Last Updated on September 20, 2025 by Home in the World
Azerbaijan is known as the ‘Land of Fire’; indeed its ancient Persian name of Aturpatakan roughly translates to ‘a place where the sacred fire is preserved’. It lies in an oil-rich part of the world with intense geothermal activity that includes mud volcanoes and natural-gas fires that blaze continuously on hillsides.
The region was also the cradle of the ancient fire-worshipping religion of Zoroastrianism (perhaps because of the aforementioned geothermal phenomena), which, in centuries past, was one of the major world religions.
So it is only fitting that the modern-day symbol of the capital, Baku, continues with this fire theme – in the form of the three highly distinct, flame-shaped glass buildings of the Fairmont Baku Flame Towers, which stand tall by Highland Park, dominating the skyline as a semicircle of ‘fire’.
Designed by global design, engineering and planning firm HOK International, they partly also serve as residences and premises for other businesses. Their main tenant, however, is the Fairmont luxury hotel chain, which has maintained its iconic, 5-star Flame Towers property in one of the towers here since 2013.
N.B. This review relates to my stays here in 2018 and 2019; I cannot vouch for any changes in service or standards that have occurred since.
The lobby
You can feel you’ve arrived at a 5-star property as soon as you step into the cavernously grand lobby, where an exclusively designed, 2-tonne Bohemian Crystal chandelier dangles halfway to the floor from the high ceiling.
The whole look and feel certainly bear the hallmarks of leading hospitality design firm, HBA, which was responsible for the interiors. If you have booked a suite or room with club access, you are whisked up to the black marble surrounds of the 19th floor to complete check-in.
The fact that the façades of all the towers are entirely glass means every room has floor-to-ceiling windows (which can actually be opened too if you want some fresh air), so you’re guaranteed lots of light and panoramic views no matter which part of the building you’re in.
My room
I had booked a Caspian Sea View Room, which does exactly what it says on the tin; it is a stunning corner suite with wrap-around windows overlooking the Caspian sea, the sweeping seaside promenade, the walled old town (known as Icheri Sheher) and the patchwork of other rooftops that make up the city’s diverse architecture.
An elongated entry area hugging the side of the building featured a very long desk area and dining space, before opening out into the living area, with its modern, earthy-toned decor (where you can incidentally also put in a rollaway bed if necessary).
This is a corner room, so not only do you have the view I mentioned above, but, at 90 degrees to that, you also look out on the other two towers, the hotel pool and the TV tower on the hill.
Every night, the Flame Towers put on a vivid light show, with illuminated moving patterns and images of the Azerbaijan flag flashing across their glass façades. And you can get a front-row seat to this any night of the week while sitting in your PJs at your dining table!
And speaking of having dinner in your room, we tried the room service on several occasions and it was always delicious, reasonable and well presented. I even tried some of the local Azerbaijan red wine (something I never knew was produced in this country).
Running off the living area of the Caspian Sea View room is the enormous master bedroom and equally large marble bathroom. It’s definitely one of the biggest bedrooms I’ve stayed in; there is so much space all around the bed!
And, of course, you can enjoy that same Caspian Sea view day and night – though there are also very effective blinds and blackout curtains for when you want to get some shut-eye in the super comfy king-size bed.
The ensuite bathroom has his and hers basins, a rain shower and huge bathtub, as well as a separate toilet cubicle with shutting door, which I particularly like, as it means someone can still be using the basin while someone else is in the toilet. I should also mention there is a small powder room by the front door, with a second toilet and basin. Fairmont’s signature personalised Rose 31 amenities by Le Labo will round off your luxury ablutions experience.
Executive club access & dining
The Caspian Sea View room came with club access, which allows you to head to the executive lounge on the 19th floor for breakfast, afternoon happy hour or late-night drinks in luxurious chocolate-brown surrounds with panoramic views of the city. We certainly did all three of the above.
On my second trip in 2019, the club lounge was not open for breakfast, which was instead served in the grey marble surrounds of Le Bistro restaurant on the ground floor. In both cases, the spread was sumptuous – cereals, breads, fresh fruit, salads, various hot dishes, cakes & pastries, plus a chef who was happy to prepare whatever you wanted – and he would often do so with an extra flourish (see photos below). Le Bistro also has an outdoor area for those wanting to enjoy their breakfast in the fresh air.
On the lobby level not far from Le Bistro, there is a rather opulent-looking lobby bar/café that continues the theme of understated elegance with neutral tones and exotic pendant lights. You can even try a shisha there if you wish.
Other rooms and suites
During my stay, I was also fortunate enough to be given a tour of some of the other rooms and suites at the hotel. The earthy colour scheme with edgy lines and statement light fittings was once again on full display. Just like the Caspian Sea View room, all the spaces were light and bright with floor-to-ceiling windows providing panoramic views of either the city’s sweeping coastline or hilly interior and rooftops.
At the upper end of the price range are the Presidential and Royal Suites, which take luxury and space to the next level. The Presidential Suites have either two or three bedrooms and span an area of some 230 sq m (2260 sq ft). Their colour scheme is all about warm beiges and golds, and their lavish living area and separate dining area make them perfect for larger families or even business meetings.
In rather stark contrast, the Royal Suite – the most sumptuous of all the rooms and suites at the hotel – is an opulent, 375-sq-m (4036-sq-ft) sanctuary of dark woods and plush purple velvets. A chandelier of seemingly floating baubles cascades from the lofted ceiling, and there are of course panoramic views from virtually every corner, whether it be either of the two bedrooms, the spacious living area, kitchen, private dining room or study.
Anyone who saw Joanna Lumley’s Silk Road Adventure documentary from 2018 may recognise it, as she, too, got a sneak peek into this haven of luxury during her stay in Baku. Fitting, really, as this suite truly is absolutely fabulous.
Finally, remember how I said at the start that one of the other towers was designed to be used as apartments/residences? Well, I was also given a tour of these Flame Tower Residences which, in 2019, were still not totally finished but were well on their way to being so. They were intended more as longer-stay apartments.
I’m not sure if they were actually completed or whether the project got delayed as a result of the pandemic – there does not seem to be much information about them online. But I thought I would post a couple of the photos I took during my tour. As mentioned, they were still very much in an unfinished state at the time, but the level of luxury is still evident.
Final thoughts on the Fairmont Baku Flame Towers
In sum, I had two wonderful stays at the Fairmont Baku Flame Towers in 2018 and 2019, and had booked to return in 2020 for the F1 grand prix, but unfortunately the pandemic put paid to those plans.
Azerbaijan may still be a relative newcomer on the tourism stage, but the level of hospitality and comfort I received at this property was absolutely in line with what I would expect from a property of this standard anywhere in the world.
All staff were extremely friendly and helpful, housekeeping was excellent, rooms were spotless, food selection and quality was great – just an all-round pleasant experience.
I certainly would never rebook a hotel twice if I was not happy with it. Its location at the top of the hill puts it a little bit out of the way from the rest of the city, but a 5-minute ride in the nearby funicular or in one of the abundant taxis (just be sure to get in a proper metered one) render this ‘disadvantage’ null and void.
Plus you have the added benefit of enjoying sweeping views from an elevated part of Baku, and staying in the city’s undisputed #1 landmark. What’s not to love? In short, if you’re wondering where to stay in Baku, I highly recommend the Fairmont Baku Flame Towers.
| FAIRMONT BAKU FLAME TOWERS |
| FLAME TOWERS 1A MEHDI HUSEYN BAKU AZ1006, AZERBAIJAN |
** This stay was not sponsored in any way; it is a genuine, non-biased review based on my own personal experience **
** This post, like everything else on this website, has been written entirely by me. No ChatGPT or any other AI tool has been used. It takes longer to create, but I value 100% human-generated content and I hope you do too! **
Before you go…
Book your stay via the hotel’s official website or your preferred booking platform:
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For more about my trips to Azerbaijan, check out my Baku post and Azerbaijan day trips post. You can also get my free one-page guide containing all the most important information you need to help you plan and enjoy your trip to Baku.
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And if you’re interested in exploring attractions in and around Baku, you may want to consider checking out these tours:
Looking for other 4 and 5-star properties in the Asia & Middle East region? You may want to read my reviews of:
- Fraser Suites Doha in Qatar
- Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea in Jordan
- JW Marriott Seoul in South Korea
- Hyatt Regency Cairo West in Egypt
- Fraser Residence Nankai Osaka in Japan
- Shangri-La Far Eastern Taipei in Taiwan
- Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap Resort in Cambodia
- Courtyard by Marriott Phnom Penh in Cambodia
- Fairfield by Marriott Phnom Penh in Cambodia
- Ritz-Carlton Chengdu in China
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