Apple Hostel Cholpon Ata

We spent two weeks in Cholpon Ata and liked how small the hostel was, with a lovely garden where you can hang out. The location is great, very close to Issyk-Kul lake. Check out the petroglyphs, sunrise, bazaar and historical museum!

The staff were rude and unwelcoming throughout, which was a shock after the other three hostels we stayed at around Issyk Kul, where people were amazing and helpful. Apple Hostel is also among the most expensive places in the area. We paid top dollar and ended up in a rundown hotel with no Wi-Fi, while the staff seemed not to care what happened to us. We'd booked a private room at Apple Hostel and were excited by the good reviews. On arrival, they demanded payment in cash upfront for all five nights before we could even put our bags in the room. Nobody had told us this beforehand, and there wasn't an ATM on site. After sorting that out, they took us across the street to a different hotel several minutes away. We had been told we'd stay at Apple Hostel, so this felt like a lie. The other hotel was in very poor repair, and nobody there spoke English. Our room had no Wi-Fi at all. When we complained, Apple Hostel said we could cancel and find somewhere else, though it was already evening and that wasn't really possible. Maybe it’s fine in the quiet season, but I wouldn’t book during peak tourist months. They waited until the last minute to reveal the situation, leaving us with no real choice except to write a bad review and hope others avoid the same mistake.

The staff were great, helpful, and fluent in both Russian and English. I loved the central location, close to everything. I'd definitely recommend it to groups travelling to Issyk-Kul on a budget.

A really nice kitchen and lounge, warm enough beds despite the cold, and a great location by the bus station, with routes west and east. It’s easy to get to the lake or mountains. Cheap too, just 6$. The host Rudy was super friendly, and the kyrgi owners girl was good as well. Best place in cholpon ata, couldn't ask for more :))))