Quality of Accommodation in Iran Hostels
We’ve talked about how we prefer Iran hostels to any other place of accommodation in the country many times. Now, it’s time for us to expand on that. Hostels in Iran are truly some of the most worthwhile, affordable, and friendly hostels around the world. After all, the hospitality of the people of Iran is famous throughout the world, so you can imagine how that can make pretty good hosts out of us. Now, for those who have stayed at hostels in some other countries, the option might have become out-ruled, which is why in this blog post, we aim to truly convince you that throughout your journey in Iran, hostels are the best choice for your accommodation.
What You Should Expect
There are some base standards that every hostel in Iran should apply to. Since we as a people are culturally, religiously, and environmentally raised to be very accommodating and respectful to anyone who is considered a guest, we tend to go above and beyond. Additionally, we completely understand our country’s potential for tourism and realize the certain expectations and standards that we must comply with. Anyone who comes to Iran knows about the historical, cultural, and natural significance of this country and the amount of time that is required to fully explore it. A good place of accommodation can positively reinforce that, as it is a respite from the sometimes inevitable stress and exhaustion of traveling.
Though hostels in most countries don’t usually conjure up clean and nice images in other countries and are often not well attended to, most hostels in Iran can even compete with hotels in terms of their services, equipment, and quality of accommodation. So, you can remove the image of a messy and unclean dormitory room with far too many people in it from your mind; Instead, here’s what you can expect to get for your money:
The Building
A lot of hostels that you will come across in Iran are set in personal houses belonging to the Qajar or early Pahlavi eras. In these buildings, you can truly appreciate the effort and skill that has been put into their renovation and upkeep. Even more impressive is equipping these traditional houses with modern appliances, all the while maintaining their sense of antiquity and their original charm. Proper upkeep is also certainly not easy, both from a financial aspect and the level of energy that it takes, however, Iran hostels are run by people who are dedicated to providing comfort for all guests.
In fact, the very thing that tends to make people commit to the business of running a hostel in Iran is the building. Since there isn’t a small number of old Qajar houses in Iran, people who plan on starting a hostel aren’t short on options: What tends to stick out when making the final decision is the thing that also tends to be the deciding factor for tourists and travelers when choosing their place of accommodation: Forming a personal connection with a specific place.
The Upkeep
Another important thing about Iran hostels is the attention and effort that is put into keeping them clean. Admittedly, one of the things that really helps in those regards is the fact that Iranian people don’t wear shoes inside any given house, and most hostels in the country have the same code. But aside from that, you will have nothing to worry about as far as your linen goes. If you’re in a dormitory, you can rest assured that the communal bathrooms are cleaned on a regular basis and that the highly trafficked room that you and other people are occupying is attended to by a hardworking housekeeper.
The Equipment
From the mattresses to the air conditioner units, from the bedframes to the kitchen, the personal power outlets and lockers, the lighting… The list goes on and on, there are just a lot of things that owners should equip their hostels with, and in Iran hostels, you can certainly trust the amount of consideration that has been put into every little appliance’s quality and appearance. While Iran is certainly not a cheap country for Iranians, the importance of providing a good night’s sleep and quality services outweighs some of the price deliberations that one might have.
Now of course, you shouldn’t expect a mini-bar or a TV in your own room; You’re in a hostel and not a hotel. But you can be sure that you will find everything you need, even if it’s communal. If you don’t, never hesitate to ask the staff: You may just not know where to look for it, or it may even be provided only on demand! The point is, you’re not going to find yourself desperately in need of something that you cannot have access to.
The Service
Hostels in Iran aren’t just a place to sleep; you’re provided many options to enhance your time in the city you’re visiting: Whether it’s different tours (free walking tours are an increasingly common service provided by Iran hostels), taxi services, recommendations and guides for different attractions, restaurants, or cafés in the city, and even helping with booking hostels in other cities, bus, plane, or train tickets, getting a SIM Card or a debit card, car rental, everything! Do you need advice about where to get handicrafts and souvenirs? You’ve got it! You always know that the staff are there to help you with whatever you need, and are looking out for you!
And then, there are the services that can make for a better accommodation: Whether it’s laundry service, room service, kitchen appliances for the nights that you want to cook for yourself and your companions, luggage room, accessible and relaxing shared spaces, fast and free Wi-Fi, or free breakfast. The breakfast itself requires a more specific description, but all in all, a good hostel is always a nice respite, where you can take a moment to relax, and do the things you weren’t able to do on the road or on the airplane.
Breakfast in Iran Hostels
The Iranian breakfast consists of cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, butter and jam (carrot jam, sour cherry jam, etc.), and Lavash bread (a very thin, leavened flatbread). A popular item on the breakfast menu for Iranians is the tomato omelet, usually spiced with black pepper and made aromatic with chopped bell peppers. The Nimroo is a way of making fried eggs and can be similar to both sunny-side-up eggs and scrambled eggs. And there’s always the simple yet delicious hard-boiled egg. In any case, the original Iranian breakfast is great not only because it’s delicious, but because it can be completely vegan-friendly. You can also expect complimentary tea with your breakfast!
Value for Money
Now that everything has been said, you probably have a better idea of what you’re going to get if you choose to stay in a hostel in Iran. One matter remains, and that is the amount of money that you have to pay. While Iran’s economy is down the gutter and its people are increasingly struggling to make ends meet, it’s essentially a haven for tourists, as the currency rates are unbelievably imbalanced. What we’re trying to say is, finding expensive accommodation in Iran is much more difficult than finding cheap accommodation. It’s also worth opening a parenthesis here to talk about people inviting you to stay over at their house.
“Taarof”
This is something that only adds to Iranians’ reputation in hospitality, but to be fair, it’s kind of damaging to the tourism industry. It basically means that the people who have invested a lot of time and money in creating places of accommodation and maintaining them get nothing back because of something we call “Taarof”, a concept in Iranian culture that means you make certain offers out of politeness or intimacy, and both sides are in the understanding that this offer is not going to be accepted. This means that in many cases, when someone invites you to spend a night in their house, they aren’t actually completely comfortable with it.
When you’re invited to someone’s house, another weight is added to them which is providing you with food and everything you need. Again, you’d be depriving small businesses of an income that they depend on, and adding the expenses of one other person to a household that is bound to be financially constrained already. It’s understandable that this is a very nice gesture, and a very applicable one for people traveling with extremely limited budgets, but at the end of the day, it’s not the fairest way of going about your accommodation.
With that being said, let’s get to the matter of pricing in Iran hostels. Now this depends on the city you’re staying at; Tehran hostels are the most expensive in the country, while other major cities are usually in the same range, and smaller cities usually don’t have ‘hostels’ and if they do, it’s probably less expensive. In general, you can expect to get a dormitory bed in the range of 5-15 Euros per night, and a private room starting at 12 Euros, all the way up to 70 and more.
Iran Hostels’ Dormitories
We’ve thoroughly talked about dormitories in Iran hostels in our other blog, so we encourage you to go ahead and read that one for a full understanding. Suffice it to say that since dorms are kind of the most frequented option among tourists, they are usually very well attended to.
Hostels vs. Hotels
If you stay in an Iran hostel, you’re basically getting everything you would (and even more) in a hotel, at a considerably lower price. Is a room with its own mini-bar and TV really worth missing out on the joyous and sociable environment, plus the cheap price and quality services of a hostel?
You can also read our blogs about hostels in different cities of the country, and our student hostel blog!
