B&B Emir

During my recent trip to Uzbekistan, I chose this cozy B&B with a colleague of mine to spend the entire stay of two and a half weeks. Even when we stayed one or more nights outside Samarkand (it happened four times) we preferred to keep occupied (and pay for) our room, rather than go out and back. What we liked most about the stay was: - The location, literally fifty steps from Amir Temur's mausoleum, and yet within a traditional Samarkand neighborhood, free from the nefarious demolitions that have "restored" the historic center - The cool and shady inner courtyard, with outdoor tables, where we always ate a delicious breakfast (which is paid for separately) and often entertained ourselves in the afternoon The rooms are basic but clean and comfortable, as are the bathrooms. Bad smell tended to come up from the drains in my bathroom: it is necessary to ask the staff to intervene every two or three days. A stay in this B&B - even as the owners' home is part of the complex and therefore you have the feeling of living like a local - gives a sense of intimacy that certainly could not give top-of-the-range hotels; and therefore it was an essential pillar of the success of our travel.