Swiss traveler outs book on boutique hotels & guesthouses in Iran

World’s first guide to hotels in Iran, authored by Swiss insurance professional Thomas Wegmann, has been published.  

‘Persian Nights: Amazing Boutique Hotels & Guest Houses in Iran’, published by German-based publishing company teNeues, is the name of the book by Wegmann who was amazed by traditional hotel scenes on his first visit to Iran in 2019.

Several Iranians have also contributed to the book, including photographer Hamed Farhangi and designers Paulette Ghahremanian and Mehrdad MZadeh.

Wegmann travelled to Iran with his prejudgments being shattered by the warmth and openness that he encountered all over the country as a traveler.

“I was so surprised by the country, and especially by the hotels,” he said in his interview with CNN.  

“In Iran, there’s a superb scene of boutique hotels combining contemporary design with characteristic Persian heritage,” CNN quoted Wegmann as saying.

With no publishing experience, Wegmann decided to write the book on his flight back from Tehran to Zurich when he searched on Google if there was a book on hotels in Iran and found that there was none.

‘Persian Nights’, the first English-language book on the country’s hotel scene, features 16 of the best boutique hotels in Iran, from the capital city Tehran in the north to Qeshm Island, which is located in the Persian Gulf in the south.

The book also features the concept stores of Iran, Iranian poetry and the country's growing taste for coffee.

In addition to hotels, ‘Persian Nights’ has a section dedicated to guesthouses like Howzak House which is Isfahan’s first ecolodge located near the UNESCO-listed Jame'a Mosque of Isfahan. 

Wegmann believes the country should be on everyone’s must-visit lists. “Iran, Japan, Peru, I love countries with a very strong and ancient culture that has relevance in history.”

He also said that he was expecting to see a more traditional country but he was surprised when he was in espresso bars and concept stores in the hotels he visited because to him it was like Europe or the States.

As a tourist, Wegmann says he felt very free -- “I felt like I could go everywhere, and was welcome everywhere at any time. I was going home late at night using Google Maps, and always felt safe.”

With regard to Iranian cuisine, he says, “They have fantastic slow-cooked stews, and a lot of vegetarian dishes. It’s a very rich culture in terms of eating.”

Wegmann's fascination with Iran began as a child when he learnt about the Persian Empire in his history lessons at school.

Wegmann plans to return to Iran as soon as the travel restrictions are lifted.

With its history dating back 7,000 years, Iran is home to a large number of remarkable mansions and buildings. Traditional houses mostly have their own spectacular architecture with intimate ambiance.   

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