Leader Hotel

We were five adults staying at Leader Hotel in Tashkent in September. We booked two family rooms for two nights, but left after just one night, checking out the following day at 10:45 p.m. I’ve stayed in hotels around the world, and this was the worst experience I’ve had. I can’t understand the positive reviews; it makes me question how those reviews were judged. The rooms were a reasonable size, but filthy and unpleasantly smelly. The sheets were old and worn, the duvets had no covers and smelled awful, and the towels were rough and very poor quality. Staff were among the rudest I’ve encountered in hospitality, with no courtesy, willingness to help, smile or proper greeting. Breakfast was so unacceptable that it would have been better not to serve it. There was no butter, jam, cereal, fruit or proper juice, only a half-filled, dirty jug of colored sugary water. We had to ask for coffee, waited more than 10 minutes, then got it cold and undrinkable in a chipped cup. We ended up leaving to eat at a café outside the hotel. The hotel advertises a swimming pool, but guests have to pay an extra $25 to use it. That felt misleading. At checkout around 10:45 p.m., two male receptionists were there. One insisted on inspecting the rooms, saying he needed to see if we’d “forgotten something.” Ten minutes later he came back with a pillow cover and pointed to a tiny reddish-brown spot, saying we might have to pay a fine. The linen was already dirty and unhygienic, so the accusation was absurd. Then they kept us waiting another 10 minutes while they “washed it” to see if the mark came out. Only after that did he say it was “okay.” The whole episode was insulting, deeply inappropriate and unprofessional. I’m not judging this by UK or European hotel standards. Even by the most basic international standards, Leader Hotel falls far below what’s acceptable. It fails on cleanliness, service, food, facilities and professionalism. Frankly, it shouldn’t be operating in its current state.

The staff were extremely kind and helpful, and the location made it easy to walk to the main attractions. We stayed three nights as a family and enjoyed our clean, spacious, comfortable room. The bed was a disappointment, though, and felt low quality and uncomfortable. Breakfast leaned heavily on sweets and deep-fried food, with very few healthy choices, especially for children or anyone wanting something lighter and more balanced.

For the price, Leader Hotel was excellent value. I stayed two nights, and the breakfast buffet was the highlight, with a generous spread and plenty of vegetarian choices. The location was convenient, about 15 minutes from Tashkent Airport and within walking distance of Kosmonavtlar Metro Station. My room had the necessary amenities, including slippers, a mini-bar and toiletries, and having a gym was a nice bonus. It was a comfortable stay with good facilities at a reasonable price. Highly recommended!

The location, spacious rooms and breakfast place were good. We had a large room on the fourth floor, with a good bathroom and balcony. The stay was three nights, only because we had to wait for another hotel to have availability, which was inconvenient. The bed situation was awful: Room 402 had three box springs with a bedsheet over them. I don’t understand why a hotel would give clients that instead of a proper bed when they’re there to rest. My wife even offered to sleep on the rug in front of the beds, but I didn’t fancy sleeping on the floor. There were issues with the card payment system too. It wouldn’t accept US-issued Visa, Mastercard or other cards. They tried to run them, but couldn’t connect, and my Visa phone app didn’t register any swipe. Yet the same card worked at a store across the street and other shops, restaurants and a hotel nearby. Maybe their system isn’t connected, or they use a bank that doesn’t like US currency or tourists. You need cash, so get some before arriving. On our last morning I went downstairs for a quick workout to get my back back to normal. The treadmill didn’t work, and the exercise bike needed service. I also checked out the pool and sauna, liked how they looked, and brought my wife down in our bathing suits. But the door was locked, the lights were off, and our room key wouldn’t open it. I wasn’t going to walk to reception in my robe at 8 AM! The rooms are a good size, the location is good and breakfast is good, but bring cash, forget the workout and pool/sauna, and be prepared for very uncomfortable sleep. Without these problems I’d rate it higher. If guests have to ask for all of this to be fixed, the place might, just might, need a real manager.