Hotels in Yemen

Hotels in Yemen: your guide to where to stay

How much does a hotel in Yemen cost?

The price depends on the standard, the city and the dates. The table shows indicative nightly rates for a double room. The choice of properties is limited, and prices can vary because of swings in the rial exchange rate. Booking ahead usually brings better rates.

Indicative rates, updated periodically. For exact prices and availability, select your dates in the search above.

Where to stay in Yemen: main cities

The choice of stays is concentrated in the capital and a few larger centres. These are the destinations that come up most often:

• Sanaa. The capital with a historic old city on the UNESCO list. Mud-brick tower houses and traditional hotels at the heart of the city.
• Aden. A port on the Gulf of Aden with a long maritime history. The widest choice of business-grade hotels.
• Socotra. An isolated island with unique nature and dragon blood trees. Stays mostly in simple lodges and tents.
• Al Mukalla. A coastal city in the Hadhramaut region, a base towards the valley. A modest but real choice of hotels.
• Taiz. A highland city inland with a cooler climate. Small properties and guesthouses.

Nightly rates vary between cities. Here are indicative prices per night for a double room:

What to see in Yemen

Yemen combines ancient architecture, desert and unique nature, though travel today requires particular caution.

• The Old City of Sanaa. Centuries-old mud-brick tower houses trimmed with white gypsum. One of the oldest continuously inhabited areas in the world.
• Shibam. A desert town of dried-brick towers, nicknamed the Manhattan of the desert. On the UNESCO list.
• Socotra. Endemic flora, dragon blood trees and white beaches. A natural wonder on a global scale.
• Aden. A volcanic crater, old cisterns and a bayside waterfront. Traces of a former port on the sea route.
• The Hadhramaut Valley. Desert wadis with mud villages and palm groves. The heart of traditional Yemen.

How much does a trip to Yemen cost

Beyond the room, daily costs can be low, but the Yemeni rial swings sharply, so converted prices vary. Cash is the basis of payment, as cards and ATMs work very little. It helps to carry a cash reserve, ideally in small denominations. Some traveller services are settled in US dollars.

When is the best time to visit Yemen

The climate is hot and dry, and the most pleasant time is the cooler months from November to February. Highland cities such as Sanaa and Taiz are milder then, and the coast less scorching. On Socotra the best time is outside the monsoon, usually October to April, when the sea is calmer. Before any trip, be sure to check the latest advisories and guidance for travellers.

Getting to and around Yemen

Air links are limited and variable, served mainly by the airports in Aden, Sayun and at times Sanaa. Socotra is sometimes reachable on seasonal charters. Around the country you travel by car, often with a local driver, and by shared rides between cities. The road network is basic and many routes need advance planning. Entry usually requires a visa, and many travellers use local operators. It is worth confirming the rules directly before the trip.

Example hotels in Yemen

The choice of properties is small. For reference, it helps to know that:

• Hotels in Sanaa are often traditional houses in the old quarter, close to the historic old city (from approx. 35,000 YER).
• Hotels in Aden tend to be higher, more business-grade, near the port and waterfront (from approx. 42,000 YER).
• Stays on Socotra are simple lodges and tented camps close to nature, often in packages with transport (from approx. 42,000 YER).