Hotels in Khiva

Khiva: Walled Silk Road City of Khorezm

Khiva stands in the Khorezm oasis of western Uzbekistan, roughly 450 km west of Bukhara across the Kyzylkum Desert. The inner city — Itchan Kala — was enclosed by 10-metre mud-brick walls in the 17th century and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990. More than 50 historic monuments crowd its 26 hectares, including the unfinished Kalta Minor minaret (begun 1851, base diameter 14.2 m) and the Islam Khoja Minaret, at 57 m the tallest structure in Uzbekistan.

Where to Stay in Khiva

Most hotels sit just outside Itchan Kala's eastern gate or inside the walls themselves, in converted caravanserais and merchant houses. The Dishan Kala outer city holds guesthouses at lower price points. Visitors arrive overwhelmingly in spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) when temperatures stay between 20–30 °C; summers regularly exceed 40 °C.

Practical Tips

• Getting there: Urgench Airport (UGC), 35 km away, handles flights from Tashkent (1 hr 20 min); shared taxis cover the airport–Khiva leg in under 40 minutes.
• Currency: Uzbek som; card acceptance inside the walled city is limited — carry cash.
• Timing: Book accommodation two months ahead for the Silk and Spices Festival (late May/early June).