Holiday Inn Yerevan - Republic Square by IHG — Hotel in Yerevan

We stayed here for 4 nights in June 2020

First of the good bits:

The location is fantastic, right in the heart of Yerevan, within a couple of minutes walk to bars, shops, and restaurants.

The roof terrace is right by the republic square and serves great cocktails to catch a sunset.

Brilliant swimming pool (25m, with 4 wide lanes). I didn't use the gym, but it was decent with modern equipment. I swam every morning, but you need to be mindful re timing. For those with long hair bring a swimming cap otherwise they'll have you in a shower cap! The fitness suite is open to the public, so earlier in the morning it can get busy as people go before work (3 or 4 to a lane). Mid morning it gets busy too with children's lessons (it's like herding cats), so you need to watch your timing.

The rooms were nice, fresh and modern with really comfortable beds. Cleaned everyday without issue.

The staff were extremely friendly and professional. Always courteous, and most are trilingual too, with no issues communicating.

Based on the property and the staff alone, I would return.

The food served in the restaurant area by reception is excellent (best chicken caesar salad I ever had), although be mindful the portions are large! Gloria was great.

On check in, they recognised my IHG status and gave us a couple of extra hours to check out (complementary).

The bad bits:

The food on the roof terrace is poor. Deep fried, over salted, over cooked. Would only suggest going there for a drink. There are plenty of other amazing restaurants in Yerevan to try.

We were on the 5th floor, the music from the bar / terrace is seriously pumping. Despite them being on the 7th and ground floor, you can hear everything. This wouldn't be an issue on a friday/saturday or even a sunday at a push, but monday and tuesday? It was a bit much. If you're a light sleeper or just plan on getting an early night, you're going to struggle here.

On one day they decided to close breakfast early by 30 minutes, meaning that there were a lot of guests coming down to a closed restaurant. When pushed why we weren't notified, we were told they had put a message on to the televisions. Because everyone watches the Holiday Inn channel whilst on vacation right? Our TV didn't go on once.

Also we used the laundry services and unfortunately, two of our items were damaged (beyond repair). My other half had a dress burned through with the iron, and a top marked with small holes as if done with an industrial ironing machine / board. When we raised the issue, I was called after midnight, and offered 1000 points and they were waving the cost of cleaning that particular item. Obviously this wasn't going to suffice. We pushed back, and the laundry that had already admitted the fault took the dress away to have the bottom of it cut away to hide the burn. Again clearly not a solution, as my girlfriend bought a long dress, not a 3/4 length one. Eventually we then received the top back that had been re-ironed (no one asked for that) and another bill for the privilege. This was grating. After initial wranglings, they eventually agreed to wave the cost for all the laundry (some 24,000 AMD) despite the dress costing 50,000 and the top costing 15,000. At this point we were too tired/irritated to argue, plus we had a taxi taking us to the airport. All laundry charges (which is an inhouse cost) should have been waved immediately, and then we should have looked at possible compensation. This left a bitter taste in our mouths if truth be told and made us feel like we were in the wrong, which wasn't the case at all. Why did we have to battle for this? It was like we were haggling.

Knocking off a star for the way the laundry was handled and another for the volume of the music being continually too loud for the rooms.

Despite the above I would come back purely for the pool and the ground floor restaurant's work area. Staff need to be better trained to handle issues. Being friendly isn't enough. That's...

So, we went to the Holiday Inn on the recommendation of family who have stayed there. It is not a USA Holiday Inn, but a MUCH BETTER one! You will not be disappointed. We had a King room and the bathroom was very nice. It had a seperate tub along with a huge shower. The shower was great (wonderful water pressure). I brushed my teeth with bottled water and only drank bottled water while I was in Armenia. I was very careful…but, it is a foreign country. The hotel breakfast you can buy for around $25-26 US. We ate there most days for convenience, and the staff that works with the buffet were really nice (ALSO…the COFFEE MACHINE…puts out excellent coffee). However, there is a great little restaurant around the corner called Mayrig, where you can eat for cheaper (probably) and the food quality is excellent. The hotel staff were so nice and accommodating. We wanted to take a trip to see the famous “BIG JESUS” as they call it in Armenia, which is still being built. The desk clerk looked it up and gave us the village name where it is being built. ( We understand it is in seperate pieces). We thought that we would be able to view the progress. I wish they had told us at the hotel that it would be impossible. Perhaps they did not know…so, they will know now. Our cab driver took us as far as he could, and the roads going to the village were being worked on and so it was for not…except that this cab driver was great and shared his opinion about the presidential nominees and it was a joy to hear as we agreed on what we thought about the upcoming election! Since he could not take us to our destination, (a YANDECK driver) he offered to charge us less, which was kind, but not necessary. Anyway, the Holiday Inn, should make sure no traveler attempts to see" Big Jesus” or it will be a “BIG disappointment” ( at least until it is finished--supposed to be finished in 2025). We celebrated our Anniversary in Yerevan @ the LIVINGSTON ( a very fun restaurant) and the front desk sent us a bottle of champangne and a beautiful display of fruit and cakes (shaped in hearts). The front desk clerk, Mariam, got that for us. Surprise!! She was so sweet. A couple of other front desk clerks who were also helpful were Mary and David. All in all, our stay there was so very good. Since it is in Rebublic Square, you do get the noise from whatever is happening in the square. We were on the 5th floor. While we were there, the Square had closed it’s road to traffic 3 times. So our driver's could not meet us right at our hotel when that was happening. It had been closed for I think two seperate nights of “demonstrations” and Yerevan’s Anniversary celebration (which was a very happening event!). We mostly ate downstairs for breakfast…we attempted Ember on the 7th Fl for drinks…however, you need to make sure you clarify “NO ICE” with your cocktails. They did have a DJ there on the rooftop, but both nights we went to check it out, we were one of the few people there. Perhaps, Ember is not as well-known as other restaurants there. Remember, they do not always make drinks the same way in the states as they do in Yerevan…so you may be in for a surprise if you order a mixed drink. They also do their “BLT’S” a little different. Actually better (they add egg and cheese to it), however, bacon in Yerevan is also different…so it is “NOT BAD” just different. :) If we go back to Yerevan, we will again plan to stay at The...

We stayed at this hotel for 2 weeks. The number one positive aspect of this hotel is its location. You can’t ask for a better location in kentron. Breakfast was good, but variety would have been better. Seemed like everyday was the same thing. Gohar at breakfast is a gem. Loved seeing her happy welcoming face daily. Talking to her every morning was the best start to our day. |The rooms were very small. We had balcony rooms which apparently took away from the room size. Needless to say these rooms were a higher category which cost more. They offered to change our room however to a downgraded room which made absolutely no sense. We decided to stay in the room category we had booked. |The most negative aspect of this hotel is that there are no bellboys. You have to drag your luggages up the few stairs to enter the lobby. The security guard which stared at people continually did not even care to help guests who clearly were struggling with bringing their luggage up to the lobby. |Also, one night around midnight there were some very loud guests screaming and singing in the lobby but the security guard did not even care to say anything. |Overall we had a good stay. Amelia tried to help us but I believe there was more which could have been done to make us more satisfied. |Armenia is a beautiful country and we didn’t spend too much time in our rooms therefore we tolerated the negative aspects...