My room was a surprisingly spacious, beautifully furnished superior double with a very clean, well equipped. The downsides to the room were the lack of tea/coffee making facilities, the TV could only be watched in Russian (of which I understand very little!) and the bed was as hard as a concrete slab! The latter issue was rectified very efficiently by the very helpful gentleman at the front desk, Madi, who organised mattress pads for myself and my travel companion. The spa treatments were great but difficult to book, largely due to the language barrier! Dewi, in the spa, gave a great Turkish Massage and Ruslan, at the spa reception, was very professional, providing everything needed. A special mention is also required for the two young gentlemen who served us at breakfast and for room service, both were personable, polite and very helpful. The restaurant on the 5th floor was underwhelming. The Samal restaurant next door provided a much greater range and quality and was much more in keeping with the decor and atmosphere of the hotel. The hotel is located close enough to walk back from the gondolas at Medeu, which service the Shymbulak Ski Resort, and well worth the picturesque views along the way. Taxis to and from the city centre, and Medeu, were relatively expensive, but still significantly more reasonable than taxi prices in a European city. Overall, our stay was quite pleasant and worth a return visit.