The Old City of Aleppo is a labyrinth of cobblestone streets and shops. This alley at the entrance to the Old City also led to Beit Wakil, whose sign and awning are visible to the left. Beit Wakil is an old merchant serai that has been renovated into a charming 14 room hotel. It served as our base of operations for our visit to Aleppo. We could not imagine a nicer setting for our stay in Aleppo. The hotel is centered around the courtyard pictured at the right, and the rooms are all arrayed around this central point. Our room, shown at the left was one floor up from the courtyard. The room was very traditional, dark wood with equally dark woven rugs on the floor, a bed and nightstand--definitely a no-frills room.For privacy one closes the wooden shutters. Except for electricity and CNN, the room could have been from a century earlier...... Trace and Dale

Jdaideh is a particularly picturesque quarter. Next to the main Maronite church is Sissi Street, which is full of old Arab residences. Most have now been converted into hotels and restaurants serving the delicious cuisine for which Aleppo is also famous. Beit Wakil is one of the loveliest examples. Simple on the outside, but you enter a beautiful courtyard with a fountain, a majestic arch, coloured marble flooring and arabesque glass windows. You can descend past an underground bar into stone-built cellars with a labyrinth of tunnels, said to lead all the way to the Citadel. The restaurant serves fabulous food – Aleppine versions of fatoush, mezze, hummus, Carabaj dessert and much more, all washed down with sweet Syrian wine – nectar....Impressions,Inflight Magazine for British Airways