Hotel Palma

You come here for the sea views: the place is right on the beach, and you can step from the room straight onto the sand. It feels more like a motel than a hotel. I visited in Nov - Dec 2023, out of season and during wartime. My room was 23, an upper room with a balcony. It was warm and a decent size, with a great view over the beach and Black Sea. It had double glazing, a king-size bed, small fridge, bedside tables, chest of drawers, wall-mounted TV, and a table with two chairs. The TV only had Ukrainian channels, no international ones. Upper rooms are reached by an enclosed shared corridor and are all non-smoking. Lower rooms have direct public access and allow smoking. Cleanliness and upkeep were poor. The floors were dusty and sandy, with thick dust under the bed and on every surface. I even found a 50uah note, which was a result. There were cobwebs in the corners and by the window. The PVC flooring was damaged, with sharp broken edges, so I covered the area with the spare duvet. In the bathroom, the toilet roll holder was barely attached to the wall, and the shower head holder was broken, so I had to hold the shower head myself. Towels, at least, were clean, soft, and a good size. The bathroom had the basics: shower, toilet, sink, hair dryer, and mirror, but its fixtures were broken. The hotel needs maintenance, and you’re paying for the beach and sea view right outside, not for service, facilities, or comfort. They advertise free WiFi, but I couldn’t get them to give me the password. Without a car, you have to walk to get anywhere. The motel is at the bottom of a hill, and public transport is about half a mile away and infrequent. The cable car station is a short walk, but it wasn’t operating when I visited. Judging by its condition and access, it looked like it hadn’t worked for a long time, more like an abandoned fairground ride. The staff spoke only Ukrainian or Russian, no other languages. Trying to use Google Translate conversation mode on my phone was a nightmare because the 2G/3G signal was so poor, despite a mobile mast being very close. I paid the equivalent of £100 for six nights out of season and feel I was overcharged by at least 40%. I dread to think what they charge in peak season for rooms and facilities in this state.