Lotte City Hotel Tashkent Palace

Rooms and decor

Picture a cream-colored, palace-style building with stone columns and classic arches standing in Tashkent's diplomatic quarter; in the evening the lit-up facade looks like a scene from an Eastern European storybook — that's the first impression as your taxi pulls up to Lotte City Hotel Tashkent Palace. Step into the lobby and the word "Palace" makes more sense: crystal chandeliers, high ceilings, polished stone floors set against gold-and-cream velvet sofas. The 232 rooms are done in a classic style that feels stately without being stuffy — thick soft beds, clean white linens, and a pillow menu to pick from, whether you want firm, soft or memory-foam. A lot of reviews agree the sleep here is especially good. Bathrooms are marble with both a tub and a separate shower, and the small touches are all there. Big windows open onto city views, and higher rooms facing the front garden feel more open and quieter. What makes it feel worth the money is the Korean-grade attention to detail — the kettle, water refilled daily, and a room left spotless every time you head out and come back.

Food and amenities

One heart of a stay here is the breakfast buffet, the most-praised part in reviews. It goes all out: warm local Uzbek breads with salted butter, fresh salads, Korean plates like kimchi, hot soups and morning porridge, plus a full European section with made-to-order eggs, pastries from the kitchen oven, seasonal fruit, imported ham and cheese, fresh juice and barista espresso. Many call it the best hotel breakfast they've had in Tashkent. There are also two restaurants on site — one serving international food all day, the other focused on Korean cooking — and the lobby lounge is open all day for tea and snacks. For downtime there's the outdoor pool in the garden behind the building, open in summer; it isn't large but has loungers and umbrellas. The fitness center runs all day, and 24-hour room service draws praise for being quick and arriving warm. What sets it apart from other 5-star hotels in the city is the Korean-style service — polite, attentive and strong in English. Reviews repeatedly note that every department is ready to help, from arranging city tours to calling a taxi to recommending nearby restaurants.

Location and getting there

Location is another reason people pick this hotel. It sits in the heart of Mirobod, Tashkent's diplomatic and cultural quarter. About a 10-minute walk from the lobby gets you to the Alisher Navoiy Opera and Ballet Theatre, one of the city's most striking Soviet-era buildings, and nearby is the History Museum of Uzbekistan, which holds artifacts from the Silk Road. Independence Square and Romanov Palace, the former Russian royal residence, are both under 1 kilometre — an easy stroll on a nice day. Most convenient of all is Mustakillik Maydoni metro station, about 500 metres or roughly 7 minutes away; from there it's only a few stops to the old town at Chorsu Bazaar or the Khast Imam Complex, no taxi needed every time. Tashkent International Airport is about 20 to 25 minutes by car, and taxis are cheap compared with other cities. Whether you're solo or with family, it's easy — restaurants, supermarkets and cafes line the streets around the hotel.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. The thing reviews flag most is that there's no full-service spa on site, so anyone expecting the relaxing treatments other big-chain 5-star hotels offer may need to head off-site. Second is Wi-Fi and the lifts at peak times: several reviews note the internet runs slow in the evening and the lift means a wait around check-in and breakfast, since this historic building wasn't designed with as many lift shafts as newer hotels. Third, the outdoor pool opens only in summer and isn't large, so anyone visiting from late autumn into early spring may find it closed — worth checking before you book. Last is the room view: rooms facing the road behind the hotel catch some morning traffic noise, so if you're a light sleeper, ask for a higher floor on the garden side. Some reviews also mention that in-room Wi-Fi is less steady than in the lobby, so for important work you're better off down in the lobby.

Our take

After reading through plenty of real reviews, Lotte City Hotel Tashkent Palace blends the charm of a palace-style building with Korean-grade service and a central Mirobod location about as neatly as anything in Tashkent. If your trip looks like walking out of a classic palace building to catch an opera at the Alisher Navoiy, coming back for an evening dip, then waking up to a full international breakfast, this place delivers at a price many call surprisingly good value against other chain 5-star hotels in the city. But if a full-service spa and fast, steady internet are make-or-break, you may want to compare it with the city's newer rivals. Overall we give it 9.2/10 — best for couples, solo travelers who want central convenience, and business travelers after Asian-grade service inside one of Tashkent's historic buildings.