Lonely Planet Review

In an elegant, restored Jewish palace down a dusty alley in the crumbling Al-Jdeida quarter of Damascus' Old City, Talisman offers up a true One Thousand and One Nights experience. Curled up on a sofa in the richly decorated sitting room, you could be forgiven for thinking you're Sheherazade.

This gem is so unassuming from the outside - it's only identifiable by the hanging 'hand of Fatima' - that unless you arrange for hotel staff to meet you, your taxi driver will probably be driven to exasperation before he finds it. Once behind the heavy wooden door you'll find a splendid hotel and tranquil retreat. Rooms are set around two courtyards, one featuring an elegant liwan (summer room) and a disconcertingly pond-like swimming pool, stunningly lit at night by Oriental lanterns. The second courtyard is smaller and more serene, with potted fruit trees. The spacious rooms are individually decorated with mother-of-pearl inlaid furniture, coloured glass chandeliers, and Oriental carpets, along with mod cons like flat screen TVs and DVD players. While the service could use some fine-tuning, it's an unforgettable address in the Old City. Unless you're a taxi driver, that is.