Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Our first choice hotel in Samarkand is the Emir Han, close to Timur’s tomb, a 20-minute stroll from the Registan. It’s a large, rather ostentatious place by Uzbek standards, with a shiny marble-floored lobby lined by fancy mosaic tilework. The rooms come in several categories; the pricier ones boast some of the most kitsch interiors we’ve ever come across in Central Asia, complete with gilded mirror frames and velour headboards, but everything is spotless. Tucked away out the back is a small garden guests are welcome relax in, and a secluded, well maintained swimming pool.