"I have stayed at the Istaravshan a couple of times before. The advantage of the Hotels.com platform compared with a leading competitor is that you can carry out a secure money transfer in advance. The bank that the Istaravshan uses does not interact well with foreign credit and debit cards. There was limited choice on Hotels.com when I booked, but I was able to get a free upgrade to a city view apartment (which is much nicer) when I found myself somewhere that was less nice than what I've had in the past. The main difference between standard and superior apartments is a large terrace, mainly of interest when it's hot. Otherwise the facilities (large comfortable bed, dining table, kitchen with hob and washing machine as well as microwave, quality bathroom) are similar. The breakfast at Holiday Inn is generous and convenient, and now that Tashkent City Park is finished, the setting is attractive and the metro just two minutes away. The area outside the hotel is pedestrianised, but you can order cabs to the entrance of the Holiday Inn about 150 metres away. The staff speak good English (and Russian) and are helpful if you need something. There is a daily clean, bedmaking and fresh towels, all to an impeccable level. A Korzinka supermarket across Tashkent City Park is convenient if you are self-catering, or the incredible Chorsu Bazaar, with food stalls and an entire building for traditional food, is just 20 minutes' walk away."
