Hotel Golden Dome — Hotel in Upper Savonia

Hotel Golden Dome is situated in the city center of Iisalmi, only a couple of hundred meters from the railway station. This unique hotel is a stunning combination of Karelian and Orthodox culture. Especially the breakfast room and the restaurant are amazing. They are full of interesting wall paintings and stained glass. Service was very kind.||The breakfast buffet is better than usual. It included a good selection of fruits and other fresh choices, too. There are also some local specialties available. I especially loved salmon paste and fresh Karelian rice pastries. I have to admit that pancakes or crepes were very delicious, too. Gluten free diet and other special diets are also available. The dinner restaurant is also extremely good.||Rooms are quite ordinary. There was heatwave outside and our room was quite hot. Besides central air-conditioning, there was a portable cooling air-conditioner in the room but it wasn't very natty or useful. We also missed blackout curtains. Daily housekeeping was done only on request on a previous day and not at all on Sundays.||I think it was hard to decide if I give the rating 4 or 5 to this hotel. It is so unique and the breakfast buffet is so good that the hotel would deserve the rating 5. However, due to minor grievances I give the rating 4. Actually 4½ would be the...

I booked and paid for a room through Booking.com. Shortly after, the hotel called to say that due to an error in their system, the room I booked (and any other suitable room) was not actually available. This was entirely the hotel’s mistake — not mine.

I asked several times for a written cancellation confirmation, but the hotel never provided one. They also refused to take any responsibility for refunding my money and told me to deal with Booking.com instead. The hotel has not reacted to our refund requests in any other way than by saying “handle it with Booking.com.”

Because of the hotel’s error, I have had to spend a lot of time and effort to get my money back for a stay that never happened. I do not know will I and if, when will I, get the paid money returned. This level of carelessness and lack of responsibility is unacceptable and does not inspire any trust.

Therefore, I do not recommend this...

Visited Iisalmi for work. I stayed at the Golden Dome Hotel for almost 2 weeks and couldn’t fault it. This stay is winter time. Room was perfect temperature. I could open a window if needed. Bed comfortable. Shower hot. Breakfast as part of room rate was really good with plenty of variety. Restaurant quality food each night. I tried quite a few different restaurants with work colleagues and the Golden Dome restaurant was equal to anything. Friendly and helpful staff. Walking distance to everything yet in a quiet location. Interesting building as it’s a converted church I think. Amazing paintwork on walls of main hall and led light windows. Clean. Well maintained. If I return again for work there will be no question as to where I’d stay. Thanks staff of Golden...