Renion Hotel Almaty

Our family of four stayed at Renion Hotel in Almaty from January 27 to 29, 2025. For a budget hotel, it was fine, and we liked being near a supermarket and several good local restaurants. The lobby, dining room, and our room were clean. The room heater ran too warm for us, though, and we couldn't adjust it because it was centrally controlled. There was no elevator either, so we carried four big suitcases up the stairs ourselves. Staff service was mixed. The receptionist was decent, but most employees seemed indifferent and rarely greeted guests. When we checked out, though, one male staff member kindly helped us take our luggage downstairs. We had to leave at 6 AM on our second day, before breakfast began at 7. The night before, we asked for four boiled eggs to take instead, and they were ready in the morning along with some fruit for our tour. That was thoughtful of the management. I’m especially grateful to the female night receptionist on January 28, 2025. I don't know her name, but she was very kind.

I travel for work and spend about half my life in hotels, so I read the reviews before booking Renion. Some seemed a bit far-fetched to me. This is a budget hotel and makes no claim to be anything else. The lack of a lift is mentioned, so it shouldn't come as a surprise. I stayed for two nights while travelling from Astana to İstanbul, and Renion met or exceeded what I needed. It was very clean, well managed, and the staff were friendly and helpful. Breakfast was adequate, too. Before I arrived, Irina answered my emails quickly, efficiently, and politely. It's a comfortable place near the airport if you're in transit, and I'd recommend it for that. Thank you!

One airport tip before anything else: avoid Blue Sky Taxi. They charged us five to ten times the usual rate. We learned the hard way. Yandex GO and Uber KZ both worked well and were much cheaper, so download one before landing in Almaty. We were three Europeans visiting Kazakhstan for the first time, and Renion Hotel made a warm, welcoming base for our trip. It felt surprisingly luxurious for such an affordable price. The staff spoke English, were always kind, and made sure we had what we needed. We were three guys snowboarding all day at Shymbulak, then relaxing with bottles of vodka in our room, and probably not looking our cleanest after the slopes. The staff never judged or complained, and housekeeping kept the room spotless. Much respect to them. The included breakfast was fresh and filling, just right before a day in the mountains. After hours at Shymbulak, the sauna followed by a plunge in the ice pool felt amazing and gave us energy for another evening out. Renion became our adventure basecamp, and the quality for the price was unbelievable. We left with great memories and maybe a little vodka hangover. We'd absolutely stay again, and next time we'll skip Blue Sky Taxi.

The rooms are roomy and come with free water, a kettle, and dental care items. There’s also a breakfast buffet, which is a nice extra at these rates. Reception staff are friendly and speak English, and parking is spacious, though you have to drive a little way in from the main road to reach it. There are some catches: no lift, so upper floors mean stairs, and in summer the air conditioning can get quite hot. There isn't an electric fan to help cool the room. Still, if you want a cheap stay with big rooms and a decent breakfast, it may suit you.