Hotel Aknur

Okay.

After five days cycling through the desert, having a shower was a real plus. The hotel is fairly basic and sits in the center of the desert town of Bayneu. Water is limited, but that didn't bother me since the city has limited availability too. As a tourist, I think you have to adapt to that to some extent. The room had a shower.

We booked two rooms, and they were basically fine for getting a night's sleep without being dirty. Still, the rooms were cold, one curtain was missing, the sink was clogged, and the duvets had no covers. There was no remote for the air conditioner, so I had to find it on my phone and switch it on for heat. In the morning they served a three-egg plate with two pieces of sausage and tea with milk for 500,000 rubles per person, despite breakfast being listed as included on the booking page. They poured boiling water into a thermos.

The rooms were spacious and clean, and the dining room had quick, tasty food at reasonable prices. Staff were helpful too. There are several shops and a pharmacy nearby, and the hotel is right next to a post office with an ATM.