Sarv Hostel
Centrally located, affordable prices, impeccable services, friendly atmosphere. What more could you want? Read on to find out why you should come to Sarv Hostel!
Also make sure to take a look at our other Isfahan blogs!
- Isfahan walking tour
- Isfahan hidden attractions
- Beauties of Isfahan
- People of Isfahan
- Isfahan hostels
- Isfahan hotels
Our Story:
After a successful start at our first branch, Mahbibi Hostel, we decided that there was still potential and need in our city for good hostels, so we renovated a house just about 200 meters from Mahbibi and turned it into Sarv Hostel. As opposed to our first branch’s traditional style, we wanted a more modern feel for Sarv. The result is a beautiful mansion, fully equipped with whatever you may need, a great café, and a large and marvelous garden.
The house where Sarv stands today was once the personal home of a powerful family in Isfahan. Built by a German Architect back in 1980, the original plot of land was so that the owners had to cut down a 170-year-old Cypress tree in order to build their home. So, what did they do? They bought the adjoining plot of land in order to preserve the Cypress. Today, the same tree stands in our garden, with two younger Cypress trees.
In Farsi, Sarv means Cypress. It’s also a symbol of freedom and liberty in Persian literature, so we felt it was quite a fitting name for our hostel. In order to live up to this name -and to the efforts of the owners- we try to be as eco-friendly as possible, and encourage our guests to do the same.
What Makes Sarv Hostel Different:
Here at Sarv, we make it our duty to make sure you have an enjoyable stay, and are able to make the most of your trip. While there are no short number of hostels in Isfahan, we pride ourselves as being one of the best. Here are a few things that make us different from our competitors:
The building of Sarv Hostel is perhaps the most unique part there is. Built as a personal house, and having undergone some renovations, this structure has an undeniable charm to it, that tends to quickly make our guests feel at home. A comment we get quite often is: Sarv is unlike any other hostel.
The second distinguishing factor in our hostel is something that can be especially valuable for those traveling with campers and RVs: A large parking space right in our garden, with a door that is about 2.6 meters tall. Our parking space can fit about 11 personal cars or 5 campers, with a pretty much unlimited number of bikes. We know it’s not the easiest to find places of accommodation in Iran that will allow their guests to stay in their cars, but we’re here to make sure you won’t need to worry about anything but enjoying your trip. You can read more in our exclusive to campers blog!
Ultimately, it’s the people who make a place leave any kind of impression, not the facilities or structure. All of us working at Sarv try our very bests to help out our guests with whatever they might need, and make sure of their comfort. We would also love to have a chat with you, talk with you about our culture and have you talk about yours, and just get to know you!
Sarv Hostel’s Location:
Sarv is located at the very center of Isfahan, on the northern side of the Zayandehrud River. There’s a nice, straightforward shortcut to Naghshe Jahan Square that makes us about 15 minutes on foot away from this must-see attraction in the city. Chehel Sotoun Palace and Chaharbagh Abbasi Street are just around the corner from the square, so you can easily dedicate one of your days in Isfahan to visiting these sites.
After that, you need to see the river and its bridges, don’t you? Walk twenty minutes through the beautiful Chaharbagh Khaju Street in order to reach the majestic Khaju Bridge, and from there, it’s another ten minutes to Si-o-Se Pol. Keep walking alongside the river, enjoy the fresh air, and maybe get yourself something to eat. Now, you’re not so far away from Jolfa! One of the best spots in town for spending your evening, the Armenian Quarters is about 15 minutes’ driving distance from Sarv Hostel.
Sarv Hostel’s Rooms:
We offer private rooms and dormitory beds suitable for all budgets at Sarv Hostel. There’s a large 12-bed mixed dormitory on the ground floor, and an 8-bed female dormitory on the second floor. Getting a bed in either of our dorms gives you a personal locker, a privacy curtain, a reading light, and a power outlet. The shared bathrooms (exclusive to each dormitory) are located next to you and are cleaned regularly to make sure you’re completely comfortable. Ideal for backpackers and those traveling on a budget, our dorms are also perfect if you like socializing with people from all around the world.
If you prefer more privacy, we also have 12 rooms, some of which have their own private bathrooms, and others that share a bathroom with another room. There are 3 VIP rooms in the hostel (two triple rooms and one quad room) that all have beautiful views of our large garden through sliding windows- and a balcony in our quad room where you can spend a relaxing afternoon. Standard rooms are offered as double/twin, but there’s always the option of adding an extra mattress if you want to save some money.
Sarv Hostel is completely pet-friendly. In fact, we love having guests who travel with their pets! Although you can bring your little friends into all of our rooms, we have a designated pet room in one of our double ensuite rooms, where you can make sure your animal companion has a comfortable stay.
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Sarv Hostel’s Services:
The first thing that you can expect when you come to Sarv Hostel is a delicious breakfast. The best thing is, it’s included in your stay as well as complimentary tea. Come down to the café from 8:00 to 10:00 AM, order some coffee if tea doesn’t do it for you, and either take your breakfast to the garden or sit inside and enjoy your meal with the other guests. Now, you’re ready for the rest of your day!
Tours in Sarv Hostel:
We offer free (tip-based) walking tours on a daily basis here at the hostel, leaving after breakfast and heading to the main square or the Armenian Quarters. Our experienced and friendly tour guides who are fluent in English and other languages will explain to you the history of the city and its architectural/artistic sites, and can even guide you through buying souvenirs and handicrafts. Since we inform all our guests about the tour each night, our walking tours also give you a chance to get to know other tourists. The more the merrier, right?
There are plenty of detours you can take on most routes from other cities to Isfahan and vice-versa. We can arrange tours for you so that you will be sure to have made the most out of your trip. The desert tour on the route from Isfahan to Yazd is one that we can especially recommend, as you will get to visit historical villages, temples, and mosques along the way, as well as spend a night in the desert! Here in Sarv Hostel, we can also help you book inner and outer city taxis, airport pick-up services, bus, train, and airplane tickets, and so much more!
Other Services:
With all the difficulties of internet access in Iran, you can use free wifi throughout our hostel. If you need help finding a VPN that works, or if you’re having difficulties with your Iranian SIM card, don’t hesitate to talk to us, since we have all had to face these issues before.
We also offer laundry service, CCTV cameras for emergency cases, luggage storage, parking space, and a communal kitchen and fridge, which you can read all about in the next few paragraphs.
Shared Spaces in Sarv Hostel:
You can use the common areas in Sarv Hostel until 11:00 PM (which is lights-out time) to get to know other guests, rest a bit, play some games, or cook some food for yourself. The hostel has three lobbies, one of which has a big dining table where you can sit down and enjoy a meal or just talk, the second of which has a couple of comfortable sofas and a chess board, and the last which is our designated workspace, where you can study or work on your projects away from any disturbance.
The Kitchen
We have a fully equipped kitchen here in Sarv, where you can gather around and cook in groups. We’d love to know what your local dishes are, and we can even teach you how to make some Iranian foods! With two stoves, an electric oven, a communal fridge, all kinds of spices, and no short amount of pots, pans, dishes, and cutlery in your reach, you won’t have to worry about anything! Just get all the ingredients you need from the grocery store and fruit and vegetable shop right around the corner, and enjoy a delicious meal!
The Garden
Whenever you need a rest from the hustle and bustle of the city, or the inevitable stress of traveling, Sarv Hostel’s large garden is THE place for some recovery. You can sit -or even lie down- on the wooden benches surrounding the courtyard, or cozy up in the hammock. With the shade of our Cypress trees over you, the distant sounds of the city, and the chirping of the birds, you can just close your eyes and drift off for a little bit. It’s also worth noting that while smoking is prohibited in all indoor areas of the hostel, you can use the garden and courtyard instead. Just make sure you use the ashtrays 🙂
Sarv Café:
Sarv Hostel has its own café, offering its services from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM. From the moment we open our doors for breakfast, you can get a menu from the barista, and order yourself coffee (warm and iced), milkshakes, cold drinks, brewed teas, cakes, and some snacks and food. Even though things are changing for the better, we know that it’s still difficult for vegans/vegetarians to find places to eat in Iran, so in Sarv Café, we offer plenty of vegan/vegetarian-friendly dishes!
Whatever you order from the café will be added to your room, and you can pay for them when you check out. You can also bring along your friends who are not staying in the hostel, or even order breakfast items from the menu (which won’t be free of charge, since they are separate from the hostel’s breakfast service).
Do check out our social media pages to keep up with the latest of Sarv!
You can also read about our favorite hostels in different cities of Iran!
