irisHotels

The food selection in the kitchen was a pleasant surprise, especially at breakfast. There was even something like a simple ramen, though after the night I’d had, I didn’t try it. The kitchen smells drifting into the halls were nice. The bar was limited for me: mostly tea and coffee, plenty of beers, and a few spirits, but no cocktails, which I suppose makes sense for a small hotel. The room looked clean and felt cozy, and the bedding seemed to be washed regularly. But it didn’t look vacuumed or ironed, and after finding several bedbug bites a few hours after arrival, I checked more closely and saw traces of bugs in the pillows and mattress. The administrator moved me to another room, but I can’t be sure that one was completely clean either. In some rooms, there are no windows, and the air gets unbearably stuffy. Room layouts vary too: a few are convenient and comfortable, while others have a bed in the middle with nothing to lean against, and bedside tables far from the pillows. Some rooms also have very thin walls. In the morning, I could hear every word from next door. I wouldn’t recommend staying here. It’s cheap and looks decent on the surface, but you may be better off at a higher-end hostel.

The room we got for other family members had no window and was right by the employee rest area, so it was noisy at times. In my room, the bed was close to the window because the space was so small. I was cold all night and caught a cold. The restaurant staff were efficient, but the front desk could use better customer service. The shower hose broke and I reported it, but it still wasn’t fixed during our three days there. Rotten service.

The restaurant was a highlight, with great food and excellent staff. The hotel team were good too, check-in was quick and pleasant, and our room was clean. We had a room without windows. I figured that wouldn’t matter since we only needed somewhere to sleep for one night in Kiev, but there wasn’t proper air conditioning. They said there was central AC, but we didn’t feel it working. There was no fresh air, and the room smelled of cigarettes.

It’s in a great spot near the train and metro stations, and there’s a bar open around the clock. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the room was clean with a comfortable bed. The downside is the thin walls. Every so often, you can hear the neighbors.