Queen Hotel

Great.

I came expecting something charming after reading the great reviews, imagining a house museum where we could stay among welcoming local people. The hosts were pleasant at first, showed us around and explained things. Our room was big and looked clean, though there was a slight sewage smell. For 5,000 rubles a night, about 100 bucks, there were no toiletries, just a large bottle of liquid soap and two dental kits. I also found a torn label from someone else's clothes, which made me wonder how well the room had been cleaned. They wouldn’t take a card, only cash. We’d offered to pay upfront, but the hostess said we could bring the money when convenient, even at checkout, so we agreed to pay the next evening. The breakfast I’d been looking forward to was very limited, with things I don’t eat. There weren’t even omelets or scrambled eggs, and no khachapuri either. Later that morning they reminded us about payment, and I said we’d pay that evening as agreed. When I got back at 5 PM, the owner called me in and demanded the money in an unfriendly tone. I needed the wifi to message my friend, who had the cash and was due back later. I told the owner the internet wasn’t working and asked for help getting it going. He said it wasn’t his problem and reminded me we’d been there two days without paying, even though we’d offered to pay earlier and had agreed on the evening. I spent about 10 minutes asking him to reboot the router. He acted as if he didn’t understand and told me to call my friend, but I was in another country with no roaming and no network. Eventually the router was restarted, I got online, and my friend said he’d return in an hour and a half. I felt too uncomfortable to leave, so I waited there. After we paid, I thought things would settle down. The next morning there was Adjara cheese and the food I’d asked for, which was fine. I requested the same breakfast for the following day, but that evening they said the shop didn’t have that cheese and made excuses. At checkout, I asked if I could stay an extra hour. They told me to take my bags downstairs because new guests were coming at 12, even though check-in is usually at 2:00 PM. I wondered if the room would be cleaned for them. They never cleaned it once during our three-day stay. Thanks for the hospitality. A hostel for 500 rubles a night is nicer than this.

The sea is close, though there’s no sea view from the window since this is the old town rather than a high-rise. The decor is antique, and the internet doesn’t reach every room. Restaurants and music are everywhere around here, with live music going until about midnight in peak season. You can hear it through closed windows. The hostess makes a delicious, varied breakfast, and there are lots of good places to eat nearby. If you’re dieting, this might be a good time to take a break. The hosts do their best for guests, and their hospitality is excellent. The location is convenient, with everything you need close by.

The breakfast feels like what poor first-year students would eat. The owners are rude and seem to try to cheat you.