Azerbaijan Baku in summer, cheap apartment rental

[Krot]

I have been in Azerbaijan last summer and i really liked this country...

First i visited Shaki, it was founded near 2600 years ago. There were a lot of huge barrows and necrologies, ancient fortresses and settlements, towers and mosques, old beautiful Albanian churches, tomb of the famous Haji Murat.

I stopped at Karvan Saray...it is hotel with restaurant, build as old Muslim Palace...the price is from 14$ for person (if you are not alone and take the room with smb else they make discounts)...you have to taste PAKHLAVA - very delicious!!!

Also i visited Lahij...It is an old city - the land of craftspeople with ancient history, considerable culture and natural amenities. It is surrounded with Great Caucasus mountains from four sides...There are many waterfalls, old mosques, bridges, paved streets, bath-houses built in 18 century...You will meet a lot of tinkers, carpetmakers, sock weavers, chasers etc...

Some days later after my vacation in Baku, i went to Nabran. It is a district between a big beautiful forest with rich flora and fauna and Caspian Seaside. I lived in 'Sport Line' camp (rest in which was offered and organized by Travelazerbaijan company), in the big tent (two rooms) and had triple feed (breakfast, dinner, supper) from natural foodstuffs. There were: a football field, a disco-bar, a cafe, a canteen, a shower cubicles with cold/hot water round the clock. In the afternoon i was swimming in the sea and was taking sunbath, in the evening i was walking in the forest, enjoying fresh air, at night i was dancing with all campers in discotheque, playing different sport games.

The main reason to go to Azerbaijan is a capital - Baku.

Baku is very beautiful and ancient city with a lot of architectural buildings, museums, monuments and shops etc...Also a lot of different restaurants. I liked Avtoretroclub restaurant most of all.Design of this restaurant is so uncommon: they separated restaurant to some different parts (Russian cottages - izba, Muslim cottages, big public banquet room with wood furniture, beautiful garden with waterfall and lake, also many rarities and ancient motorcycles and cars in the garden, living music ).There are European, Muslim, Russian dishes and also you can smoke hookah...Prices are very low...I had many different dishes and drinks and paid 10$ for everything...The director of this restaurant is very intellectual sportive ( little English, fluent Azeri and Russian speaking man), his name is Elshan...He likes travelers and makes them big discount.

What about accommodation. If you want to find any hostel in Azerbaijan, don't be bothered, cos there are no any hostel in Azerbaijan. The most part of population of Azerbaijan even doesn't have a notion of HOSTEL .Good hotels in the centre are very expensive. So i decided to find any cheap hotel in different travel forums. On Travelblog and Lonelyplanet forum i have found some hotels, but i did not like them as other travelers did.

For example, hotel ARAZ, indisputably, it was chip (20-50$ per night), but it was far from the centre of the city, it was very dirty, with terrible black-beetles everywhere, without bathroom and kitchen (i thought that if i would stay there i had to spend my money for traffic to reach the centre, for feed to eat at the restaurant/cafe/snack/ and for laundry to wash me and my clothiers )...Or hotel CANUB, the same bad conditions, but more expensive than ARAZ, cos it is in the centre - 35-80$ per night.

So, i decided that to rent an apartment would be more comfortable and cheaper. I contacted with an agent from TRAVELAZERBAIJAN.land.ru company (they were also advised on travel forums)and they offered me to preview any apartment for free. I chose the apartment in the centre with all conditions by 30$ per day. I liked it very much - it was really in the centre in 5 min walking from Fountain Square(i had not spent my money for traffic), had lavatory (i was able to take my bath and to wash my clothes there), kitchen with all plates and dishes (i was able to cook) and lovely room with furniture, phone, TV and clean linen and towels.

So, i found out that personal accommodation is the best alternative to any hotel (of course, if you will stay in any country more than 2-3 days...): 1 reason- BUDGET!!! To rent the apartment is cheaper than to book a room in the hotel...2 reason- COMFORT!!! If you rent the apartment you will have an opportunity to have your own house holding: a room, a bathroom and a kitchen, which you will not have in any cheap hotel...All these also save your budget...3 reason- PERSONALITY!!! Also if you rent the apartment, you will get your own temporary accommodation and can do there all you want (to invite smb, to come back home at any time you want etc...)