Really charming place, located at the entrance of the old City and with the feel of 1001 nights. It has airconditioning and satellite TV. You really feel like being in Uzbekistan, unlike in the sterile and excessively expensive business hotels that you find all over in Central Asia.

There was a slight smell in the bathroom and the receptionists were a bit distanced. However, for 60 EUR a night this is definitely (incl. breakfast) a top-value proposition.

Apart from the "obligatory" lunch at the Havuz and the Dinner-Show at the Nodir Devonbegi Medrese (last one disappointing, as it was more a shopping event than the promised cultural experience) try something outside of old town, eg the Ismoel, where we had great grilled meat and you can also mix with the locals.

If you look spontaneously for a tourist guide, then ask any receptionist at one of the hotels around the Havuz, and they will quickly find you someone (price is ridicously cheap for only 5USD per hour).

This is a great little hotel in a perfect location just a few minutes walk from the very heart of Bukhara. Rooms are quaint and comfortable. Breakfast is also quite nice with the hotel offering a choice of eggs or Russian pancakes as well as a selection of cereal, cold cuts, and vegetables. The hotels WiFi does not work with Apple devices; however, there are plenty of internet cafes near by so this isn't a huge issue. Note: if you work with the owner, they can help you configure your device to work with their system; however, it probable isn't worth it as the connection is slow and this takes a bit of time.

My favorite things about the property:

- proximity to the center of the city
- nice courtyard with attractive seating areas
- friendly staff
- location in restored older building

Don't expect 4 stars but expect a very good property with local character / charm and a very motivated owner operator who seems to really care about his guests.

Showers and plumbing were very good (a big plus for this region). Rooms also had good air conditioning (another plus for hotels in this region). Only negative is that laundry is a little pricey vs. other properties in Uzbekistan but it is still very reasonable by international standards.

One piece of advice: if it is hot, leave your curtains and shutters closed. This will help keep the room from heating up while you are away during the day.

Also, like every other hotel we visited during my trip through Central Asia, expect instant coffee. If you are desperate for a better cup of coffee, pack a few packets of VIA from Starbucks.

After having stayed in a worn down hotel in Samarkand it was wonderful to enter S&S. It's overly decorated but that's actually very nice. It reminded me of Pippi Longstockings house Villa Villerkulla. Very nice athmosphere with clean and fairly big rooms, lot's of comfy seating arrangements outside in the inner courtyards. We were a big group that occupied the whole hotel and we immediately felt like a big family. The staff did not really match the environment. Reliable but not very social. The breakfast was nothing to write home about.
Highly recommended - and the location is perfect.

Sasha and Son is located steps from "Lyabi Haus" in the (former) Jewish sector of Old Bukhara. Although there are other hotels in the old part of town, there is not a hotel that is as fun to stay in as Sasha and Son.

The first thing you notice as you enter the hotel is the neighborhood. Steps from other old houses, and located down an alley that can only be reached on foot, you're transported back several centuries. The lobby is unremarkable, but the staff all speak English, Russian, and Uzbek, minimally, and are very friendly.

To get to your room, you depart through the lobby into the inner courtyard area. Pretty, shuttered windows look out on the courtyard, and comfortable tables with Uzbek pottery and plants make you feel comfortable. There are corridors that lead to other courtyards with other rooms.

There are not a lot of rooms, so the hotel doesn't feel crowded, even when it is full.

Each room is decorated in the old Uzbek style, with colorful bedspreads and wooden cut-outs and plaster molding on the walls. The ceilings are authentic old wood, and someone has spent a great deal of time painting the cut-outs on the walls in old Uzbek pottery style. There is a simple, 13-inch TV with satellite (maybe 2 or 3 English-language news stations, French, German, and Chinese, as well). There is a simple bathroom with a walk-in shower and toilet, and you are provided with a hairdryer, soap, and a sachet of two-in-one shampoo/conditioner. The towels are clean and adequate. There is an air conditioner, for which you will be very grateful during the warmer months, when it gets above 40C/100F.

Breakfast in the morning is also simple. There is a buffet with cold cuts and cheese, bread, jam, and instant coffee and tea bags. A waiter will give you the choice between two hot breakfast entrees, usually one egg-based and one sweet (pancakes or crepes). If you ask, the front desk will deliver a delicious hot pot of tea to your room for less than a dollar at any time of the day.

You will be just a block or so from the Lyabi Haus square (where you can have meals at the restaurant overlooking the pond) and plenty of tourist shopping. Walk two or three blocks more, and you'll be in the heart of the ancient city. Stay at Sasha and Son, and you're unlikely to need a vehicle at all.