At the Excelsior Hotel Baku you will find luxury and elegance throughout the hotel. Our 61 beautifully appointed guest rooms and lavish suites decorated with a taste of luxury and provide every modern comfort expected from a de luxe hotel. All rooms are centrally air-conditioned with individual climate control. Excelsior hotel Baku offer some of the largest rooms in Baku featuring turn down service, 24 hour room service, complete concierge attention, personal safe, digital dual line telephones with voicemail and speakers, computer and fax hook ups, free-of-charge wireless/cable internet access, complimentary tea-coffee in the rooms, refreshment centers, oversized bathrooms, plush terry robes and slippers, premium bath essentials and valet service. Meetings/Events Conveniently located near the heart of Baku, yet away from the busting traffic noise, the Excelsior Hotel Baku is the ideal choice for private and social functions, conferences and business meetings. Excelsior’s four private meeting rooms provide a distinctively elegant setting for all types of events whether it's for a high-level business meeting, a large conference, small seminar or a wedding reception. All rooms are fully equipped with the latest audio-visual technology. The Excelsior Hotel’s team of meeting planners will concentrate on the details so that you can focus on the bigger picture. Our professional team will help you to bring your event to a higher level of efficiency and convenience. Contact our Sales Group and our specialists will get back to you within the next working day. Meetings/Events Conveniently located near the heart of Baku, yet away from the busting traffic noise, the Excelsior Hotel Baku is the ideal choice for private and social functions, conferences and business meetings. Excelsior’s four private meeting rooms provide a distinctively elegant setting for all types of events whether it's for a high-level business meeting, a large conference, small seminar or a wedding reception. All rooms are fully equipped with the latest audio-visual technology. The Excelsior Hotel’s team of meeting planners will concentrate on the details so that you can focus on the bigger picture. Our professional team will help you to bring your event to a higher level of efficiency and convenience. Contact our Sales Group and our specialists will get back to you within the next working day.
Ancient writers Herodot (5th century B.C.), Polibey (200 B.C-120 B.C), Strabon (64/63- B.C-23/24 A.M), Claudi Ptolemey (approximately 90-160) and provided coverage of geographical borders of Azerbaijan, rivers, inhabited regions, tribes, residing in the country, the Caspian Sea in a number of their creative works. 
Azerbaijan is characterized by a diversed landscape. There are two major forms of landscape-plains and mountains. 
Talysh mountains cover the south-east of the country. They are composed mainly of Tertiary sediments. Talysh mountains are the chain of transition from Minor Caucasus to Elbrus mountains in Iran. They consist of three mountain chains, reaching 2477 meters in height and a number of their ranges. 
The dense river system of the country covers its territory like a blue spider's web. Azerbaijan accounts for 8400 small and large rivers, including 850 over 5 kilometers in length. Bust there are only 24 rivers extending to over 100 kilometers. 
Azerbaijan has a great number of mountain rivers. Most rivers feed from snow and rains. The rivers Balakenchay, Talachay, Katehchay, Kurnurchay, Kishchay and other rivers, originating from Major Caucasus join the Alazan and Ayrichay rivers in Alazan-Ayrichay valley.
Desert type plants are found on the Caspian sea shore, south-eastern Shirvan, Mil, Mugan and Shirvan. Depending on the salinity of soils such plants as garasoran, shahsevdi gishotu, are widely spread in these regions.Semi-desert plants are widely-spread in Shirvan, Salyan, Mugan, Mil and Garabagh steppes, as well as in Djeyranchol, Qobustan plains and plains around the Araz. Absinth semi-deserts as zonal formations, dominate Kur-Araz, Qobustan and Djeyranchol plains. Among other formations garagan (Kur-Araz) and dengiz (Qobustan, Nakhichevan) are typical for Azerbaijan. Other widely spread plants of semi-deserts are bulbous bluegrass, Japanese brome, berk guramat, eatsern bozag, chilingburnu and a number of salinity herbs (cheren, shahsevdi, saltwort, gishotu. Tughai forests are peculiar of these areas. The forests covering the valleys of the Kur, Araz and Qabirri rivers contain such trees as oak, willow, birch-tree, ash-tree, etc.
Foothill plains of Major and Minor Caucasus are mainly covered with annual and perennial xerophytic plants and bushes at a height from 200 meters up to 600-700 and sometimes even 1200 meters. The area above (up to 1800-2000 meters) is covered with forests. 
The forests are formed by three main types of trees-beech-tree, hornbeam and oak. They make up 86.2% of woodlands. Besides, forests also contain such broad-leaved trees as maple, elm, lime-tree, alder-tree, poplar, yalanyarpag, willow, etc. Needle-leaved forests account for 1.7% of the total area of forests. 7 species of needle-leaved trees out of 107 species of trees are naturally grown in the country. These are garajokesi, Eldar pine-tree, hookes pine, polycarpous, red and uzungovdeli juniper trees.
Azerbaijan situates on the junction of a number of zzogeographical zones, characterized by a specific fauna. The animals from Iran, Central Asia amd Mediterranean Sea have been adppted to Azerbaijan thus enriching its nature. Due to the diverse natural conditions Azerbaijan formed a colorful animal kingdom. There are 97 species of mammals, 357 species of birds, 67 species of reptiles and Amphibians, 1 species of cyclostomes, 97 species of fish, over 15 thousand species of invertebrates on the territory of Azerbaijan. 
The country is rich in three types of mineral products that are metallic, non-metallic and combustible mineral products. Azerbaijan is famous for its oil and gas deposits. 2/3 of the republic is rich in oil and gas. The Absheron Peninsula, Caspian shelf, Baku and Absheron archipelagoes account for the most part of deposits. Southeastern Shirvan, Central Aran, Qobustan, Djeyranchol, Adjinour and Siyezen are rich in oil.
Among non-metallic minerals limestones of Qobustan, Absheron, Tovuz, travetin stones of Kelbadjar and Shahtakhty (Nakhichevan AR), marble of Dashkesan, gypsum of Upper Aghdjakend, alums of Hadjyveli and of great industrial importance. 
The Caspian Sea, largest enclosed water basin in the world is of great importance for Azerbaijani people. It has a unique physical and geographical properties, It should be noted that the flora and fauna of the Caspian Sea are rich in endemic species. For example, 90% of the total reserves of sturgeon, differing from other fishes by its antiquity, are found in this sea. 
One of the world's most ancient nations - the nation of Azerbaijan - has the right to feel proud for its history, material and cultural monuments, literature, arts and music heritage. 
Material and cultural models, found during archeological excavations in the territory of Azerbaijan, testify that our ancestors made crockery, daggers, axes, belts and adornments of bronze and used them in daily life. This proves the ancient age of such types of activity as copper-smithy and gold smithy. 
Horse-cloth with flowers on clay figure of horse (II millennium B.C.), found in Maku in South Azerbaijan, golden basin with picture of line (I millennium B.C), found in Hasanli hill near the Urmiya lake, and other findings show the ancient history of carpet-making, one of the branches of folk art in Azerbaijan. 
Carpets, weaved by separate carpet-making schools of Azerbaijan (Guba, Baku, Shirvan, Gandja, Gazakh, Nagorny Karabakh, Tabriz) in different periods, amaze people till nowadays. Most of them kept in well-known museums of the world. 
Azerbaijan was rich of architectural pieces one of branches of folk art along with works of fine art since ancient times. Maiden tower and Shirvanshahs palace in Baku, Momina Xatun and Yusif ibn Kuseyr mausoleums, created by architect Acami in Nakhichevan, Natavan's home, pictures on walls of Shaki khan palace and other patterns are rare pearls of architecture. 
Folk songs, dances, ashug creation (folk poet and singer) have specific place in Azerbaijan national music.
Works of art, created by classics and contemporaries, take honorable place in world cultural treasure. Works by M.F.Akhundov, N.Vazirov, M.S.Ordubadi, G.Zakir, M.A.Sabir, J.Mammadguluzade, M.P.Vagif, M.V.Vidadi and other poets and writers hasn't lost their aesthetic importance. 
The historical territories of Azerbaijan, bordered on the Great Caucasus from the North, the Alagoz chain, the basin of the lake Goycha and the Eastern Anatoly from the west, the Caspian Sea from the East and Sultaniye-Zanjan-Hamadan from the south, is a place of the primary cultures which gave the start to modern civilization. In those territories historically belonged to Azerbaijan people they established rich distinctive culture and the state system. 
The territory of Azerbaijan is rich with archeological monuments which prove it to be one of the regions of the primitive men's first settlement. Archeological finds of the caves of Azikh, TAglar, Damjili, Dashsalahli, Gazma(Nakhchivan) and other monuments, the shin-bone of the most ancient Azikh man (Azikhantrop) lived 300-400 thousand years ago in the Age of Asheul prove the abovementioned theory. 
Since the first centuries AD Turkic language was gaining priority among minor people and ethnic groups lived in the territory of Azerbaijan. Turkic language was the means of relation between the north and the south. This fact played important role in formation of united folk for the reason that monotheism was absent in Azerbaijan at that time. The belief to the head God of the Turks did not prevailed over other spread religions. Zoroastrianism, fire-worship, belief in the Sun, the Moon, the Sky, the stars, ground, water etc. still existed. Christianity was widely spread in the northern part of the country, i.e. in some places of Albania, especially in western mountainous regions. Free Albanian church existed together with Armenian and Georgian churches. 
The distinctive importance carries out the period of the late 15th and early 16th , when the prominent statesman and the grandson of Uzun Hasan Shah Ismail Khatai(1501-1524) realized his grandfather's wish and united all the territories of Azerbaijan under his control.
Invaded Azerbaijan with the purpose to create support for itself in the Southern Caucasus, Russia on mass scale resettled Armenians from abroad in to the territories of Azerbaijan, especially to the mountainous regions of Karabakh and the regions of the former Iravan and Nakhchivan khanates and thus in the bordered on Turkey western lands of Azerbaijan, i.e. in the territories of the former Iravan and Nakhchivan khanates appeared 'Armenian province', artificially established for the definite purpose. Such was laid the foundation of future Armenian state on Azerbaijan lands.
The Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan fell under the military attack of the Soviet Russia. State independency of Northern Azerbaijan was liquidated. In April 28th of 1920 in the territory of Azerbaijan the Soviet Socialist Republic of Azerbaijan (SSRA) appeared instead of the Democratic Republic.
The situation changed in 1969 when Heydar Aliyev started his first period of governing Azerbaijan. To make Azerbaijan one of the most advanced republics of the Soviet Union under totalitarian regime, Heydar Aliyev being a great fanatic of his people implemented the programs of great reforms in all the spheres of life.
Separatist- terrorist groupings of the Autonomous Provision of Nagorny Karabakh and Armenian armed forces began military actions for invasion of Nagorny Karabakh (the Mountainous Karabakh) with the help of the military units of USSR Armed Forces located in Armenia and the Autonomous Provision of Nagorny Karabakh in 1988. The regions of Nagorny Karabakh with Azerbaijani population were invaded the first. On January 15th Karkijahan, on February 10th of 1992 villages Malibayli and Guschular were invaded, peace and disarmed residence were inflicted reprisals, Khojaly and Shuhsa were surrounded. In mid of February Armenian and the Soviet united military forces invaded the village of Garadagli. The night from February 25th to 26th of 1992 witnessed the most tragic events of modern history. Armenian military unions with the help of the soldiers of Russian 366th moto-shooting regiment carried out terrible genocide against Azerbaijanis in Khojaly. The head of the Republic A. Mutallibov resigned in March 1992 when the national movement reached its pick. The absence of the ruling weakened the protection of the Azerbaijan Republic. This gave the opportunity to Armenian and soviet military arms to occupy Shusha in May 1992 and Armenians actually occupied the whole territory of Nagorny Karabakh. The next step was the invasion of Lachin-the tie of Armenia with Nagorny Karabakh. New internecine dissension in the period of the National Front of Azerbaijan ( May 1992- June 1993) much weakened our positions. In 1993 Kalbajar was occupied. The June was the period of deep political crisis. On people demand Heydar Aliyev came to power.
The position of Heydar Aliyev in the solution of the problem of war was correct. As a wise strategist he took into consideration the real conditions. He realized the strength of our enemies and their supporters, plans and dangerous position of Azerbaijan among them and found the way out in cease-fire. 
After Azerbaijan Republic restored its state independence in 1991, started to realize its sovereign rights and conduct independent policy in economic field. Major directions of this policy were transition to economic system, created in base of different forms of property, market economy and integration to world economy. 
Important works are implemented in direction of meeting the requirements of economy and population to energy resources. As a bright example of special attention of President Ilham Aliyev to this field, 'State Program on development of fuel-energy complex of Azerbaijan Republic (2005-2015)' was prepared by Industry and Energy Ministry and confirmed by Decree 635 of President of Azerbaijan Republic dated February 14, 2004 in order to ensure energy security in country and meeting of the growing demands to energy resources in more effective manner. 
Reforms realized in bank system played great role in removing the distrust in banks existed in the first years of independence. Modern bank building works started in country, works implemented in direction of formation of two-stepped bank system, strengthening of banks, growth of their authorized capital. Weak banks, unable to work under conditions of free market economy and stand the competition, were eliminated. Number of banks functioning in country was decreased for four times, capital base of bank system increased 5 times. 