Fleewinter

The four-star, seven-storey Dashoguz Hotel is located in the southern part of the city. Built from white marble in typical Turkmen fashion, the hotel is light and spacious with ornate gold accents on the fittings and fixtures.

The 187 guest rooms are decorated in calming cream and coffee tones. All have en-suite bathrooms and comfy soft beds, air-conditioning, a TV, fridge and hairdryer.

The hotel has great facilities, including an indoor swimming pool, sauna, fitness centre, billiard room and gift shop. Meals are served in the large restaurant, and the menu offers both Turkmen cuisine and dishes from Eastern Europe. There’s also a bar that is open until midnight if you fancy ending the day with a glass of vodka, Turkmenistan’s favourite tipple.

The hotel is in a lovely part of Dashoguz on the south side of the city near the stadium. The surrounding alleys are full of trees and flowers, well worth a morning stroll. While there’s not much to see in Dashoguz itself, this is a handy stop en route to or from the Darvaza Gas Crater and the impressive architecture of Kunya-Urgench, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.