Malika Prime

Malika Prime stands where old Samarkand meets the new, at the head of University Boulevard. The Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum is about 250 m away, the Rukhobod Mausoleum 220 m and the Amir Temur statue some 200 m; the Registan is roughly a kilometre. As the hotel itself points out, that meeting point shows in the building too, which pairs a traditional Central Asian look with modern comforts.

The interiors feature the work of Uzbek woodcarvers and ceramicists. There are 22 rooms — doubles, twins and triples. A buffet breakfast is served each morning, and there is a restaurant and round-the-clock parking. Check-in is from 12:00 and check-out by 11:00. Transfers and excursions can be arranged on request. It suits travellers who want to walk to the monuments by day and head to the cafés and restaurants along the boulevard in the evening.