Name: Ichan Qala Premium Class Hotel
Address: Tashkent, Uzbekistan

The Ichan Qala Premium Class boutique hotel invites guests to step into an oriental fairy tale in the heart of Tashkent, recreating the architecture of ancient Khiva. Travellers praise the manicured green grounds with intimate courtyards, two excellent pools, and characterful interiors complemented by live music at breakfast. Behind the lavish palace façade, however, lie structural drawbacks typical of low-rise villas: inconsistent water pressure on upper floors, no lifts, and occasional air-conditioning struggles in the summer heat. Still, for those seeking an authentic escape with eastern hospitality, the hotel leaves fond memories.

Key Observations

Oriental character and architecture: The hotel is designed as a complex of traditional villas with carved doors and cosy courtyards, making guests feel inside an eastern fortress.

Live music at breakfast: Traditional instrumental performances during the morning meal have become the hotel’s calling card; musicians play both national melodies and unexpected covers of popular hits.

Structural limitations: Staying in multi-level villas means frequent stair climbing, which is inconvenient for guests with heavy luggage due to the lack of lifts in most buildings.

Personalised poolside service: Guests express special gratitude to the aqua zone staff, particularly Muhammad and Nuriddin, for their genuine attentiveness and care.

Main Pros

Authentic architecture and picturesque grounds with fountains and daybeds for relaxing outdoors.
Superb pool area: a clean outdoor pool that saves you from summer heat, and a warm 25-metre indoor pool.
Delicious buffet breakfasts with plenty of fruit, dried fruit, oriental sweets, and made-to-order dishes.
A huge sports complex on site, including a professional gym and a martial arts hall.
Warm hospitality and genuine friendliness of the staff, always ready to help (Sardor, Nozimjon and Abdulmahid are particularly noted).

Main Cons

Water supply issues: guests on upper villa floors occasionally face low water pressure or temporary shutdowns at weekends.
No lifts in most villa buildings, meaning suitcases must be carried up stairs by hand.
Weak air conditioning in some rooms during peak summer months, when indoor temperatures don’t drop below 26 °C.
High cost of extra services, including laundry, airport transfer, and access for outside visitors to rooms.
Occasional mismatches between booked room categories and those allocated at check-in.

Overall Grade: B

Hotel Overview

Basic Information:

Name — Ichan Qala Premium Class Hotel
Address — Tashkent, Yakkasaray district, Tafakkur Street 68/24
Contact — Phone: +998 71 231 98 98; Email: [email protected]
Opened — 1999 (renovated in 2012)
Rooms — 54–60 rooms
Positioning and category — Premium-class boutique hotel in traditional Uzbek style

Description: The hotel is a secluded complex of five two- to three-storey villas evoking an ancient eastern fortress. Within the secure landscaped grounds are internal courtyards with shaded terraces, fountains and lounging areas. Guests have 24-hour access to the Baqqol restaurant, a seasonal outdoor pool with a bar, a heated indoor pool, a sauna and a large-scale fitness centre. Interiors feature wood carving, handmade carpets and mosaic work, recreating the atmosphere of Uzbekistan’s historic cities.

Target Audience: Tourists and couples who want to immerse themselves in local flavour and value unhurried waterside relaxation. The hotel is a good choice for family holidays with children but may not be entirely convenient for business travellers or guests with reduced mobility.

Location & Transport

Location: The hotel is tucked deep inside a quiet residential neighbourhood in the Yakkasaray district, away from noisy thoroughfares. The surroundings are calm and safe, although dense development means some rooms look straight onto blank walls of neighbouring buildings.

Key Points of Interest: Babur Park and popular restaurants and cafés are within walking distance (about 10–15 minutes). The Museum of Applied Arts of Uzbekistan is about 1.4 km away. The historic centre and main attractions are a 10–15-minute drive.

Transport: A taxi ride to the airport or railway station takes about 15–20 minutes. Most guests use the Yandex.Taxi service.

Walkability: The area is pleasant for evening strolls, and there are shops nearby. However, the nearest metro stations (Oybek or Kosmonavtlar) are a fairly long walk — about 20 minutes.

Grade: A-

Rooms & Cleanliness

Rooms stand out for their generous size and very high ceilings (up to 4–5 metres). The design features ethnic motifs, rugs and carved wood. Beds are dressed in comfortable linen, and bathrooms have spacious rain showers or jacuzzis, plus robes and slippers. That said, some guests note signs of furniture wear, a lack of bedside lamps in certain suites, and rather firm mattresses. Housekeeping is performed daily, though guests sometimes spot left-behind dishes in corridors. Soundproofing is moderate: rooms themselves are quiet, but noise from shared hallways can filter through.

Grade: B-

Service

Most guests describe the staff as warm and polite. The front desk team offers a welcoming arrival, helps with early check-in and calling taxis. Poolside attendants earn special praise for their heartfelt care. However, there are occasional reports of slow room service, inflated transfer and laundry charges, and cases where guests who booked a suite were initially given a smaller room. A friendly cat lives on the premises and has become a favourite with many visitors.

Grade: B+

Dining

Buffet breakfasts are served in the Baqqol restaurant and draw enthusiastic reviews largely thanks to live traditional music. The spread includes porridge, made-to-order omelettes, fresh pastries, oriental sweets, dried fruits and seasonal fruit. Vegetarians, though, note a limited choice of hot vegetable dishes, and the selection can feel repetitive on longer stays. The 24-hour restaurant offers Uzbek and European cuisine; guests praise the local manti, though prices are above the city average.

Grade: A-

Facilities & Amenities

The facilities are one of the hotel’s strongest suits. A large outdoor pool with clean, refreshing water is indispensable in the summer heat, though loungers can be scarce at weekends when outside visitors arrive. The impressive 25-metre indoor pool is beautifully tiled with mosaics and the water is warm. The enormous sports complex includes a modern gym and a boxing ring, all fully equipped for training. The sauna works well but takes quite a long time to heat up, so booking it in advance is recommended.

Grade: A

Important Notes

There are no lifts in the hotel buildings; guests must climb stairs themselves (staff assist with luggage at check-in).
Prices for hotel services (laundry, transfer, drinks at the pool bar) are significantly higher than average Tashkent rates.
Sometimes at weekends the outdoor pool is crowded with external visitors who are not hotel guests.
In summer, air conditioning in some older buildings may struggle to cope with extreme heat.

Practical Tips for Guests

When booking, try to request a room in a newer building (for example, Villa No. 5), where the air-conditioning and plumbing are newer and more reliable.
If you have an early departure for an excursion or flight, be sure to order a packed lunch the night before — the hotel prepares very generous, high-quality travel boxes.
For city trips and airport transfers, use the Yandex.Taxi app yourself — it will cost several times less than arranging a transfer through the front desk.
Plan your sauna visit at least 1.5–2 hours ahead and ask staff to switch it on in advance, as the room heats up slowly.

Final Verdict

Ichan Qala Premium Class Hotel offers a colourful stay in the atmosphere of a traditional Uzbek palace, with excellent pools and live music at breakfast. It’s ideal for travellers seeking exotic aesthetics, though the physical layout of the villas (no lifts) and sporadic water problems require a certain flexibility from guests.

Overall Grade: B

Best for: lovers of oriental ambience, couples, fans of good pools and slow-paced relaxation.

Not for: business travellers, guests with reduced mobility, or those expecting flawless hi-tech equipment.

Ichan Qala Premium Class Hotel

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