How to book a hotel in Syria

❌ Why Booking.com, Hostelworld and other platforms don’t work

Websites like Booking.com, Hostelworld, Agoda, Expedia, and most major booking platforms do not support reservations in Syria due to international sanctions and payment limitations.

It’s not a glitch, they legally and technically cannot offer services there.

This means travellers book accommodation directly, using local Syrian platforms. Using a VPN won’t change anything, I tried. Even with different locations and IPs, global booking platforms still block Syria entirely. The restriction is on their side, not on the user’s side, so no workaround helps.

✅ Best method: booking through local Syrian websites

The most reliable option is to use local booking sites that operate normally inside Syria.

Recommended website: HalaSyria

🌐 https://www.halasyria.com/

I personally used this website. The reservation was confirmed quickly, and everything was respected at the hotel.

At check‑in you usually only need your passport. Hotels don’t ask for anything complicated — they just register your stay in their system. It takes 1–2 minutes.

Price difference

I paid 40 USD, but when I arrived, I noticed the price at reception was 35 USD. Most likely the extra 5 USD is a booking fee, which is completely normal.

Even so, I highly recommend having a reservation, it makes the border process smoother and looks more official.

❔What if you arrive in Damascus without a hotel booked?

Don’t worry — Damascus is full of hotels, especially in the central area. If you don’t have anything reserved, just head to this part of the city and you’ll be completely fine. Google Earth link of the spot.

Here. There are many hotels next to each other — honestly, if you turn around once, you’ll probably spot five or six immediately. You can easily tell from the signs whether a place is more budget‑friendly or more upscale.

Prices can start from around 20 USD per night, so it’s very possible to find something affordable on the spot.

The area also has currency exchange office, ATMs, cafés, shops, taxis, and everything you might need. It’s a very central and convenient location, so even without a booking you won’t be stuck.

There are also many hotels around the Umayyad Mosque (the Great Mosque of Damascus), hidden in those narrow, atmospheric streets. It’s a great area to walk around — you’ll spot plenty of places just by wandering a bit. The hotels are close to each other, easy to compare, and you can quickly see from the signs whether they’re budget or more upscale.

If you arrive late in the evening, just keep in mind that many streets in Damascus are not well‑lit at night. It can feel very dark, but it doesn’t mean the area is unsafe — it’s simply how the city works. Hotels in the central area are still open, and staff are usually available, but it’s better to know in advance that the streets themselves may look very quiet after dark.

Staying near the Umayyad Mosque or in the Old City area is ideal — everything is walkable, safe, and full of cafés, shops, and taxis.

🗺️ Using Maps.me (free app) to find hotels

If you arrive without a reservation, Maps.me (free app) is super helpful. All the hotels in Damascus are marked there with their names, so you can easily check what’s around you.

You can also try googling the hotel names and contacting them via WhatsApp — I tried a few this way, but the replies I got were around 100 USD per night, which was way too expensive for me. That’s why I ended up using the website I mentioned earlier, and it worked perfectly.

My hotel: Shahryar Hotel Damascus

I stayed at Shahryar Hotel Damascus, (right here on mapps me) (approx here on google map) in the heart of the old city. It’s truly beautiful — almost like a small palace, with that magical Damascus atmosphere everywhere around.

The man at the reception was incredibly kind and helpful (I didn’t ask for his name, unfortunately), but he made my stay even better with how warm and welcoming he was.

Sending warm greetings to the whole team there. 🙂