Mountain View Hot Spring Resort

We stayed during the week, so it wasn’t too busy and we had plenty of time to enjoy the pools and hot springs. There are several spring pools at different temperatures, outdoor pools, a heated indoor pool, two indoor hot tubs, showers, and a sauna. Bathrobes and sandals were supplied in our room, which was handy. I believe day visitors get them too. The setting is peaceful, with lovely mountain views and a river running past the pools. The hotel is modern, clean, and attractive, and the restaurant food was excellent. Staff were friendly and helpful. When someone didn’t speak English, Google Translate made it easy to communicate. We also arranged an airport transfer through the hotel without any trouble. It was a lovely, relaxing stay and exceeded my expectations.

The pool and sauna are there, but outside it’s basically a shabby construction site. For over $100 a night, this was my worst accommodation experience in all of Kyrgyzstan. I definitely won’t be coming back. The room was huge, big enough to dance in, and I even got an upgrade. But there was nowhere to put a suitcase except the floor, and the gigantic walk-in wardrobe had no drawers or storage space. Am I meant to hang my socks and underwear on the rail? The balcony was unusable too, with no chair, table, or umbrella. When I asked for help, the staff didn’t bring furniture. They carried some out of the room instead, but it was far too big for the balcony, so it was still unusable. I should have listened to the bad reviews. I could go on, but I’m tired of it and everything’s been said.

There are several different water experiences here. Outside, you’ll find small cold pools that are basically stone ponds, as well as pools of warm spring water. Indoors, there’s a large pool with surprisingly cold water and a jacuzzi if you want to warm up. The main issue is the shortage of sun loungers, or shezlongs, so it’s best to arrive early if you want to get one. Although the resort is some distance from the city, getting there by taxi costs around 500 soms and is worth the trip. Leaving is easy too, since taxis and ride-hailing apps like Lande work for the return journey. A memorable spa visit, though it’s a good idea to plan ahead for food and seating.

We booked two rooms through Expedia and got to the hotel at one, but check-in wasn’t until two. While we waited, we found out the restaurant wasn’t serving anything, so we went for a walk and came back at three. Then they told us one of our rooms had been given to someone else. How could they do that? We had no choice but to head home, completely disappointed. There was a huge crowd at the entrance, drinking and smoking and being loud as hell. The place is badly managed, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.