Overrated

I stayed there at the beginning of the season. 99.9% of the guests were Russian. There were hardly any Kazakh guests on this stay.

The reception staff were excellent — whenever possible, they checked everyone in straight away.

There are no wristbands, so there are no issues with breakfast or lunch on the day of arrival or departure.

The hotel interior feels dated — the gold-and-diamonds style has long had its day. The grounds are not huge, but they are convenient.

The shared areas are packed with sunbeds in three rows, and even at the start of the season it was difficult to find a free one.

The food in the main restaurant felt fairly basic for a five-star hotel: you get what you pay for. I did not find anything particularly impressive. I did, however, like the à la carte lunch restaurants.

I stayed in a family room — it was dark, somewhat dirty, and on the top floor. There was not enough light. In terms of amenities, everything was good: two minibars with snacks and drinks, children’s bathrobes, etc. But housekeeping was weak.

Overall, there are plenty of cheaper alternatives to this hotel. I’m not sure I would recommend it to clients.