Bukhara has been receiving travellers for two and a half thousand years. We tried to add as little to that as possible.
The building behind our door was a merchant's home in the late nineteenth century — two courtyards, a long iwan along the eastern wall, and a brick façade that has changed colour perhaps three times in its life. By the 1990s the house had passed out of use; the family that lives in it now bought it in 1996.
Restoration took twenty years. Most of it was done slowly, room by room, with masters from Gijduvan and Khiva who still carve plaster and cut tile by hand. The hotel opened in 2017 with thirty-two rooms, two restored courtyards, and most of the original brickwork still standing where it stood in 1880.
We are not the largest hotel in Bukhara, nor the most photographed. We try to be the quietest. Guests who like a clean room, a thoughtful breakfast and a desk clerk who has the time to talk — they tend to come back.
With over 20 years of experience, Omar Khayyam Hotel has built a reputation as a reliable and comfortable place to stay for international guests. We focus on practical comfort: spacious rooms, consistent cleanliness, fast Wi-Fi, included international breakfast, and a quiet, safe environment.
Omar Khayyam Hotel is located in the very center of Bukhara, just a few minutes' walk from the city's main historical landmarks. Our guests stay right next to the iconic Po-i-Kalyan Complex — the heart of the old city, which includes the famous Kalyan Minaret, the Kalyan Mosque, and the Mir-i-Arab Madrasah. These landmarks are all within 2–5 minutes walking distance.
Within a 5–10 minute walk, guests can also reach Lyab-i Hauz — one of the most atmospheric places in the city, surrounded by traditional tea houses, restaurants, and local life. Other key sites such as the Ark Fortress and Samanid Mausoleum are also easily accessible on foot. Bukhara itself is known for its compact historic center, where most attractions are located within walking distance, making it ideal for exploring without transport.
Right around the hotel, guests will find popular restaurants and dining spots such as Zargaron Restaurant Terrace and JOY Chaikhana Lounge — both just a short walk away and well-known for their local cuisine and authentic atmosphere. This allows guests to enjoy Uzbek food without needing to travel far.
A person at the desk, twenty-four hours a day, who answers in English, Russian or Uzbek and can draw a walking map of the old city without looking at a screen.
No resort fees, no surcharges at the breakfast table, no upselling. The rate you book is the rate you pay.
Metre-thick brick walls, double-glazed windows on the street side, and a courtyard arrangement that keeps noise out of every bedroom.
Hot bread from the oven on the courtyard, eggs cooked to order, local honey and dried fruit, and tea kept hot until eleven in the morning.
Carved plaster, tiled iwan ceilings and the brickwork along the entry wall — all done by craftsmen from Bukhara, Gijduvan and Khiva, not by a contractor in Tashkent.
The family lives on the property. Decisions about the hotel are made at the breakfast table, not in a regional headquarters.
