Hotel Royal Riviera Gagra

The clean sea and good location were the main positives. Old Gagra is quieter than the new part, and the beach is about 150 meters away, although it is covered with large rocks. Without a car, however, there are no grocery stores nearby, the cafes are extremely overpriced, and there is no real infrastructure or entertainment. The hotel itself is beautiful and new, and the pool is a nice extra. The first floor smells unpleasantly rotten. Rooms lack basic things such as trash cans. Electricity, including internet, went out every day, and there was one two-hour water outage. The buffet room is tiny and crowded. Coffee is only served at breakfast, and even milk isn't guaranteed. Arriving shortly after a meal begins may mean that some items are already unavailable. The only drinks are tea and a strange compote, which will disappoint anyone used to a proper buffet. I was especially unhappy with administrator Inal. His expression was unfriendly, and he refused to help when a glass broke.

The rooms are impressive, with a refrigerator, smart TV, iron, ironing board, hairdryer, and kettle. They were cleaned every day, and the bedding, towels, and robes were replaced every three days. The pool was warm too. Unfortunately, the rest was disappointing. Only 0.5 liters of water per person was left in the room at check-in. There is just one elevator, and meals are monotonous. By afternoon there was almost nothing left, with guests waiting for plates, forks, and spoons. No coffee machines were available, only cheap instant coffee at breakfast. Flies and gnats crawled over the dining-room food. When I complained, the answer was, "Are we supposed to stand there and shoo them away?" Salads were often sour, and once even the tea was fermented. Power and water were cut off from time to time, while the Wi-Fi kept disconnecting. My family wasn't impressed by this hospitality, and we won't return. Something like that.

The dining room was cramped, with queues and too few tables, and the food was repetitive. The compotes tasted bad, while the cheap coffee was served only in the morning. We even had to buy 5 liters of drinking water from a store because there wasn't enough available. Water and electricity were constantly being turned off. The grounds are small, there is no animation, and the beach doesn't have enough sun loungers. The staff seemed half-asleep. For this price, I can't recommend the hotel.

The location is very convenient, close to the colonnade and Seaside Park. Minibuses stop by the road, so getting around Abkhazia is easy. Our room was large and luxurious, with comfortable beds and all the necessary furniture. The staff were helpful, and the pool was decent, with live music on weekends. The nearest small shop is a 10-minute walk away. The main problem, though, was the food. You won't go hungry, but squeamish guests may struggle. Flies covered every dish, and tiny flies came out of the salads.