Grand Admiral Resort & SPA

The rooms are comfortable and well equipped, the grounds are beautiful, and the hotel and spa are nice. The staff were friendly too. But the restaurant and its wait staff were a huge letdown. They didn’t seem trained in serving food or drinks: champagne went into dirty glasses, nobody refilled them all evening, and the silverware wasn’t replenished. When we tried to raise the service problems, the hostess kept talking on the phone to their people. A nearby group was smoking, and the waiter said smoking was allowed there, even though it’s forbidden in public places around the country. We were celebrating a birthday and got 20% off at the restaurant, but the spa bar charged us full price. There wasn’t a birthday treat or souvenir from the hotel or restaurant, even though dinner was horrible. I’d recommend the hotel, rooms cat. spa at main building, but avoid the restaurant or your stay may be disappointing.

The facilities deserve five stars, and the massage was first class, but the overall service was nowhere near five-star. The spa is excellent, while the waiters seemed confused and disorganized, and the staff didn’t seem trained. Soup took 20 minutes and risotto 40. The food was great, but those waits weren’t reasonable. I also got food poisoning from a salad during my first week. For the price, I’d give the place three stars.

The facilities are nice, but all the Volvo advertising everywhere cheapens the place. It may be the owner’s other business, but it’s hard to miss. At nearly $400 CAD a night, the resort still charges extra for just about everything, including volleyball, badminton, and billiards. The quad motorbikes were fun and worth paying extra for, though. Prices at the five restaurants are on a level with top places in Kiev; the food was decent, especially the salads, but the included buffet breakfast really wasn’t. It was cafeteria quality, with no paid alternatives. On Sunday they shut the breakfast restaurant and moved everyone to the kids’ camp cafeteria, so we ate with all the noisy kids. I like kids, but that wasn’t what I expected to pay for at a supposedly high-end resort in the nations capital. If you’re happy to pay Alaska or Coin prices for something like a kids’ camp, this might suit you.

Elena told me she’d spend the weekend relaxing in this beautiful natural setting, with a lovely, comfortable room for a restful break. I’m visiting the site from Paris, and I like these winter photos. The snow disappeared long ago where I am, and when it does come, it only stays briefly. My compliments and stars are for the beautiful presentation.