Otrar — Hotel in Almaty

I stayed here for a few days afire and at the beginning of a group trip. ||Fantastic location opposite Panfilov Park and easy to walk to the bazaar, shops and restaurants. ||Big hotel foyer with quick efficient check in. All looks impressive although lights are dingy and not all are turned on. ||My room up on fourth floor. So hot in there I had to have windows and balcony door open all night. Twin beds with bedding too small for bed and mattress very uncomfortable. Very little space in room so was grateful I was not sharing. Room facing back of hotel so contended with noise of delivery lorries and bin lorries all night.||Fridge, safe (which did not work), TV (no English channels). ||Bathroom with bath shower and wc. Lots of hot water but bathroom smelled of drains. ||Room not serviced at all except for bin emptying, unless you ask for it. ||Breakfast included but all beige processed foods unless you want salad. Blaring pop music TV on although the restaurant is a huge circular room like a yurt. ||Sauna and plunge pool in basement but in awful condition and not working. Gym room locked. ||Dingy corridors. Bar never opened. ||Many reviews talk about the novelty of a Soviet era hotel. How wonderful to experience etc. I get that but even though it’s cheap I would not come back even...

This is the old Soviet Intourist hotel of Almaty, i e built for visitors from foreign countries. There has been lots of renovation but there are still a lot of "Soviet quirks", like the Russian-only-speaking receptionist, the artworks in the lobby, the 1980-s style ineffective pretend-to-be-aircon, the security guard in the lobby, the don't-dare-to-ask-for-any-extras-whatsoever attitude, etc and the place has clearly seen better days. No restaurant except breakfast. The wi-fi is of the extremely annoying type that requires a local phone number 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄, the access code is the last four digits of the number that calls you back i.e. totally worthless for foreigners (and it kept breaking down anyway). However, the location is great just opposite Panfilov Guardsmen's Park and Zenkov Cathedral 😍 And rather close to the metro, too. But if you look for something more contemporary like English-speaking staff, evening restaurant, a bar, effective aircon and reliable wi-fi which is not safeguarded like a national treasure and for locals only, you ought to skip this place. For lovers of old Soviet, however, this is probably Almaty's...

Old Sovjet hotel with lots of history within its walls. It has definitely seen better days but its a cool hotel to stay in, although it seems to be a little empty. Rooms are good, nothing to complain about, and as a bonus you have a little balcony with views over the 28 soldier park.

The breakfast is nothing special, although the room it is located in has beautiful art on the walls and is shaped like a dome. The lobby and lounges on each floor have their own design and again have that old sovjet touch to it.

Next to its history the location is definitely the best part of the hotel. Its located in the heart of the city thus many important locations are nearby like the park mentioned before, the cathedral, bazar and bathhouse. Although it doesn't have the highest quality I can still highly...