Vian Guest House

There’s a pump room nearby, and the staff were friendly and showed us around the area. We liked our stay. We rented a clean, bright junior suite on the second floor, with windows looking over the football field and a balcony. It had two TVs, though only two channels, but we weren’t planning to watch anyway. The room had an electric kettle, microwave, refrigerator, iron and ironing board, coat rack in the hallway with five or six hangers, wardrobe, small double bed, bedside tables and a table. Basically, everything was as advertised, and towels and bed linen were included. The car was parked next to the entrance, and only insiders were allowed onto the grounds; there was a security guard. The market, ATB and shops were 10 meters away. There were lots of cafes for every taste, plus a supermarket and a burger place around the corner.

They cleaned every day, and the suite was fairly clean and cozy for a couple of days. It’s on the 4th floor, where the Wi-Fi signal is very weak and doesn’t really reach. The furniture is worn: some cabinets won’t open, and the ones that do are barely hanging on. There are two TVs, but very few channels, mostly ads and TV shopping. The shower doesn’t drain, so by the time you’ve rinsed off you’re standing in soapy water up to your knees. There’s no exhaust fan in the bathroom.

For the price, the conditions were decent. But getting to the hotel was impossible because it was all ice, with nothing sprinkled on it. The water was lukewarm rather than hot, the curtains a bit dirty, and not every room had a hair dryer. An iron on each floor would be a plus.

I stayed with my daughter in 2015. The hotel is very close to the station, though a little far from the center. We had Internet trouble: it was listed as available, but the password wasn’t recognized. Still, for an economy vacation, it was pleasant.