Mini-otel Apra (Parus)

It was spotlessly clean, the staff were polite and friendly, and the rooms had everything we needed. There was even an ironing board on the floor. We stayed in August and were so pleased that Ontario is the only place we'll choose next time!!!

We're staying here in August 2023, and the staff have been friendly while the rooms are clean. The room has Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a refrigerator, and a hairdryer, plus a balcony with a drying rack, table, and chairs. The little grounds are small but cared for, with benches and a few tables. I only took off one star because the shower has no hanger and there aren't any hooks either. Reception said they knew about it, but nothing else happened.

The room itself was acceptable. The sheets were clean, there was a blanket, hangers in the wardrobe, and a table with chairs on the balcony. The TV only gets five channels, if that matters to anyone. Sleeping on separate mattresses was uncomfortable for two people. The much bigger problem was the bathroom smell. It wasn't a faint leftover odor from earlier smoking. It smelled as if someone was smoking right then and the smoke was coming through the vents. The odor was sharp, strong, and very irritating. They also refused to let me stay for just one night, as happened elsewhere in Gagra.

The sea is close, and there are lots of cafes at different prices nearby, so the lack of food at the hotel wasn't especially important. This is Abkhazia, though, with Soviet-era streets, trash, old buildings, and some structures falling apart. It's odd that the authorities don't invest more despite the high tourism, while private investors keep putting up small hotels. The Ontario is fairly new and not bad, but it has clear drawbacks. Water pools in the wrong part of the shower, leaving a constant puddle. There are only two outlets in the room. One is used by the refrigerator, with the kettle beside it and no obvious place to plug it in. Since the room is for two, both phones also need charging, leaving only one free outlet. We were given a first-floor room whose windows faced a wall, and there were no balcony rooms available higher up. A big garbage dump was next to the hotel, with cows grazing nearby. Beach towels had been promised but were missing. The place is what it is, and you know some of this is coming when you visit Abkhazia.