Shanasheel Palace Hotel

The hotel used to be very good when I last stayed in 4 years ago, but, unfortunately, it has become not that good. It requires maintenance as the the bathroom doesn't close, the room's door does not open with its own key, the small fridge hardly gets cold, and most of the sockets are out of order,. The staff try their best to be helpful and friendly but fail. The breakfast is still good but not as good as it used to be. Although the location is not far away from the centre, taxi drivers don't find the location easily unless they call the hotel reception for directions; there are no signs guiding to the alley of the hotel. These days, the hotel is not good value for money as there are many other alternative cheaper and better in many respects than this hotel.

I have stayed in many hotels and guesthouses around the world, from developed countries to developing ones. However, I have never experienced such exceptional hospitality as I did at Shanashel Palace Hotel. The regular breakfast time starts at 6:30 AM, but as I needed to check out at 5:30 AM, I requested a cold breakfast package. To my surprise, they informed me that I could come for breakfast at 5:00 AM! What a pleasant surprise it was! All the warm dishes were already prepared. In addition to this, every aspect of their hospitality was outstanding. Upon my arrival, they showed me several rooms and allowed me to choose my favorite one. I am eagerly anticipating another opportunity to visit this hotel again. Mr. Abbas, the hotel manager, and his colleagues have the ability to create a unique experience for every guest.

Business is business; in hotels, they provide room and services, and customers pay for them. However, in Shanashel hotel, there is no trade. Mr. Abbas, Shanashel CEO, and his team have a humanistic view of serving their guests to delight and satisfy them. I think this point of view has more value for them than money. From the first contact, they care for guests. They texted me on the morning of the check-in date to reassure both parties about everything confirmation. That was a kind of peace of mind for me to ensure that I would have an easy check-in process. A very polite man, Mahdi, was waiting for guests to take their baggage to the hotel when we arrived. The check-in process was straightforward and fast; Esraa and Ali were supportive, kind, and polite. They could speak English fluently. Another man took our luggage to the room. When I entered the room, I found that they had considered a free upgrade for us. Instead of a standard twin room, they had given us a spacious triple suite at the same price. We were exhausted from a long trip. Some minutes later, a man rang the door; and he brought a basket of fresh fruits and told us, "Hospitality." Yes! It was great hospitality and more than our expectations. The room was comfortable. Maybe it was not very luxurious; however, we felt that we were in our home. The breakfast was great. There was a complete variety of pastries, fruits, warm foods, dairies, nuts, and a delicious natural orange juice for breakfast. The taste of the coffee was excellent. Mahdi also worked in the breakfast hall as a waiter. He was doing his job in the best way. The lobby and the restaurant were stunning and well-decorated with gorgeous windows. It was remembering that we were in a country with a great history of civilization. Although Iraq is injured and exhausted from several wars, the atmosphere in the lobby told us that Iraq, like an old princess, is still beautiful and full of passion and flirtation. Thanks for Mr. Abbas. He provided a late check-out for us until 6:00 PM. When we wanted to leave the hotel, some boxes of sliced fruits and pastries were a great souvenir and provided a calmer and better road trip. I went to Shanashel hotel as a guest, but I left there as a friend. It will be my home in Iraq, and I will never choose another hotel in Baghdad. Every hotel can make the walls of rooms with gold, but it is useless for guests. Nonetheless, only few hotels can make a difference through their culture. Shanashel is one of them.

Good hotel, quiet, with very friendly and helpful staff. The wifi is available for free, but it is not really fast. Rooms are large but poorly maintained, they need some restoration to be at their best. Good breakfast and meal variety.

The food is pretty bad by Iraqi standards. Most of the hotels I stayed at around the country had great food. The rooms are okay at best too. Decent location, nice staff. Is what it is, not the end of the world if you end up staying there.