Kyzyl Grand Hotel and Spa (f.Azimut Hotel Kyzyl)

We stayed there for two nights in September. Four of us. Came there in two rented cars just to explore Kyzyl and Tuva a little bit. There was no-one to welcome us upon arrival. I mean, absolutely nobody - either at the entrance or at the reception desk! We waited for some time, tried to call for assistance, then shouted, then yelled, then squealed (for fun) - to no avail. So, building exploration started. We crept around every corner, knocked on every door - silence. At last a small hairdresser salon was discovered but girls there told us that they rented the place so had nothing to do with the hotel. Hoping against hope, we proceeded with our research and at last - surprise, surprise! - a door opened and a bewildered guard appeared. He got even more puzzled when we told him our story (as if he couldn't check it with his CCTVs!) and finally a young receptionist - a trainee - came to our rescue. Since then it was kinda bearable. We got our rooms quickly (mine was with a gorgeous Yenisey river view - for an extra pay) and they were quite nice. Beds were comfy and clean, all necessary amenities were in place and there even were no death screeches heard at night (Kyzyl is notorious for its rampant crime). There is a free guarded parking nearby and the hotel's territory is fenced and camera controlled. So, welcome to Kyzyl - a town of unforgettable impressions!

Me and my friends (three of them) dined there twice in September. The food was damn good, especially Tuvian cuisine. We tried their buuz (steamed dumplings with meat), fried lamb with vegetables and fried lamb liver. Everything was really scrumptious! We had to wait for buuz for about forty minutes, however, which is sort of too long since I know that Buryats, for example, cook them in a quarter of an hour. They did not have non-alcoholic beer either which was a drag. The place is also definitely overpriced but this is, unfortunately, unavoidable because a) they hardly have any competitors in town and b) Kyzyl is notorious for its unsafety, especially by night, so the hotel's guests would hardly dare to poke their noses outside after sunset. To make a long story short, recommended. Particularly local specialties.