Sapar Standart Hotel

The staff were welcoming, friendly, and helpful, and they spoke Kazakh, Russian, and English. My room was very large and clean, with good heating and ventilation. Breakfast was served from 7am to 10am. I'd gladly stay here again for a vacation, and would suggest it to foreign travelers visiting Shymkent. The accommodation was wonderful and the rates reasonable.

The breakfast earned the second star. A kind woman made eggs the way I wanted and helped me with coffee, and communicating with her in Russian was no problem, even though I know my Russian isn't good. Maybe she should be a manager instead of cooking. The room situation was unbelievable. I left my things there and went out, then came back in the evening to a room that was unbearably hot. I tried to explain it to the staff, but after rude comments about my poor Russian and trouble using the receptionist's phone internet, things got frustrating. My own internet worked, and I suggested translit.ru since azbuka wasn't installed on her phone, but she didn't know it and refused. Eventually we understood each other, and the answer was that they would do nothing about the temperature. After I got angry and asked for my money back right away or said I might call the police, they offered another room. It was still really hot, but far better than the first, so I accepted. I later found the hidden air conditioning controller set to 30°C. I can only guess the first room was close to 40°C. I set this one to 22°C and went out, thinking I'd solved it, but on closer inspection the room was full of fungus. Keeping a room at 30°C seems like a reason for that, I guess.

The breakfast was extensive and incredibly tasty, and the prices were very kind. Staff were great, while the room was basic but practical.

The air conditioning was noisy, and the internet in my room didn't work. When I told a staff member, she said I should use the internet in the lobby.