Golden Beach By ShamBaku

The staff were very friendly, but painfully slow. We waited almost an hour for tea. There is a private beach with lounge chairs and tables and chairs, which was nice, though the beach was a bit dirty. The rooms all face the pool, where loud music plays from around 11am until midnight, so there’s no peace. The place is old and needs a lot of renovation. In our room the desk drawer was broken, wallpaper was peeling, the toilet seat wobbled, the taps were poor, and the bathroom was very dark with just one light. We couldn't open the fridge door, and the wifi kept cutting out. There was no morning cleaning unless we asked workers to come and clean something specific. I stayed in August 2025.

I went to Golden Beach Hotel mainly for the outdoor pools, but the experience didn't match its four-star promotion. The entrance fee is fairly low, which seems to fit the standard of the facilities and service. The hotel has potential, but it needs renovation and a more family-friendly environment. The pool area looks worn and dated, with lots needing repair. The loungers were uncomfortable, the umbrellas struggled in the wind, the restrooms were in poor shape, and there were no changing facilities, so bring a towel if you need to change. It seemed better suited to teenagers than families. Some people were noisy and disruptive in the pool despite signs and security trying to intervene, and the loud music made it hard to relax. Card payments are accepted, but sorting out cash or card-to-card transfers upfront can be a hassle.

The beach wasn't ready for the season: it was dirty, there were no sunbeds, and the umbrellas were rusty. The pool was closed for renovation, and staff said it wouldn't open until June 10. They offered no compensation or alternative. The room's tap water tasted strongly of salt, so we couldn't even boil it in the kettle. Internet was out all day, then barely worked when it came back. The whole property was under construction. Noise started early and carried on all day, and the restaurant couldn't be used because it was full of building materials. Breakfast didn't arrive until 11 AM, even after we reminded staff twice. At 12:30 AM, an employee tried to force their way into our room to sell us a SIM card as a replacement for the broken Wi-Fi. Completely inappropriate and unprofessional. On top of everything, they cancelled the booking reservation so we couldn't leave feedback or share our opinion. From the first day, the stay was extremely disappointing.

The sea was 23 degrees and about 100 m from the hotel. It felt warm in the evening and refreshing on a hot day, and my kids loved having the pool right outside our room. The hotel is in a village, 15 minutes from the airport. We used Bolt to see Baku and booked a walking tour around the city. Everything went well from when we came through airport customs. The driver met us for the airport transfer, the hotel manager was at the check-in counter, and the rest of the staff took care of breakfast, dinner, cleaning, and beach service.