Alis Hotel

Alis Hotel is plainspoken, cheap and efficient, the sort of place you pick because you will be out exploring all day and only need a clean bed at night. Rooms are neat and compact, beds firm, linens white and straightforward. Breakfast is a humble, filling affair, eggs and bread and local jams, served early so you can be gone by sunrise; staff here move like they know their city and will help with directions. There are flaws. A faint plumbing odor can linger in some bathrooms, and the sockets favor local plugs. But when Elvin at reception steers you toward a quiet street cafe, or Farhad lets you check in before the official hour, you feel looked after. Bring an adapter, ask for a room away from the pipes, and forget trying to impress anyone with the decor.