Baku Travel Forum

Hello all! I'm Finn and I have met an Azeri girl through the Internet and I plan my trip to Azerbaijan, Baku in May to take a closer look at her and her relatives, cos i intend to marry her. Please, let the know all about this country, their traditions, habits, culture and also how do I have to conduct myself there to please her and her relatives. Taking in account, that I plan to stay there nearly 20-25 days, please, advice me any cheap lodging (hotel/daily apartment). Thanks for any info!

Wow, you're in for some serious shocks.

Definitely read Ali and Nino by Qurban Said. It's very illustrative of cultural differences between Azerbaijan and its (even close) neighbours.

As for a cheap place to stay, you're out of luck. Most of the previously dirt-cheap hotels have been renovated and are now starting at 50US per night, even for basic rooms. There's one place called the Hotel Velotrek that has 15 Manat (20US) single rooms but it's a ***hole in my opinion and in one of the ugliest areas of baku (mind you a lot of it is under construction now which should be finished by may). I've also heard of a place that has 10 Manat rooms with shared bathrooms (Hotel Araz) but it's hard to get there and back. You can't really get an apartment if you're staying for such a short period of time.

If you have more specific questions I can probably help you out, but as it stands one could write tomes in attempt at responding to your request.

I'm agree with Ozfromoz tip. Velotrec is ugly, but Araz is uglier :((
I would say that they are one star motels with uncomfortable location (far from the city centre).By the way, nowadays the room in Araz is not 10 AZN, but 20 AZN (24$) per night/per person (prise increasing from 2007 year). If you stay with your Azeri girl-friend, you’ll pay 40 AZN (48$) per night for it. So, the best way is to rent daily one room apartment in the centre of Baku, it will cost you 30-35$ (max) per night, not per person. You can apply either to Travelazerbaijan or to BakuRealEstate agency, choose that agency, which will offer you the best price. I was very satisfied both: with their services and prices. Also, to share a house with her will help you to find out if there is any compatibility with your girl-friend. Moreover, if you intend to marry her, you will find out how she manages with routine functions.

Now about tradition. If you will be invited to your girl-friend’s place, the first thing you have to do is to put off your footwear. By this action, you 100% will win your girl-friend’s mom :)). Also make your stomach be ready to take rich food. If you officially ask your girl-friend’s hand in marriage, the parents will bring you a cup of tea. If it with sugar, so they are agree to accept your offer. If it is without sugar, so you have to find smb else.
Might be, the next time you will be lucky.

The Canub is the cheapest central hotel, about $12 a night but its a scarry place. Velotrek is a bit out of the centre, but bang on the metro so you'll be in the centre in 10 minutes. The neighbourhood around the velotrek is just an ordinary soviet-style apartment block area. Nothing too bad. The Velotrek itself is very new, rooms are clean and perfectly allright for the price allthough the bathroom taps etc are a bit messy. It's not an inspiring hotel, but a whole lot better than the Canub.

First of all, I would advise u to be urself. Otherwise, yeah...now u both could hide all contadictions and difference but what will be later, do u think about that? Most of the families in Baku are more less aware that there is completely different menthality and cultural backgrounds attributed to foreigners. But % of elder people are not so high (u must remember that they have lived in completely different epocha). Regarding place for stay...yeah, that is difficult. But "Yuzhnaya" or "Chanub" mehmanhanasi is optimum by location and price (if it is opened after chronic reconstruction). In case u have further question, u can send me email too.

the canub has in fact re-opened after the renovations, and prices are no longer low.

when i went there (a few weeks ago) the cheapest room was 40 manat. after some negotiations in turkish i was eventually offered one for 30 dollars. much cheaper but wasn't cheap enough for me.

as i've mentioned elswhere on this site, there are presently whispers of a youth hostel being set up within the old city walls. this may in fact be running by the time you get here. not sure yet, obviously, but this could be your best option for accom - although i'm not sure how happy they'll be if you bring a girl back.

this is the first i've heared of getting a flat by the day. if it's true that you can do that, that may be your best option. generally nobody will give you a place unless you agree to a fairly decent period (at least 3 months). even then, prices are inflated because of the BP rats, and landlords cause problems (see my tip).

send me a an email in a week or so and i'll let you know what's happened with this hostel

I leave for Baku in a week's time and I have place to stay at the moment. If anyone knows of this hostel being open I would be obliged to know of it. Other than that where is a place central city that offers a clean room in the range of $30-50?

The hostel has opened, and is called Thousand Camels Hostel Baku. Details and online booking can be made on the website http://1000camels.co.nr or through hostelbookers.com

Thousand Camels has dorm-style beds though, not rooms. If you want a single room in that price range, your choices I think would be the Canub, the Araz and the Velotrek (I've written about all three a number of times on VT). Velotrek and Araz are cheaper but poorly located (particularly Araz). Most travellers to baku on VT would have stayed at at least one of these three so there's plenty of experiences for you to read about if you poke around a bit on the forum and member advice.

Also for the sake of fairness I should declare that I've got a vested interest in the hostel, as I am a minor shareholder in the business. I will however continue to be impartial in any tips (including accom tips) I give here.

Thank you very much that's just the sort of thing we're looking for! I had to laugh at the reference to sunflower seeds- they're a real look into the culture here in Israel.

Hi! I've been in many countries former USSA (Georgia, Ukraine etc.).
Accordingly Azerbaijan, i can tell you the following:
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/per person. So, i decided that to rent an apartment would be more comfortable and cheaper. I contacted with an agent from TRAVELAZERBAIJAN 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...)

What about 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.

If you intend to stay with a girlfriend, do not think much, rent an apartment.
It would be cheaper, much comfortable than "1001 camel" (before our arrival to Baku, we contacted hostel “1001 camels” and we were offered 3 beds by 40$ per night/per person without breakfast and with shared bathroom and kitchen. Taking into account, that there were 3 of us, it made 120$ per night :((. We found out that the price in that so-called “hostel” is the same as at any local 3 stars hotel. We have been in a lot of different hostels around the world, but we never paid much than 10-15$ per night/per person. Might be, we would pay 120$ per night if there was W.C. pan made of gold :)), Canub, Araz (all about this hotal no my travel page) etc...

That's an outright lie.

Firstly, it's called 1000 camels, not 1001. Secondly it's 20 bucks a night and breakfast is included. Look at the website, or email them baku1000camels@yahoo.com. Thirdly, you didn't call, because they don't give out their phone number - the only contact is by email and through the website.

I don't know how many fake usernames your real estate agency has signed up for, but you should be kicked off this forum. Giving fake information to sabotage competitors is just not cool dude.

Hi everybody!Thanks a lot for your attention, paid to my question. I'm already in Baku and i made use of all advices. What i have to say. I was very glad to hear that the hostel was opened in Baku. So, i decided to stay first day at 1000 camels hostel to have enough time to find daily apartment for me and my girl-friend, because I wanted to have my intimacy. Sending an e-mail with reservation request to 1000 camels hostel, i am still waiting for their reply :)) So, I was lucky to have day flight. Arriving to Baku, i together with my girl-friend had made arrangements with several local real estate agencies and were shown different types of apartments for free, choosing that one, which my girl-friend liked much (do not want to tell the name of an agency and prices in order not to be suspected of commercial interests). By the way, getting the apartment’s key, I am not once disturbed by my landlord. And the main thing – I am very happy, because I like my new azeri girlfriend very much.

Hey. I wrote, that I contacted, not called!!! By the way, several censorious remarks: Official hostel has exact phone number and address, also contact person, it has e-mail address (not on free domain as Yahoo) and of course a building with different types of rooms: private and shared etc. Apartment with several two-storied beds, shared kitchen and bathroom in the city centre given for rent to tourists by 20$ starting price - can not be called “hostel”. OZFROMOZ himself gives the impression of 1000 camels hostel’s agent. As far as I understand, he lives in Baku and does nothing but finding out everything about hotels and real estate in Baku. I have noticed that he (might be, as other real estate agents) writes negative information about local hotels and highly recommending services of 1000 camels hostel in every detail everywhere and bluntly responding to anybody, who to speaks negative about this hostel.

Look, I just spent five day at the 1000 Camel Hostel and what I can tell you is that it is a small clean and safe place to stay. Oz is a good man and he's providing a cheap alternative to the very expensive Baku market. Stop slagging him off and get a new hobby.