Located in Zahak county, the hotel is originally a centuries-old castle, which has undergone extensive rounds of restoration, the deputy provincial tourism chief, Mojtaba Mirhosseini, said on Monday.

“A boutique hotel is a place of residence that showcases the rich history, tradition, and culture of the region. Such hotels are more popular among foreign tourists and are considered tourist attractions,” the official explained.

Over the past couple of years, hundreds of historical sites and monuments across Iran have been temporarily ceded to the private investors by auctions reportedly to gain higher productivity and better maintenance.

Conducted by the Revitalization and Utilization Fund for Historical Places, the scheme is expected to assist a sustainable development for the local communities through fueling a tourism boom along the once flourishing route.

The collective province -- Sistan in the north and Baluchestan in the south -- accounts for one of the driest regions of Iran with a slight increase in rainfall from east to west, and an obvious rise in humidity in the coastal regions. In ancient times, the region was a crossword of the Indus Valley and the Babylonian civilizations.

The province possesses special significance because of being located in a strategic and transit location, especially Chabahar which is the only ocean port in Iran and the best and easiest access route of the middle Asian countries to free waters. It is home to several distinctive archaeological sites and natural attractions, including two UNESCO World Heritage sites, namely Shahr-e-Soukhteh (Burnt City) and Lut desert.