Middle East Travel

all-hotels makes it easy to find accommodation in the Middle East, regardless of your price range. Search in one of three ways: by clicking your destination on the map of the region; by selecting your destination from the pull-down menu; or by using the hotel search tool on the left-hand side of the page. The site is affiliated with U.K. Travelocity and includes discount hotels and motels as well as luxury hotels in its searches. A helpful feature is the bargain hotel search tool (scroll down in the left sidebar).

When We Travel has a strange design, but it provides hotel listings for 16 Middle Eastern countries. The site narrows its selection down by specifying particular amenities, like "breakfast" or "swimming pool." You can read detailed information and view pictures as well as book through the site. This site is also valuable in its other travel sections, although some, like the "Restaurants" section, are not as filled out as the hotel listings.

Luxury Travel provides many options for those looking for a more lavish selection of accommodation in the Middle East. More than a dozen countries are included in the site's directory, the most populated ones being Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Israel. You can search for a hotel by brand (e.g. Claridge's, Hilton). There are also guides to "Leading Luxury Destinations" around the world, though the coverage of the Middle East as of September 2007 included only Dubai and Istanbul.

Concierge has a hotel finder that spotlights all of the most recommended hotels and resorts featured in the magazine Condé Nast Traveller, most of which are quite high end and not suited for budget travelers. While the list is not as long as a hotel search engine's results, you will get a thorough review of some of the finest accommodation options in the region.

Hostelz.com has some of the most comprehensive information on the accommodations in their listings, and it covers many Middle Eastern countries, including smaller cities and towns therein. Choose your desired country to browse all the hostels available in that area; view ratings; read the site's description of amenities, location, and ambience; and book online.

Hostelling International offers help with selecting and booking a hostel in the Middle East, provided you have the organization's membership card (prices vary depending on your age and location). HI is a nonprofit organization representing more than 4,000 hostels in more than 80 countries, and it has an extensive list of properties in Middle Eastern countries. To search for hostels, select your destination from the map; you'll be provided with background information and a list of hostel options, located below the "all hostels" tab in the right-hand sidebar. Many hostels can be booked online.