Discovery Borovoe Hotel

The worst part for me was the food. At every meal, you’re given a set dish with no real choice. If you don’t like it, you can skip eating or order something from the small menu at extra cost. There’s a separate restaurant floor for kids with a chafing dish buffet and some decent food. They serve enough bread rolls, but barely anything to put on them: at breakfast we got two tiny pieces of butter, enough for sausage or a mini cheese, and then that was it. The sausages were disgusting, and we often didn’t have enough cutlery. Two knives for four adults and a small child made things difficult. The coffee was horrible, so we paid to get a proper one at another café. The beer was good, at least. The setting is lovely, in the woods, with the best air quality I’ve experienced in Kazakhstan. The children’s playgrounds are well built and feel safe, and there are plenty of attractions to keep you busy. Our room in Building 5 was spacious and nice. Water didn’t drain properly from the shower floor, and it only got mildly warm. There’s no WiFi in the rooms, and mobile reception indoors is poor, which might suit someone looking for an internet break. Check-in could be planned much better. Everyone has to take a number and wait in a long queue. It took us around 70-80 minutes, though they did hand out beer and snacks while we waited. I’m writing this while still here and feeling frustrated. Thinking it over, the food is the main problem. Maybe my European standards play a part, but if they improved the restaurant, menu and food choices, I might rate it 3 or 3.5 stars.