Tehran
Jul 17, 2015, 3:52 am
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Havana makes my points for Iran. There are already a couple Accor hotels in Cuba (Mercure) with more coming this year and next. As a French company they aren't obliged to follow US regulations regarding Cuba or Iran. The current French government did join in on the Iran sanctions well after the US, but may very well drop the Iran sanctions before the US so Accor could be the first to attack the Iran market. So maybe a Sofitel Persepolis? Or would it be Ibis. 
Jul 17, 2015, 4:04 am
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Germany
Programs: Some
Posts: 11,520
Jul 17, 2015, 5:43 am
#33
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Monaco
Posts: 317
Before the armchair speculations about foreign countries get completely out of hand, have a look at the World Bank's tourism figures:
http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ST.INT.ARVL
Iran: 4.8 mio tourists p.a.
Cuba: 2.8 mio tourists p.a.
Just because the US regime restricts their own people's movements (to Cuba and Iran) doesn't mean that plenty of other (Western) tourists haven't been visiting these countries "en masse" all the time.
And North Korea is possibly comparable to Bhutan (ca. 100.000 visitors p.a. each; artificially controlled) but to put it in a pot with Iran is pure political propaganda.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...-tourists.html
Further political statements are not allowed on this "forum", but it would be worth brushing up your history on who toppled democratically elected governments in those countries.
P.S.: The Esteghlal Hotel was a Hilton, the Homa a Sheraton, and the Laleh an Interconti.
http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ST.INT.ARVL
Iran: 4.8 mio tourists p.a.
Cuba: 2.8 mio tourists p.a.
Just because the US regime restricts their own people's movements (to Cuba and Iran) doesn't mean that plenty of other (Western) tourists haven't been visiting these countries "en masse" all the time.
And North Korea is possibly comparable to Bhutan (ca. 100.000 visitors p.a. each; artificially controlled) but to put it in a pot with Iran is pure political propaganda.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...-tourists.html
Further political statements are not allowed on this "forum", but it would be worth brushing up your history on who toppled democratically elected governments in those countries.
P.S.: The Esteghlal Hotel was a Hilton, the Homa a Sheraton, and the Laleh an Interconti.
Last edited by LuxuryRogue; Jul 17, 2015 at 6:13 am
Jul 17, 2015, 6:51 am
#34
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Texas
Programs: American Airlines British Airways
Posts: 1,752
I know at least a couple dozen FTers have been to THR. And the number of Americans overall who have flown to THR seems to have been rising, if counting -- ironically in a way -- upon Pakistani officials' representations.
I expect Iran and Cuba are a sort of hot spot for tourism, and definitely not in a North Korean way.
From my family and friends who have visited Iran, they enjoyed their trips. I'm thinking of doing a ski trip to Iran at some point, which will add to the number of countries in which I've hit the ski slopes.
I see charter tour packages being sold to Iran and Cuba in widely circulated package tour guide brochures by private European operators. I don't see that happening for North Korea. Each and every year for the better part of the past several years, I've seen ski package tours to Iran being offered in European charter tour package brochures. Some must be buying them and some must be making money selling them if they keep advertising them like they do.
And the word is that alcohol and other drugs are not absent from the Iranian slopes, so that paints some kind of apres-ski picture (unlawful as I assume such consumption in the main to be there).
I'm curious to see how long it will be until Marriott or a Marriott-affiliated third party signs up for a hotel on the ground in THR.
I expect Iran and Cuba are a sort of hot spot for tourism, and definitely not in a North Korean way.
From my family and friends who have visited Iran, they enjoyed their trips. I'm thinking of doing a ski trip to Iran at some point, which will add to the number of countries in which I've hit the ski slopes.
I see charter tour packages being sold to Iran and Cuba in widely circulated package tour guide brochures by private European operators. I don't see that happening for North Korea. Each and every year for the better part of the past several years, I've seen ski package tours to Iran being offered in European charter tour package brochures. Some must be buying them and some must be making money selling them if they keep advertising them like they do.
And the word is that alcohol and other drugs are not absent from the Iranian slopes, so that paints some kind of apres-ski picture (unlawful as I assume such consumption in the main to be there).
I'm curious to see how long it will be until Marriott or a Marriott-affiliated third party signs up for a hotel on the ground in THR.
Jul 17, 2015, 8:36 am
#35
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,854
Despite a warning, this thread is not even close to staying on topic. I am closing it. If anyone has any actual, real recommendations on the best hotel in Tehran, please PM the mods and the thread will be re-opened.
Thanks,
RichardInSF, moderator, luxury hotels
Thanks,
RichardInSF, moderator, luxury hotels
