Dioscouri Hotel

The staff were so friendly and helpful, and the room had everything I needed. The shower got really hot, too. I’d happily stay here again.

The room was on the small side, but it worked well for me, and the nearby food and clothing shops gave me plenty to wander around in the evening. I felt safe there. Parking is limited, though they seemed fine with me leaving my motorbike by the front door. Riders should watch the corners: the roads are so smooth they feel like ice. My back wheel slid out twice at about 5 mph 😬

The price didn’t match what we got. If there’d been honest, shabby-looking photos or a much lower rate, we’d have known what to expect. Instead, I’d tell anyone with another option to stay somewhere else, even if it costs a little more. At least you won’t be caught off guard by this place. Online, the hotel’s photos make it look classy. In reality, that seems to apply to only two or three rooms and the entryway. The first-floor art is nice, if not really to my taste, but the exact same prints hang in the exact same places on floors 1 and 3, gathering dust. I didn’t see floor 2, though I’d be surprised if it looked any different. It felt like they’d tidied up a few areas to draw people in, then left the rest as it was. The room felt like a creepy, cheap New York hotel hidden down an alley. The bed was rock hard, the floors were stained, and the bath was about half the usual width, so getting in felt like stepping into a shower. There were mugs, spoons, a kettle and even a little glass bowl for tea and coffee packets on a cute tray, but no tea or coffee. When I asked at the front desk, the employee said they didn’t provide any and that I’d have to pay, then finished with, “that’s the way it is.” That’s a poor way to answer a simple question from a customer. It came across as if they wanted as much money as possible for as little service as possible. I can’t understand how the hotel got good reviews above three stars, unless people feel bad about leaving less than four or five, or happened to meet the one staff member with a bit of politeness. Either way, the whole place was awful, and what we got wasn’t worth the price.

The balconies are the best part, especially if yours faces the mountains. Watching the sunset there with a glass of local wine was memorable. The rooms are small, but the beds are comfortable and I slept well.