Both Damascus and Aleppo have a good range of hotels, from budget to five-star. Prices range from a low of US$8 a night to over US$300 a night, depending on your style of accommodations. You can easily find good accommodations for under US$100 a night, including breakfast. Other cities in Syria offer several budget to four-star hotels.

While many of the best hotels are operated by international hotel chains (Four Seasons, Le Meridian, Sheraton), which also boast some of the best international restaurants, the local Cham conglomerate (they also own tour, transportation, and catering companies) is known for its well-appointed four- and five-star properties in both Damascus (Cham Palace) and Aleppo (Chahba Cham Palace).

If you're looking for special properties - many developed from old homes, mansions, and palaces - be sure to check out several boutique hotels, which are located in the older sections of the cities and exude lots of elegant local character.

In Damascus the best of the boutiques include Beit Al Mamlouka, Hotel Talisman, and Dar Al-Yasmin. In Aleppo, the best of the boutiques is the opulent Mansouriya Palace followed by Beit Wakil, Dar Zamaria Martini, Beit Salahieh, and Mandaloun.

The best properties in Damascus include the Four Seasons Hotel, Beit Al Mamlouka, and Cham Palace. The best hotels in Aleppo include the Chahba Cham Palace and Sheraton, although many upscale visitors prefer Aleppo's more charming and better located boutique hotels, especially Dar Zamaria Martini.

Since Syria's high season for tourism runs from May to September, be sure to book rooms ahead of time. Prices also tend to higher during this time. During low season, which runs from December to March, many hotels discount their rates.