Hotel Mandaloun – Aleppo Syria

It is no secret that Lindsay and I love the city of Aleppo Syria. In fact, throughout all of our travels we both still consider this our favorite. One of the reasons we loved this place so much is because of the beautiful guesthouse we stayed in. It is called The Mandaloun Hotel and is located in the ancient “Christian Quarter” of the city. This district is characterized by old narrow stone alleyways, beautiful mansions with wood shutters, etc. The Mandaloun Hotel has a very unassuming entrance with one simple stone archway and a heavy wooden door. However, when we stepped inside we couldn’t believe our eyes. It was small building but the interior had one very large atrium with a fountain in the middle. The rooms were organized on 3-4 floors and all faced the atrium. Aleppo was our first stop in Syria and we were both a little nervous for how we would be treated as Americans in Syria. However, the staff welcomed us with bright smiles and a friendly “hello” and were extremely helpful during our stay in Aleppo. As we made our way up the old stone stairway to our room we were both so excited to see what it looked like. We were not disappointed as our room was made entirely of old stone, had antique furniture and wooden window shades. It truly felt like we were staying in one of the old great mansions of the Middle East. The next morning we woke up and went down to an old cave looking room for breakfast…it was very cool. As we walked through the atrium that first morning we noticed that there were two turtles roaming freely around the fountain and atrium grounds. They were very cute and added to the charm of this beautiful guesthouse. Although the building, room and staff were wonderful it was probably the location of Mandaloun that was the best. You stepped outside and you were literally right in an old alleyway of the Christian Quarter of Alepppo. It was the perfect spot for exploring one of the most beautiful and unique cities in the world. As I write this I am well aware that it sounds like a review on TripAdvisor. However, sometimes the places you stay when traveling dictate how you perceive and experience a particular place and the Hotel Mandaloun in Aleppo is one we will never forget.