Hotel, room 107
After the sewerage saga of the previous day, we had a mind to move to another hotel. But given the late hour upon which we awoke, we decided in the end to just upgrade our room. And it was all ok. Air-conditioning, very clean sheets, a telly (with The Castle on one of the cable channels - what a treat), and, wait for it... toilet paper and soap provided! We did feel spoilt.
Bathroom: private, and quite nice
View: None, frosted window onto corridor
Cost: 800 rupees
Recommended? Yes, easily twice as clean as the basic room and vastly more comfortable.
Contact details: 1534 Main Bazaar, Paharganj. Tel 41511435. Email: reservation@vivekhotel.com www.vivekhotel.com

Delhi, 13 August

Vivek hotel, room 301
We arrived late to find only one room left, despite the fact that the monsoon rains had left the lobby swimming in raw sewerage from the overflowing drains. The late hour left us no choice but to stay there.
Sheets were damp and there was a cockroach living under the mattress. And it was a cold water shower. Grim all-round.
Bathroom: Private, but dirty and rank
View: None, frosted window onto corridor
Cost: 400 rupees
Recommended? Horrible. Don't be a cheapskate, it's not worth it - just spend the extra for a decent room.
Contact details: 1534 Main Bazaar, Paharganj. Tel 41511435. Email: reservation@vivekhotel.com www.vivekhotel.com

Haridwar, 10-12 August

Mohyal Ashram, room B101

What a sanctuary. As ashrams go, this is a very relaxed one, welcoming to foreign guests and spotlessly clean. Our room with fan was spacious and light, with the best-equipped bathroom we've had in India yet. There was a hot water shower and a Western-style loo. All food is included in the nightly cost; what's more, it's generally delicious. Unfortunately it hasn't photographed very well. Yoga instruction is available at 150 rupees per person for an hour and a half, and there's a library for guests' use with all sorts of books, including, of course, spirituality and self-improvement.
3 days is not quite long enough for a stay here- we recommend 4 at least.

Bathroom: private and very, very clean
View: Garden
Cost: 600 rupees (double) inc all meals
Contact details: email mohans_india@yahoo.com Address: Rishikesh Rd. Ph 261336

Haridwar, August 9

Mansarover International, room 108

After half an hour of asking around at several small Lonely Planet-recommended hotels nearby, we spurned their overpriced, undercleaned offerings and plumped for this large hotel with the grand moniker, not mentioned in the guide book. Although it's seen better days, prices are reasonable, it has a good location near the Mansa Devi cable car and it was the cleanest hotel we inspected in town.
Our room was spacious, with clean bathroom (hot water) and a balcony, which seemed to have been adopted by a family of pigeons. Management are helpful.
Bathroom: private
View: Lush green hillside and tops of old buildings
Cost: 600 rupees (9 euros)
Recommended: Definitely
Contact: Upper road, haridwar email: hotelmansaroverintl@rediffmail.com Ph:01334 226501

Lucknow to Haridwar, August 8

Overnight train, 2 A/C class
Surprisingly, not too bad. We shared a carriage with a couple of soldiers heading up to Haridwar for training, so this train trip we weren't as concerned about security, at least. The train was much the same a our previous experience, basic beds, basic bedding, but this time we got some sleep. All in all, not too bad, but then, you can't always guarantee you'll get such good company.

Lucknow, August 7

Hotel Mayur, room 35If you're not on a strict budget, read no more. If you are on a budget and are arriving late/departing early from the train station, this will do. But only for 1 night. The mattress was stained (noticed this as we asked for the sheets to be changed), walls were peeling and there were strange holes in the wall through to a ventilation duct. The whole room smelt vaguely of piss, while the hotel stair landings doubled as a rubbish dump, hosting such various items as old mattresses, beer bottles and broken furniture. Management were reasonably helpful and offer a 24 hour checkout. Our room had satellite TV though, a welcome addition after weeks of Indian only fare. We watched an old episode of Seinfeld at 1 in the morning. It was great.
Bathroom: Private (apart from the hole in the wall)
View: Street
Recommended? Exactly how desperate are you?
Contact details: Address: Subharsh Marg

Varanasi, August 5-6

Alka hotel, room 130.


Varanasi, holy? Hmmm. Heap of hassle, more like. First, we asked to be dropped at a different hotel, and were taken to completely the wrong part of town by the usual thoroughly corrupt taxi drivers hoping to persuade us to stay at the Hotel Sonmony (hotel located above one of the cremation ghats). This may be fine for you if you like the smell and sight of burning bodies outside your window, but we don't.
So we walked approx 1.5km upriver, through cow shit, human shit and piles of rubbish,the smell of piss wafting around us all the while, checking out a few other hotels. Most were horrific. Hotel Alka is a haven in comparison, and as one of the only decent ghat-side hotels, it gets busy; we heard several people turned away, including those trying to reserve ahead by phone. The room was small and basic, but reasonably clean, with a TV and ok bathroom with hot water (first hotel to claim hot water and actually provide it!) However, we would not stay here again if we had a choice. Staff were extremely rude and unhelpful. No one is allowed to check in until 12 midday at the earliest; despite people checking out earlier, they don't clean the rooms until late. They've also amassed a small collection of books, which you would expect to be available through a book swap scheme like most other traveller-friendly hotels. However, Hotel Alka do not swap; they sell the books people leave behind and will not even give you one book for two. We interpreted this as no need to leave a tip – we just left a book. If you do decide to stay here, do not make the mistake of eating here: the food is terrible and cups and plates are not clean. The pancakes in particular are stomach-churningly awful with the texture and taste of solidified glue. Instead, head to Godaulia Crossing and turn right to find the Palawi Restaurant with well-priced yummy food in a chilled-out setting by an old temple.
Bathroom: private
View: No view as window was frosted.
Cost: 700 rupees (approx 11 euros)
Recommended? Not really, but beggars can't be choosers, and it's the best of a very bad bunch in Varanasi at this time.

Overnight train Satna – Varanasi, August 4

2nd class air-conditioned carriage
Sorry, no pics.
Our first experience of train travel in India, and what a shock to the system it was, after the organised pleasure that was Iran. This trip was slightly more expensive than what we paid for the same length overnight journey in Iran. However, instead of a private 4 person compartment including dinner and breakfast snack (Iran), we had a 4 berth compartment, with only a velcroed curtain between us and the corridor, no food and a distinct lack of security (at every station people would get on and take a brisk walk through the carriage looking for unsecured baggage to misappropriate). We had not brought chains, unlike many local travellers, and so we spent a relatively sleepless night. The whole experience convinced us to stick to day train travel if at all possible in India in future.
Bathroom: Used it once; held on for the rest of the trip as I didn't feel safe enough to walk along by myself at night.
Views: Varied
Cost: 1400 rupees for 2
Recommended? Only if you are short on money and time, otherwise, travel by day and stopover at a hotel for the night.

Khajuraho, August 2-3

Hotel Zen, Bodhi Dharma (Buddha) room
This hotel is located along the Jain Temple road, a handy spot for getting to the Western and Eastern temples. Rooms in several price brackets (negotiable in off-season) are located around a series of courtyards with lotus ponds (despite the resident fish, these are a breeding ground for hungry mozzies, which head straight to the non a/c rooms on the ground floor). We plumped for a room with air-conditioning, which was spacious and very clean. Apparently there is hot water, although ours was never more than lukewarm. Staff were extremely helpful when our television did not work, swapping it 5 times until we got one that did. However, the painted over bathroom window had a peephole scratched in the paint, allowing staff to have an illicit perve while you shower or toilet. We didn't catch anyone in the act, although a fellow guest did – female travellers in particular may wish to search for and locate the peephole and cover the window with something from the inside.
Overall, this hotel represents great value, although the restaurant is overpriced compared to others in the vicinity. They also charge an expensive 100 rupee pp booking fee for trains
Bathroom: private
View: Courtyard
Cost: 500 rupees (approx 8 euros)
Recommended? Yes, overall very good value and the cleanest Indian hotel so far.
Contact: jain temple road, khajuraho, tel 7686 274228 email oshozen62@hotmail.com ohozen62@rediffmail.com

Agra, July 31-August 1

Kamal hotel, room 2

Our first choice was full up, so we ended up at this budget option a short walk from the Taj Mahal. They were doing some renovation, so air-cooled rooms were not available, only basic rooms on the ground floor. Ours was a cleanish room with fan and bathroom with bucket shower (cold water) and poor drainage. The rooms are not well-ventilated and at this time of the year (monsoon) get stuffy and are hotter at the end of the day than the air outside. We woke up one night to find a rat in our rubbish bin. Management are quite helpful and the restaurant on the rooftop serves decent food with a view of the Taj. For train tickets or taxi hire, the travel agent/money changer across the road to the right (recommended by the hotel), was more honest than most others we've dealt with.
Bathroom: private
View: Corridor
Cost: 400 rupees (approx 7 euros)
Recommended? It's ok, but you could probably do better.

Delhi, July 30

Hotel Cosmo, room 230

Once we extricated ourselves from the jammy, scammy guesthouse (previous entry), we booked into this hotel up the road in the same area for a night. For an extra 100 rupees, we got a much nicer bathroom, quieter air-conditioning and nicer reception staff. All in all, much more professional.
Bathroom: private, spacious, but again, no hot water and shower was a 'bucket shower'
View: A wall
Cost: 700 rupees (around 11 euros)
Recommended? Yes, offers good value in Karol Bagh, and is in the same street as the dodgy scammers mentioned in previous entry, if you end up there and prefer to find your own accom.
Contact details: 7A/40 Channa Market, Karol Bagh cosmohotel@yahoo.com

Delhi, July 28-29

Bill's Guesthouse aka Dandoo Guesthouse

We did not intend to stay here, actually booking for Vivek Hotel 3km away. However, thanks to a dodgy taxi driver, a dodgy tourist office and our overtiredness after an overnight flight, we inadvertently ended up here. (Common scam from Delhi airport: taxi driver drops you off telling you that he can't find your hotel, but you are in the area you requested, so there's a tourist office who can help you find the hotel. 'Tourist office', actually travel agent (Travel Venture India Pvt Ltd), tells you you're in the wrong area, but that the area you planned to go is not nice and you should instead book into a local guesthouse (which you later find out is run by them). Then they try to sell you an overpriced package for travel around India.) Anyway, the guesthouse was cheapish with ok rooms, but there was no hot water, the floor was grubby and the door locked with only a sliding bolt. The air-conditioning unit varied from sounding like it was about to take off, to squealing like a mating fox. And to top it all off, on the second day someone was obviously caught short with a bout of the runs on the stairwell up to the guesthouse, and no one cleaned it up. The tourist office holds the key to the guesthouse, so if you go out you need to go via the office, where they subject everyone to heavy-handed sale spiels for trips to Kashmir. Not a nice experience.

Bathroom: private
Views: Small window onto dark internal lightwell.
Cost: 600 rupees (approx 9 euros)
Recommended: Never. These scammers don't deserve a shred of further business.
Contact details: Bill's Guesthouse, Dandoo Guesthouse give the office address details, 7A/W44, WEA Channa Market, Karol Bagh, New Delhi BEWARE if any guesthouse you plan to book has this address, it is linked to this dodgy office.

Shiraz, July 23-26

Anvari hotel, room 230
After a night roughing it, we stepped up a class and got a room with a double bed (one of the few available), air-con and private bathroom. It was very clean, spacious enough and quiet, apart from the child with behavioural issues along the hall. Management were frosty at first, but warmed up day by day. This hotel is well-located for restaurants and internet cafes and about 15 minutes walk from the bazaar.

Bathroom: private
View: rooftops
Cost: 180,000R (around 13 euros)
Recommended: Absolutely

Shiraz, July 22

Saadi hotel, room 38

Cheap as chips, clean enough and a good basic choice. Our room was big, with an enormous private bathroom, although with the bars on the windows we couldn't escape the feeling that we were staying in a prison. Management are very friendly, although not much English spoken. Breakfast is available for an extra cost from the small restaurant downstairs.

Bathroom: private and huge, although quite institutional
View: Windows too high to see out of, but think it is an internal lightwell
Cost: 140,000R (or just under 10 euros)
Recommended: Doable if you're on a budget

Yazd, July 20-21

Malek- o-Tojar
Was the Lonely Planet recommended choice in our (2004) edition but will have undoubtedly lost that mantle by now we're sure. It's still a gorgeous old house but the owners have turned their attention to a couple of larger, more elegant establishments, with the result that this now looks quite neglected and run-down. Nevertheless it is still an atmospheric place to stay – if you don't mind keeping your valuables and money on you at all times – we had some money stolen from our room at the same time the room was cleaned, and management acted as if they did not understand us when we complained. Rather than press home the point by calling the police, we had a bus to catch, so left it at that. However, be warned. If you stay here, bargain hard to reduce the price and do not leave anything in your room you mind losing.
Bathroom: private
View: Courtyard
Cost: 280000R including basic breakfast
Recommended: No, sadly, due to our experience of theft at this hotel. Spend your money on the Silk Road or Orient Hotel instead (both of which we viewed but did not stay at).

Esfahan, July 18-19

Amir Kabr Hotel/Hostel, room 10

Another of life's reminders: you get exactly what you pay for. We moved to this hotel because we needed to save some money. And it was immediately clear where the price discrepancy was. For a difference of 100,000R, almost 8 euros, we sacrificed a private bathroom, cleanliness and privacy. Our room was on the top floor, facing the courtyard, which is a good place for travellers to meet – but makes for a bit of noise in the evening. The room itself had very firm beds, with mattresses like large hessian sacks stuffed with straw. We asked for the beds to be changed because there were some dubious hairs lurking on the sheets. All credit to the management: this was done promptly; in fact, management were consistently friendly and helpful. They do make this a good place to stay for travellers. No towels provided. A basic breakfast (bread, cream cheese, carrot jam, cup of tea) was included in the price.

Bathroom: Shared, mostly clean but particularly smelly (esp upstairs)
View: Courtyard

Cost: 185,000R

Recommended? Mmmm, good for the budget, not so for beauty sleep.

Contact details: mrziaee@hotmail.com Address: Charbagh St, Isfahan Tel: 0098 311 222 7273

Esfahan, July 15-17

Iran Hotel, room 216

This was recommended by the management at Firouzeh Hotel in Tehran, and although more expensive than we would have liked, was a very good option. The room was very clean, and fresh towels were provided on the third day we stayed. Breakfast was included in the price. Management here are very helpful, speak excellent english and can offer plenty of information on everything from visa extensions to catching buses.

Bathroom: Private, with western toilet
View: Rooftops, mountains and side alley
Cost: 290,000R
Recommended? Yes, definitely, a very good mid-range option.

Kashan, July 13-14

Ehsan Traditional House, room 5

Ehsan Traditional House, room 5

One of the old houses of Esfahan, up an alleyway opposite the road leading to the mosque south of Kamal al Molk square. Our room was generously sized, clean, and had a fridge. It opened onto the courtyard, although was west-facing to the afternoon sun. Like most of Iran, Kashan suffers regular power cuts – be warned this can be a big problem in the city in summer as air-conditioning is vital. In this hotel our room got very hot at the end of the day. This place was only opened within the last 2 years so was not listed in our Lonely Planet book, but should be in the new one published July 2008, so is likely to become more popular. Booking ahead would be wise. Staff are very helpful and friendly. A taxi to the bus station from here cost 15,000R booked ahead by phone.
Bathroom: Shared, very clean.
View: Courtyard Cost: 250,000R (approx 18 euros)
Recommended: Definitely
Address: off Fazel-e Navaji St, Town Centre

Tehran July 9-12

Firouzeh Hotel, room 208

Mr Mousavi, the manager, is the main reason to head for this downtown hotel, handy for the bazaar and downtown attractions. He's ridiculously helpful and works exceptionally hard to help tourists enjoy their stay. (He can also suggest and order delicious delivery food.)
Bathroom: private shower, but shared squat toilets in the corridor. These were generally clean and not too smelly.
View: Streetscape
Cost: 240,000R (approx 18 euros), including breakfast
Recommended? Absolutely
Contact details: http://www.firouzehotel.com/ Address: Dolat Abadi Alley, Amir Kabir St. Ph +98 21 3322 3508 email: info@firouzehhotel.com

Tabriz - Tehran overnight train, July 8

Carriage 6, berths 17 and 18
This was a comfortable and good value overnight trip, with the price of the train including dinner, along with cake and juice for breakfast. Pic shown is of the Tabriz station.
Bathroom: the usual grin and bear it overnight train deal – reasonably horrific by the morning
View: Varied
Cost: 300,000R for two
Recommended? Yes. More expensive, but vastly superior to an overnight bus for comfort.

Tabriz, July 6-7

Azerbayjan Hotel, room 302

In the mid-range hotel category, this hotel is clean, spacious and well-located not far from the bazaar and main sights. Our room was wallpapered in a recycled-type paper wall to ceiling. Towels and sheets are provided still individually sealed in their plastic from the cleaners. Rooms are double-glazed to keep out the street noise. Our room had a big fridge in the room so you can store fruit and stuff to make your own breakfast.
Bathroom: private, with 2 toilets, 2 Western, 1 squat
View: main street
Cost: 300,000R (approx 21 euros)
Recommended? Yes, more expensive than we would have liked but well-located and felt very safe.
Contact details: Located on Sharia'ti St

Maku, July 5

Hotel Alvand, room 8
This centrally-located hotel offers basic but clean rooms with comfy beds and a washbasin in the room. Shower and squat toilets are shared, located in the corridor. The mostly friendly management has a strange policy of leaving the shared shower locked unless you ask to use it. Bring your own towel.
Bathroom: shared, but clean, with a surprisingly good shower.
View: Main street (quite noisy room actually)
Cost: 100,000 R (Approx 7 euros)
Recommended? Great for the budget, although lone women travellers might find this a bit spooky.
Contact details: Tel: 04623223491

Dogubayzit, Turkey, July 3-4

Tahran Hotel, room 301
Having fended off the touts near the bus station, we ended up at this gem of a hotel, which has comfy beds, ok, if quite lumpy pillows, views of Mt Ararat from some rooms and a great enclosed rooftop space where you can buy your last beer before the Iranian border. Unfortunately our room was quite noisy due to its location by the stairwell, but it's nothing a good set of earplugs won't fix. Management is extremely helpful and friendly and there is wireless available downstairs and free internet too. The breakfast room doubles as a chill out room and has a cracking view of the mountains. A really refreshing place to spend our last nights in Turkey.
Bathroom: private, although drains were a bit smelly
View: Mt Ararat (this wins best view of all the places we've stayed in Turkey)
Cost: 36 YTL including an average breakfast
Recommended: Yes, absolutely

Van, Turkey, July 2

Aslan Hotel, room 305
Here the manager speaks good English, and offers all kinds of services, including help with booking tickets for the train to Iran. However, rooms are in dire need of a freshen up, with peeling paint and rickety-looking power points that make you think twice about plugging anything in. Pillows are like big rocks and our bathroom was pongy, as were the shared ones in the hall. The shower is completely hand-held with no possibility to stand under it.
Bathroom: private
View: Street and local music hall (noisy until midnight)
Cost: 25 YTL (ok, why whinge, really, at this price)
Recommended? Yes, if budget means more than comfort

Tatvan, Turkey, July 1

Ustun hotel, room 206
Decent little hotel in a town with very few options. Our room had definitely seen better days, with peeling paint and old carpet, however there was a peep of the lake and the bathroom was clean. Beds were mind-bogglingly hard - feels a bit like you are doing penance for a mid-range crime, while the colour scheme was in lurid technicolour. On the positive side, management are very friendly and a good breakfast is included in the rate. If you ask, they can arrange trips up to Mt Nemrut (we were quoted 20 YTL per person). This hotel would also be a good option for female travellers.
Bathroom: private
View: lake and streetscape
Cost: 40 YT
Recommended: Yes, seems to be the best of the bunch.
Contact: Address: 23 Hal Caddesi, ph 0434 827 90 14

Diyabakir, Turkey, June 29-30

Hotel Kristal (entered via Hotel Kaplan), room 508

Again, slightly more expensive than we would have liked, but this room had a couple of useful extras that clinched the deal. There was a fridge with a mini freezer, and a proper deep bath. Bliss. The beds were comfy enough, and the air-con, although not quite gutsy enough for our liking, did the job. There was wireless access in the room.
Bathroom: Private
View: rooftop
Cost: 45 YTL including an ok breakfast
Recommended? Yes, definitely

Sanliurfa (Urfa), Turkey, June 27-28

Hotel Baykan, room 304
A day of tiresome travel meant we were reluctant to pound the streets in search of an alternative to this hotel, so we may have paid slightly more than we should have. We saw three rooms before we decided to stay here – many at the back are very dark and overlook an internal lightwell. The front ones are lighter (and noisier) but get very hot in the afternoon, but who cares about that when you have air-conditioning, which, if you stay here in summer, is an absolute must. Wireless in room.
Bathroom: Private (spacious and very clean)
View: Hot dusty town
Cost: 45 YTL including a very average breakfast
Recommended: Yes

Mt Nemrut, Turkey, June 26

Gunes Hotel, room 6

Ah, the Gunes Hotel, 'a romantic night on Nemrut mountain' as the brochure says. This hotel is the one used by the Malatya tourist office for their tours to Mt Nemrut (80 YTL pp inc dinner, bed and breakfast). The hotel itself is pretty basic, but who cares when all you're really here for is the trip up Nemrut to see the big stone heads. Dinner is included in the cost, and is basic kebab fare, with fruit for afters. Spend some time chatting with Mehmet who runs things here; it sounds like he goes a bit stir crazy all the way up here with no one to talk to most of the day.
Bathroom: private; clean but a bit pongy
View: Mt Nemrut
Cost: Included in the tour cost of 80 YTL
Recommended: Yes, definitely

Malatya, Turkey, June 25

Pelihaven Hotel, Room 406

This super-cheapie is in the road that runs parallel to Ataturk Caddesi, and is very close to 2 mosques, meaning this might not be a good option for light sleepers. Other than that, it's a good budget choice, with quite clean rooms, small en-suite bathrooms (curtain for a door), and friendly management who obviously don't have many tourists staying. Single female travellers might find this a little male-dominated, however. No internet access.
Bathroom: private
View: Rooftop and fences
Cost: 30 YTL
Recommended? Yes

Ankara – Malatya, overnight bus, June 24

VIP Malatyalilar, seats 15 and 16

Regular buses leave for Malatya from Ankara's otogar, with prices ranging between 17.50 and 20 YTL per person. The trip takes 10 hours, so we chose the 21:30 service, which arrived in Malatya at 7:15am. The bus was clean, comfy, and with a little help from earplugs and eye masks, we managed to get a surprisingly decent amount of sleep.
Bathroom: No loo on bus; regular loo stops though.
View: Variable (great scenery on the way in to Malatya in the morning).
Cost: 40 YTL
Recommended? Yes; as overnight bus trips go, this wasn't too bad.

Ankara, Turkey, June 22-23

Hotel Devran, room 246

We stayed in Ankara 2 nights to apply for an Iranian visa (we already had a code; got our visa one day later, despite the embassy not having received the code). This hotel is one of the many cheapies accessible from Ulus metro station, and offers good value for money. Pink is a popular interior decoration colour here, as you can see. The room was clean, reasonably spacious, and had a clean, good-sized private bathroom. It got late afternoon sun, which made it a bit of a sweatbox, but with the window open it cooled down quickly, and besides, we appreciated the heat from the sun for drying our handwashing. Management were friendly, although reluctant to discount. Wireless is available in common areas, although not in rooms, it appears. No breakfast was provided, but the restaurant under the hotel does a cheap Turkish breakfast (this is also a good option for a cheap dinner – their lentil soup was one of the best we had in Turkey).
Bathroom: private. Good shower.
View: Cityscape
Cost: 40 YTL
Recommended: Highly
Contact details: Opera Meydani, Gazi Lisesi Karsisi, Ph: 0312 311 04 85

Goreme, Turkey, June 19-21

Kose Pension, Room 7, 18

Most of the pensions in Goreme charge a standard 50 YTL, sometimes including breakfast. Kose Pension charges 30 per person, which we unfortunately misread as 30 per room. So after 2 nights here we panicked and changed to a cheaper room with shared bathroom. So overall, not great value compared to some of the others in Goreme, although Dawn Kose is extremely helpful and has thought of every service the independent traveller needs. The pool is the perfect antidote to hot afternoons, there's a bookswap scheme and of course, there's wireless. Another thing we really liked: Breakfasts are fairly priced, as are snacks, dinners and alcohol. The first picture is of the en-suite room, the second of the rooftop hut.
Bathroom: Private (room 7), shared (room 18)
View: Streetscape (room 7), fairy chimneys (rooftop room 18)
Cost: 60 YTL (room 7), 40 YTL (room 18)
Recommended: Yes, particularly the cheaper rooftop room with shared bathroom.
Contact details: dawn@kosepension.com tel: (0304) 271 2294 Goreme village, Nevsehir.

Avanos, Turkey 16-18

Sofa Hotel, room Melburn Wow, we really got lucky with this one, a gorgeous atmospheric hotel created from several old houses. We got a lift from Konya with a couple of kind fellow travellers, Arian and Bep, and thought we'd copy their lead and stay in Avanos before heading to Goreme. There are two tiers of rooms here: one with fridges, baths and private tea/coffee making facilities; the others with more basic rooms. All are tastefully decorated with well-chosen carpets, kilims and local crafts, and connected via shady squares and terraces. We balked at the first suggested (discounted) price of 60 YTL for the more basic room, but then it came down to 50, which in hindsight was a genuine bargain. Two weeks after staying there, it remains the best place we've stayed in Turkey. There's wireless access in some areas, but there was none in our room. Note: At peak times, you might need to book in advance here.
Bathroom: private (which smelt a bit the first day, which is why we balked at the first price, then fine after that).
View: Courtyard and distant mountains
Cost: 50 YTL inc buffet breakast
Recommended: Yes, without a doubt.
Contact details: http://www.sofa-hotel.com/ tel: 0384 511 51 86

Konya, June 14-15

Hotel Ulusan, room 243 So much for Konya having 'a poor selection of budget hotels' (our LP guidebook). This is a great choice for budget travellers, as long as you don't mind sharing a bathroom. Rooms were very clean, although with an unusually large number of ashtrays per room (our double room had 4). The management were very helpful, telling us of a free dervish dancing practice taking place the evening we arrived. Breakfast was included in the price; this was a toasted sandwich and a dairy pudding, which was a nice change from standard Turkish breakfasts. There's wireless access as well as computers provided for guests' use.
View: Streetscape
Bathroom: Shared, but very, very clean
Cost: 50 YTL, inc breakfast
Recommended: Yes, highly
Contact details: http://www.ulusanhotel.sitemynet.com/ Alaaddin Cd Carsi (behind the PTT)
Tel: 0332 351 50 04

Egirdir, June 11-13

Ali's pension, 2nd floor room 5

A bit of a hike from the otogar, this pension was a drop in value for money from Pammukule, but pension prices on the island are not negotiable – here you take what you get. However, once again, it's the pension owners who lifted the stay from ordinary to excellent. Birsen and her family are very hospitable and friendly, and run their place with good humour. Tasty homemade dinners are offered at reasonable prices. We had a room with a small view of the lake; it was clean and simple, although felt a little cramped (triple room with awkward layout). There is wireless access.
View: Road and lake
Bathroom: Private, basically a wet room because the shower went everywhere. The toilet seat was padded for extra luxury (slightly disconcerting on the first 'sit-down').
Cost: 50 YTL inc breakfast
Recommended: Yes
Contact details: email: mailto:alispension@hotmail.comTel: 0246 311 2547

Pamukkule, June 8 – 10

Melrose Allgau Hotel/Pension, room 55
Booked into the pension here and got upgraded to the hotel, which is probably one reason we decided to hang around for 3 nights. For the price, this was exceptional value. Our room was big and spotless; we had a private bathroom with a bath, and a balcony too. Mehmet and Umma are incredibly friendly, and Umma is a great cook – we couldn't resist eating here every night. For those travelling with a laptop, you'll get wireless in some areas. Ask here about trips to Afrodisias, a very worthwhile day trip for 30 YTL pp.
Bathroom: private
View: Grounds
Cost: 22 YTL (this is the price for the pension room; breakfast was an extra 9 each). Or guarantee a hotel room inc breakfast for 44 YTL
Recommended: Yes, very highly

Selcuk, Turkey, June 7

Homeros Pension, room 8
Dervis, the owner of this pension, is a carpenter whose over-enthusiastic attitude to decoration has unfortunately left the rooms looking a little bit confused. Our room had all sorts of decorative elements clamouring for attention, however, it was very clean. (Might be worth viewing more than one room too as some rooms are better than others.) Dervis offers a free ride to Ephesus and is very helpful generally. The breakfast included plenty of fruit; other than that it was standard Turkish fare. There's wireless access in some areas.
Bathroom: Private (door was a curtain)
View: Rooftops
Cost:50 YTL including breakfast
Recommended? Yes, although we couldn't help feeling that we've had better value for money elsewhere.
Contact details: www.homerospension.com homeros_turkey@hotmail.com
Tel: 0090 (232) 892 3995

Bergama, Turkey, June 4-6

Athena Pension
Other reviews of Athena Pension rave about the friendliness and helpfulness of Aydin, who runs this with a big smile and a love of food, people and flowers.
We booked for 2 nights but felt so relaxed that we stayed for three, and it seems that other creatures felt comfortable there, too. When we were there, 2 swallows had built their nest on an inner courtyard and we had several afternoons watching them bring food to the babies.
Our room was in the newer part of the pension, but there are some character-filled rooms in the old part (traditional, rustic decor), if you don't mind sharing a bathroom.
At the time of writing, Aydin is renovating a lovely old house next door, which should be finished by late 2008 and will offer an even more characterful place to stay.
Bathroom: private
View: Courtyard and acropolis
Cost: 50 Turkish lira including a great breakfast
Recommended? Highly
Contact details: Address: Barbaros Mh. Imam Cikmazi No: 9 - Bergama
email: aydinathena@hotmail.com
www.athenapension.8m.com
Tel: 90 232 633 34 20

Izmir, Turkey, June 3

Hotel Baylan, room 22

In places where haggling is a part of life, often you're better turning up and negotiating a rate, rather than booking ahead. We did this here and managed to drop the price by around 25 Turkish lira. The room was mostly clean (apart from the pumpkin seed husks revealed under the beds when we moved them together) and spacious, although there's a little noise from the street outside, while the hotel itself has a good location near the train station. This hotel would be a good choice for solo women travellers.
Bathroom: private
View: Street
Cost: 60 Turkish lira, including breakfast
Recommended? Yes

Mesta, May 30-31

Dimitris Pipidis Studios

We rented this studio on arrival from the friendly Dimitris Pipidis, who hangs out in the main square of Mesta, biding his time in between making his own ouzo and wine, growing vegies and waiting for his grandchildren to be brought round for a visit. He has both typical village houses and studios available, all with cooking facilities. We plumped for a studio, which was the downstairs half of one of the village houses, and literally a minute's walk from the main square. It was full of character, very clean and super-quiet.
Category: Self-catering accommodation

View: Small street
Cost: 35 euros
Recommended: Highly

Chios Town - May 27-29, June 1-2

Chios Rooms, room 5

Lonely Planet writes that Don, the ex-pat Kiwi who owns this pension, is always ready for a beer and a chat. So don't be surprised if, when you turn up, someone has already cornered him in the kitchen to pick his brains about everything from Chios restaurants to politics. We did, many times. The rooms are in a lovely old neoclassical building right on the harbourfront, some with views out to the water (these tend to be noisier, however). We originally checked in for one night, but stayed for 5. If you hire a scooter, here makes a good base for discovering many beaches north and south, as well as sightseeing inland.
Bathroom: Outside the room across the corridor, quite clean, although rather public in that the doors don't go all the way to the floor. (People walking past will be able to hear you weeing.)
View: Chios harbour
Cost: 30 euros
Special note: The ceilings in this place are incredibly high – we guesstimated them to be 3 JBs high (the JB unit of measurement being how many JBs could stand on top of each other in the room, naturally).
Recommended? Highly
Contact details: 110 Leof. Aigaiou, Chios Town tel: 22710 20198, email: chiosrooms@hotmail.com

Athens, May 25-26

Zeus Hostel, room 13

It's cheap, it's well-located, it's cheap and it's in a nice old building. Oh, and did I mention that it's cheap? This is our 4th time in Athens, and usually we stay somewhere else at around twice the price. But this time, our strict budget required that we lower our sights. So Zeus hostel it was, a basic big hotel/hostel with high ceilings, bland décor and a weird little reception desk under the stairs. It's allegedly newly renovated, but we suspect that they might have only renovated the outside. It is very noisy, with most of the noise coming from the other guests dragging suitcases up and down the steps.
Bathroom: Shared, a bit grubby, with shower doors that don't lock.
View: Internal lightwell
Cost: 34 euros per night
Recommended: No, not really. It's cheap but not cheerful.

Patras May 24

Nicos Pansyion, room 24

This pension is up a few flights of stairs that can be challenging while wearing a backpack. However, the constantly-smoking Nicos offers clean rooms in an old building which are reasonable value (although some rooms can get a bit noisy especially when the boy-racers are showing off their motors and stereos in the street outside).
Bathroom: Shared, but very clean
Cost: 33 euros
Recommended? Yes, a decent choice if you're on a budget
Contact: Address: 3 Patreos St. Ph: 061 623 757

Ferry from Ancona, Italy to Patras, Greece, May 23

Minoan Lines, aircraft-style reclining seat

If you're taking the ferry across to Greece, there are several accommodation choices, ranging from the budget (deck, @ approx 45 euros per person) to the comfortable (2 person cabin, @ closer to 200 euros per person). We went for one rung up from the deck, reclining seats that were reasonably comfortable for sitting in. Although it quickly became obvious that no one intended to sleep in the seats.
Bathroom: shared with the entire cabin; showers were available, if you didn't mind taking a chance with a non-locking door.
View: Sea, and sometimes shore
Cost: 75 euros each
Recommended: Yes, if you bring something that will serve as bedding, it's perfectly doable.

Perugia, May 21-22

Alla Residenza Domus Minervae, room 5


This guesthouse occupies one floor of a large old building on a main road a few minutes walk from the historic centre. It seems to get reasonably full; in fact we got upgraded to a better room because of this. Ours was a big room with balcony, high ceilings and a private bathroom. And breakfast was even included in the price. The very helpful owners can arange cooking and Italian language classes.

Bathroom: Private, clean and quite new
View: Leafy streetscape
Cost: 54 euros per night
Recommended? Highly
Contact details: www.domusminervae.it email:info@domusminevae.it
Address: 19 Viale Pellini, Perugia tel: ++39 0755732238

Siena, May 19 - 20

Hotel Camollia, room 1

These are private rooms near the Porta Camollia gate, about 15 minutes walk to Il Campo. Our room was spacious, light and really clean, with terrazzo floors. Oh, and the bed and pillows were very comfy.
Bathroom: shared, reasonably new, but unfortunately could have been cleaner – and no toilet paper was provided either.
View: Terracotta rooftops, Tuscan countryside
Cost: 55 euros per night
Recommended? Definitely, but remember to bring toilet paper.

Florence, May 18

Leonardo's House, un-numbered room

We only stayed one night at this basic hostel-like place, which is probably the cheapest option in pocket-bashing Florence. Leonardo himself is friendly and very helpful (he's thoughtfully put up the train schedule on one wall for easy reference), but the rooms seem to vary. Ours unfortunately only had an internal window onto a walkway, frosted so we couldn't see out. It was clean enough, although could do with a tidy up on the decor. (Other rooms seem to be nicer, so might be a good idea to ask to look around first – maybe if you're staying more than one night you'll get a better room.) No towels are provided.
Bathroom: Shared, and a bit manky.
View: None. Window was frosted.
Cost: 40 euros
Recommended? If you're on a budget, this will do.

Verona, May 15-17

Casa Catullo, room 25


This hotel has a great location with large rooms in a big old building. The management are friendly, although have a policy which make it awkward for travellers without a car – you can't leave bags in the hotel after checking out; they suggest you leave them at the locked luggage area at the train station (approx 1.5km away). Our room was ginormous, with lovely parquet floors.
Bathroom: Shared, but clean.
View: streetscape
Cost: 55 euros
Recommended? Yes
Contact details: Address: Via Catullo 1, Verona

Genoa, May 13-14

Hotel Bernhof, room 25


Another day when our travel plans went reasonably awry, this time thanks to an inept train station attendant at Menton station in France. We'd planned to end up in Milan that evening, but at 9pm we were only at Genoa. So we got off the train and looked for a hotel. Genoa train station is surrounded by plenty of hotels; this is a one-star in an old building, with friendly personable owners. There's a little English spoken. Our room was very clean with an old but moderately comfy bed, plus a very clean and recently installed bathroom. The first night we were bothered a bit by unruly pigeons outside/upstairs (see here for more) but the second night was fine.
We forgot to take a photo on arrival at this hotel so took one the next day, which is why you ca see JB's undies and socks hanging outside the window - it is our washing line; there's not actually one outside the room...
All in all, a reasonable budget choice in expensive Italy.
Bathroom: private
Cost: 50 euros
Recommended: Yes, reasonable value, friendly owners, clean and centrally located.

Marseille, May 12

L'hotel du Corbusier, room B2

How could an architect resist the opportunity to stay a night at Le Corbusier's Unite d'Habitation? You can stay in Marseille for less, but not in such a notorious building, with easy access to all the building spaces. However the reception staff don't make it easy, with their slack responses to emails and unhelpful attitude on the phone. We booked a small studio, which had a small double bed and desk. If you are a large person (or people), you might want to upgrade to the next size room.
Bathroom: shower inside, toilet shared and outside.
View: Building grounds and the main street
Price: 59 euros
Recommended: Yes, for architecture buffs
Contact: L'hotel du Corbusier, tel 04 91 77 18 15

Avignon, May 10-11

Hotel Monclar, room A1

We'd originally intended to stay in Nimes, further south, but an influx of tourists for a bullfight fiesta put paid to that plan. So we drove a few km north to Avignon, where we got a room in this charming old hotel, just outside the old town, near the train station (Lonely Planet warns that noise from the station could be a problem, but we didn't hear a thing). We had a room at the top of the annexe, also an old building (although the stairs could be tricky for those less mobile).
The well-travelled and amiable Fred runs things here, and he keeps a huge array of local maps and information to help his guests make the most of their stay.
The hotel charges for parking, but we easily found free parking behind the station.
Bathroom: private shower but shared toilet
View: rooftop
Cost: 40 euros per night
Recommended? Definitely
Contact details: www.hotel-monclar.com email:hmonclar84@aol.com Address: 13-15 Avenue Monclar, Avignon tel: 04 90 86 20 14

Toulouse, May 9

Hotel Anatole France, room 13


We found ourselves stuck in Toulouse on an evening when most places were either full, or priced too steeply for our limited budget. Otherwise we would not have stayed at this hotel. Our room was skanky, with peeling wallpaper, an old bed and a vinyl floor (if you pay close attention to the photo you can see a raised bit under the bed). There was an all-pervasive smell of mildew, and the bathroom had flaking paint and unidentifiable debris in the shower. There were constant sounds of high heels walking in the corridor during the night; it's possible that we were sharing the hotel with prostitutes and their clients. On the positive side, the reception staff were friendly.
View: Our room looked out onto a lovely old building; if renovated properly, this hotel could be very nice; right now, the view alone does not make staying here worthwhile.
Cost: A ridiculous and reluctantly parted with 42 euros
Recommended? Only if you're desperate, or this hotel is thoroughly renovated.

San Sebastian, May 7 - 8

Pension Easo, room 6


We checked into this pension after the train ride from hell, and it was like entering heaven. The room was quite new, with minimal furnishing, crisp white bed linen and a comfy bed. The owner is helpful and there's a resident cat who shows his face occasionally, if you're lucky. The only detraction was that our room looked out onto an internal courtyard, so there wasn't a lot of fresh air. Oh, and there was a fire exit sign in the room that was too bright at night. However, for the price, this represents great value in expensive San Sebastian.

View: Covered internal courtyard
Bathroom: Shared, but spotless.
Cost: 35 euros
Recommended: Definitely