Bontiak Hotel

You can see the cathedral bell tower from the room window. The room itself was spacious, clean, and comfortable, and Sophia Square is only a five-minute walk away. Just note that the hotel sits in a courtyard. It was a little chilly in the morning, especially in the bathroom.

The price jump is hard to accept. A room that cost €60 a night a year ago can now be around €100, and breakfast isn't included anymore. I used to stay here consistently a couple of times a year, but it feels like the hotel doesn't care about its long-time guests. Maybe the new prices bring in the same or more money, but over time they'll lose loyal clients like me. At this price level, there are much better hotels with better locations and views. From Bontiak, my view was a brick wall and a smelly dumpster downstairs. Raising the price also raises expectations far too high. It's disappointing.

The hotel is close to everything in the center, though it's up on a hill. I booked directly for seven nights and had to pay upfront, which meant I couldn't leave a day early without losing the cost of that last night. I found the towels really small, about the size of hand towels, and they only provide one per person. If you ask for another, they charge 200 for it. My room was large, probably because I was staying for a while. I looked at another room too, and it was about a third of the size. The bed was very uncomfortable and I couldn't sleep through the night. Breakfast was okay but quite small, and they bring it to the room.

The room was clean, and the bathroom toiletries were good. Breakfast comes right to the room, with a nice wide choice. But I couldn't find a pen, free water, or the Wi-Fi password. The room was rather cool in autumn, so I had to use the air conditioner for heat, which isn't good for the air. The bar payment situation was confusing and really inconvenient. You can only pay cash there. I was in Ukraine for just one day, and after paying by card when I arrived, I had to go find cash for the bar when checking out. That made me late for a meeting.