Hotel Abbasi: Best Hotel in Isfahan (History, Rooms)

Can you imagine yourself opening your eyes in bed, looking toward a big colorful sash window overlooking the fabulous Persian garden and a great turquoise dome? well, good news! It’s absolutely possible in Hotel Abbasi in Isfahan, which is the oldest hotel in the world! It needs only a quick reservation on the Hotel Abbasi website. Reserve your favorite hotels in Iran here.

Table of Contents

Old as five dynasties

Shall I start the story of this historical hotel with ‘’once upon a time”? well, maybe. 400 years ago, at the time of King Sultan Hussein Safavid, the king’s mother endowed some of her properties, including the land of a mentioned hotel, to the public and ordered to build a Caravanserai there, to provide lodging for travelers. Years after that, Ashraf Afghan invaded Iran, overthrew The Safavids, and destroyed their sites, including the Caravanserai. But the story hasn’t ended yet! In 1965 a creative engineer found a way to renovate the whole complex. In 1700 the former Caravanserai reopened as Hotel Abbasi or Shah Abbas Hotel while preserving all the ancient elements, like the runnel of Persian garden or roof squinches.

The mixture of stunning illumination and hypnotizing ceiling decoration creates a unique atmosphere for the rooms and suits.

Rooms and suits

You might have pictured yourself having a rough time in a 400-year-old hotel, but no worries! Hotel Abbasi is a good example of the right cooperation between modernity and traditionality. 5 different types of rooms are available for the guests: standard single and double rooms, landscape rooms with minimalist style decoration and garden view, luxurious paradise room with full facilities and garden view, Qajar suits prepared for 2 people with fantastic Qajar miniatures on its walls and roof and of course the garden view, and last but not least: Safavid suit which is the oldest and the most expensive option in Hotel Abbasi, with two bedrooms decorated with Safavid elements such as squinches, illuminated manuscripts and plaster work.

Gorgeous Qajar suite with Qajar architectural design

Facilities and Services

There is a great sports complex consisting of a pool, sauna, gym, and Jacuzzi, which provides some enjoyable services such as massage for its guests.

If you are a “food talks” person, be their guest! There are 4 high-quality restaurants in the complex. And “Chehel Sotoun” is the most enchanting of them. It’s open 12-15 and 19-23, serving both Iranian and international foods. It’s not only the joy of eating delicious food that tempts you to go there, Chehel Sotoun is a real piece of art itself. The mural paintings in both Safavid and Qajar styles, the Darius-design seats inspired by Darius’s throne from the stone configurations at Persepolis city, the artistic works on the walls, ceilings, columns, banisters, pavement, doors, glass panes, and even lanterns and ceiling suspensions multiply the beauty of the hall.

Advice

Keep in mind that the airport is about 25 far from the hotel, maybe you’ll have to pack earlier.
By the way, besides all those advantages, there are a few limitations in Hotel Abbasi: