Arda Hotel

The location is one of the hotel’s strongest points. The sea is a leisurely 5-minute walk away, right in the middle of the coastline, with roughly the same distance in either direction. It’s quiet, the staff are pleasant, and the rooms are comfortable, though the view depends on the floor and window direction. Even an unlucky view shouldn’t be terrible. The hotel offers a buffet for 500 rubles per person, which is convenient, but the food was only average. It wasn’t exactly bad, just not impressive. Still, having a place to eat there is useful, and you don’t have to use it. Cleaning was regular and thorough, with linen changes and room airing. The bathroom was spotless, and the room looked modern rather than Soviet-era. It included a refrigerator, kettle, TV with Russian channels, air conditioning, and decent free WiFi. There’s also a ping-pong table with paddles and balls, board games, and a ground-floor cooler with drinking water. I’m giving four stars because the food disappointed me a little, though that may simply be personal taste.

We’ve stayed at Voda more than once and have always been satisfied. The hotel is clean, cozy, and well placed, with both new and old Gagra within walking distance and the sea just across the road. Rooms were cleaned daily, and the receptionists were consistently helpful and accommodating. Breakfasts were generous, with enough choice for different tastes. It’s a good value for money.

The Arda Hotel is in a private-sector area behind the railway tracks. From the balcony, you look toward a private house right beside the fence. The sea isn’t close, and the nearest access point has an overflowing sewer that drains into the sea. On the positive side, cleaning is done daily, and the breakfast buffet is excellent, with a range of dishes available each day.

The room was thoughtfully arranged, clean, and cleaned every day. It had comfortable beds, a small balcony, and in our case a very pleasant sea view. The staff were friendly, the food was delicious, and a small dining room was the only real inconvenience. Courtyard tables provide extra seating. Breakfast was included at 8:30. For another 350 rubles per person, we could add lunch or dinner, so we went swimming and around the city during the day, then ate a generous buffet meal at 5:30 PM. It was cheaper than another cafeteria we tried, where meals started at about 550 rubles per person and portions were small. Here we could choose freely and eat until full. The location is excellent for people who like walking and beach holidays. The city market is about 35-40 minutes away in one direction, and the city center is about the same in the other. The colonnade, seaside park, and other sights are around 30 minutes away, and those beaches are better than the ones in the city center. A pool isn’t really necessary because the hotel is on the second line from the sea. The name "Arda" is a woman’s name, chosen by the owner in honor of his mother.