Damascus Hotels and Accommodation: Budget

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Merjeh Square

Souq-Al-Saroujah is where you find the cluster of backpacker hotels. There are other hotels in the area, but the three below could all be recommended.

• Al-Rabie Hotel, Sharia bahsa, Souq saroujah (on an attractive side street about a 5-10 minute walk from the citadel), ☎ +963 11 231-8374 (alrabiehotel@hotmail.com). It has an attractive courtyard, and clean rooms. Breakfast is included in the price. Some of the rooms that share a bath are a bit of a hike from the bath and shower rooms. Helpful staff that can arrange tours and otherwise cater to tourist needs. No alcohol allowed on the premises. 350 SP for a shared room, 1200 SP for double with shared bath, 1600 SP for double with ensuite (as of January 2009). You can also sleep on a mattress on the partially enclosed roof in summer for 275 SP..

• Al-Haramain Hotel, Sharia bahsa, Souq saroujah (next to the Al-Rabie Hotel), ☎ +963 11 231-9489 (alharamain_hotel@yahoo.com). Some of the rooms on the upper floors lack heaters and can be very cold in the winter unless the door to the common space is left open. The courtyard is smaller than in Al-Rabie, but the staff is nice and friendly. Showers are in the basement. Helpful staff that can arrange tours and otherwise cater to tourist needs. No alcohol allowed on the premises. Be sure to get a reservation in advance. Prices are more expensive than nearby hostels - 560 SP for shared. 700 SP for a single, 1225 SP for a double, 1700 SP for a double with bathroom. Breakfast is always included in the price..

• Hotel Al-Ghazal, Sharia souq saroujah (in souq Saroujah, at the street turning out towards Jisr-Al-Thawra, the revolution bridge), ☎ +963 11 231-3736 (info@ghazalhotel.com), www.ghazalhotel.com. Also known as Ghazal Hotel, this hotel is a newcomer in the Saroujah budget hotels. It has a very attractive, typical Damascus courtyard. For breakfast, they serve the usual range of teas and coffeea and good water pipe free of charge. You can bring alcohol to drink in the courtyard if you like. Rooms and facilities are new. Several new, clean bathrooms with hot water and also a hostel portion in the same structure. Managers keep a safe on the premises for valuables. Owners are helpful and service-minded, but they speak less English than their competitors and don't arrange tours or otherwise on a regular basis (but could still probably help out if you ask). English spoken enough to arrange rooms, get/give directions and special circumstances. For foreign students of Arabic, the hotel staff is very accommodating and surprisingly insightful with the limited English they speak. If you are a light sleeper, you should avoid rooms close to the kitchen, bathrooms, and reception area. The rooms facing onto the courtyard are peaceful. 900 SP for a double with shared bathroom and 400 SP for a dorm room..

Martyr's Square or "Merjeh" in Arabic is the other place worth considering if you're on a tight budget, though many of the places double as brothels. However, at least the hotels below can be recommended. Women alone should avoid hotels at Merjeh Sqaure, because it's the red light district of Damascus.