The Blue Sky Hotel and Tower

The Blue Sky Tower is Ulaanbaatar's most recognisable modern silhouette: a curved sail of blue glass rising directly on the southern edge of Sükhbaatar Square, named for the eternal blue sky of Mongolian tradition. The hotel occupying its floors offers what neither of its five-star rivals can—rooms that look straight down onto the nation's ceremonial heart, with the Government Palace and the seated Chinggis Khaan monument framed below and the Bogd Khan mountains rising behind.

Interiors are Mongolian-modern in flavour, comfortable rather than opulent: decent-sized rooms with full-height glass, the best on the north side facing the square. Service is willing and the housekeeping reliable, though the polish sits a clear step below the Shangri-La and Kempinski—reflected honestly in the rates, which make this the value entry among the capital's top hotels.

The upper floors carry the appeal: a top-floor lounge and restaurants where the whole city bowl spreads out, a memorable place for a sundowner as the light goes off the mountains. Location is unbeatable for sightseeing—museums, the opera and the square's life are literally at the door. For travellers who want the landmark, the view and the position over full five-star finesse, the Blue Sky earns its place among the city's top three.