The hotel is a gem. It has not been refurbished in many decades and is decaying but is full of history and is a step back to a bygone era. If you expect televisions, air conditioning and a good night's sleep, don't stay here. But if you want an unique experience that you will never forget, go.

It is very difficult to rate this hotel: it has a lot of charme and an amazing atmosphere, but it is really falling apart.

Overall, I would recommend it if you travel during the summer, but avoid it in winter because I would not trust its heating system and hot water is available randomly (generally in the morning only).

PROS
- Atmosphere: the hotel was definitely a 5-star back in the 20s-30s
- Location, overlooking the ruins
- Friendly staff

CONS
- Everything needs a serious renovation
- Hot water available only in the morning
- No Air Conditioning
- Very limited breakfast

A wonderful hotel; within minutes after arriving I regretted that I booked only one night there (to some extent this decision was also based on the many negative reviews for this hotel).

Apart from being a legend the hotel is a living museum and a place which will let you travel back in time. The hotel is full of antiques including the two old men running the place which seem to be relics of ancient times themselves.

So, you will find traces of history everywhere, you will find a very charming place but you should be aware that the hotel is neither well maintained not properly managed according to modern western hotel standards. There might be cracks in the wall, you might find out that there is only one bottle of beer left in the bar, you should not be surprised if there is no hot water, etc.

Nevertheless, everything was clean and staff was very friendly.

One thing that might your stay a perfect one is opting for one of the rooms in the extension. The hotel has some additional rooms in a renovated house next door. This place is just wonderful and it is newly-renovated. Very big rooms with old and tastefully chosen furniture and beautiful bathrooms (still, water was not really hot...), a small back yard which should be very nice to sit in summer and a salon with a balcony overlooking the ruins. We payed 120 US$ for a double which was absolutely adequate for such a nice room. But of course, the extension rooms are not part of the old Hotel Palmyra and if you want to stay in the legend itself you will have to choose the main building. I do not know how the rooms are there.

Breakfast is in the hotel itself where it is also possible to have dinner - but make sure to arrange timely with the manager that you want to dine in the restaurant - we saw that people who just passed by where rejected. The food (big choice of mezze, rice with meat and dessert) was tasty and cheap.

So, if you are looking for a very historical, romantic and charming place and if you can live with the traces of history, don't hesitate to go there.

We decided to stay at the Palmyra, despite its relative expense ($84/night), because Lonely Planet recommended it, because of its historical fame, and because it was convenient for their restaurant (which turned out to be closed for dinner, and we declined breakfast at an excessive $7 each), and bar (freezing, entirely deserted, and dark - someone turned on the light for us, but it was entirely uninviting and we fled after one beer).

On arrival the hotel lobby was a river of water as they were cleaning the floor. We had to walk through the water to check in, which was conducted by a silent and somewhat sinister-seeming man who best reminded me of 'Lurch' from the Addams Family. Going upstairs, one of us put her hand on the rope bannister, only for it to fall out of its wall holder, leading her to crash onto the marble steps, injuring herself painfully. This issue was witnessed by the silent butler who, after staring silently, plodded off into the darkness and returned, silently, with a frozen water bottle to use on the injuries. No further apology was given.

Upstairs, past a sitting area with a lovely view of the ruins, we reached our room, a fairly small, freezing twin room with a high ceiling, gas heater in the middle of the room and window with view of a wall. The beds were small, hard and uncomfortable. The gas heater didn't work (after we eventually got the hotel man to put it on - a complex task - it turned out to be broken and he eventually brought us an electric heater.) The shower in the bathroom spouted a dribble of cold water that became briefly warm in the morning only. But the worst thing was the toilet which dripped water all night long, no matter what I did to try to stop it. I spent a sleepless night, lying cold and uncomfortable and listening to the toilet drip. Not ideal. I was very relieved when it was the morning and we could escape to warmth and comfort elsewhere.