Shiny River hotel

The river view is lovely, and the river area is pleasant, though the hotel isn't especially close to the main facilities. Staff were polite, and reception spoke English, which is uncommon in East Kazakhstan. Rooms were clean but quite average, with very good heating and triple-glazed windows. The TV didn't work, but the WiFi was good enough for streaming. Breakfast was a decent buffet, with eggs cooked to order, and dinner was reasonable for such a remote region. Coffee was the weak point, bitter and American-style. The lobby fish tanks were nice, though the turtle needs a much bigger space. Service felt average because Aliya made us leave the table after 11 AM, even though we wanted to order tea. For the price, the facility and service were reasonable.