Baikal Chalet Listvyanka — Hotel in Листвянское городское поселение

This hotel is an absolute gem! You get views (from most of the rooms) of Lake Baikal and the surrounding hills. A huge structure, entirely of timber!! Rooms are spacious, and the bathrooms, though small, are quite adequate. It seems to be a family-run place, the staff are very cheerful, and they go out of their way to make your stay as comfortable as possible. In the dining room, there is tea, coffee, and different types of biscuits always available, free. Though you would hardly have time for time for this, Lake Baikal is too beautiful, and the town itself is wonderful to explore. My only gripe: the walk up the street (from Listvyanka's main drag) is quite a climb. Definitely not a hotel for someone in a wheelchair! And then there are about a hundred steps to climb up to your room. I counted 112 steps to my room, some rooms require less steps to be climbed, but some need more. Again, not a place for anyone in a wheel-chair. Also, difficult for anyone with a stroller. Though to be fair to the staff, they carried our luggage all the way up, and down! I just could not have done it myself! Breakfast was OK. If you wish you can have dinner here, for an extra charge. The internet was a bit dodgy in my room, I just came down to the dining room, the internet was perfect. On the whole, a wonderful place. If I come again to Listvyanka (and if I am healthy enough to climb up Gudina street, and the hundred plus steps to the hotel!) I will...

This hotel is an absolute gem! You get views (from most of the rooms) of Lake Baikal and the surrounding hills. A huge structure, entirely of timber!! Rooms are spacious, and the bathrooms, though small, are quite adequate. It seems to be a family-run place, the staff are very cheerful, and they go out of their way to make your stay as comfortable as possible. In the dining room, there is tea, coffee, and different types of biscuits always available, free. Though you would hardly have time for time for this, Lake Baikal is too beautiful, and the town itself is wonderful to explore. My only gripe: the walk up the street (from Listvyanka's main drag) is quite a climb. Definitely not a hotel for someone in a wheelchair! And then there are about a hundred steps to climb up to your room. I counted 112 steps to my room, some rooms require less steps to be climbed, but some need more. Again, not a place for anyone in a wheel-chair. Also, difficult for anyone with a stroller. Though to be fair to the staff, they carried our luggage all the way up, and down! I just could not have done it myself! Breakfast was OK. If you wish you can have dinner here, for an extra charge. The internet was a bit dodgy in my room, I just came down to the dining room, the internet was perfect. On the whole, a wonderful place. If I come again to Listvyanka (and if I am healthy enough to climb up Gudina street, and the hundred plus steps to the hotel!) I will...

Much about this place deserves a higher rating: attractive, wood-lined, clean, comfortable, generous-sized rooms with balcony; hearty, tasty, reasonably-priced meals; a warm, friendly hostess (Maria) with enough English, who can't do enough for you; excellent wifi. However, on the downside, the bathroom shower and sink arrangement is rudimentary at best; the chalet is 91 steps up from the street after nearly a 1 km walk uphill along a dirt road from the main road; but worst of all, what once must have been a magic view of Lake Baikal is now completely blocked by a massive new hotel being constructed just down the hill. Listvyanka itself is being rapidly turned into the worst kind of tourist trap with people spruiking over loudspeakers or accosting you in the street to go for a boat ride on the lake or visit the "Siberian zoo"; few footpaths but plenty of "tourist information" shops; grand new hotels and private homes next to dilapidated shacks; no working ATM in the entire village and few shops that accept payment by card. Still plenty of Russian and foreign tourists, including people stripped down and sunning themselves on the pebble beach, feasting on the Omul fish which lives only in Lake Baikal, or, at the other extreme, preparing to hike into the Pribaykalsky...