What's the deal with the train tickets to and from Abkhazia?

We found that the train tickets to and from Abkhazia were more expensive than expected, but it's worth noting that the train ride itself was scenic and relatively comfortable.

Is the hotel's Wi-Fi reliable?

Unfortunately, the hotel's Wi-Fi was spotty at best, making it difficult to stay connected. We had to rely on our phone's data plan for the most part.

What's the value for money like at Hotel Europa?

Considering the price we paid, we thought the value for money was surprisingly good. However, it's worth noting that the hotel's amenities and services could be improved to justify the cost.

Can I get a refund if I need to cancel my booking?

Unfortunately, the return policy was unclear, which made us nervous about making any changes to our booking. We recommend double-checking with the hotel before making any commitments.

Are the hotel rooms comfortable?

Yes, the rooms were modern and clean, with comfortable beds and a great view of the mountains or sea. However, the build quality of the hotel itself was a bit lacking, with some creaky doors and uneven flooring.

What's the buffet breakfast like?

The buffet breakfast was a highlight, with a wide variety of options to suit every taste. From eggs and sausage to pastries and fruit, we found something to enjoy every morning.

Is the hotel located in a good area?

Yes, the hotel is located in a great area, just 15 minutes from the beach and with a stunning view of the surrounding landscape. We loved the scenic views and the proximity to the beach.

Can I get help from the staff if I need it?

Yes, the staff were friendly and helpful, even if they didn't always speak English. We appreciated their efforts to assist us with our issues, even if it took a bit of time.

Hotel Europa in Abkhazia Review: A 3-Night Getaway for $8,000

We scored an insane deal for a heated pool resort in Abkhazia, just 15 minutes from the beach, with a view of the mountains or sea from the window, and a buffet breakfast included - it sounded too good to be true for the Hotel Europa in Abkhazia. But what did we actually get? I'll cut to the chase.

Hotel Europa Gagra Abkhazia reviewI owe a huge thanks to my colleague at work for tipping me off about the best deals for a vacation and adding me to their Telegram channel for hot tours and discounts. We'd been planning to visit Abkhazia for ages, and this deal was too good to pass up. I have to admit, the price was a bit daunting: 'All-inclusive' for 2 adults + a child's spot came out to 7,900 rubles from May 22nd to 25th. And let's be real, the train tickets to and from were more expensive than expected.

Getting from Krasnodar to Gagra is relatively easy - you can take a direct train, and no passport or visa is required, but be prepared for two passport checks (a thorough one at the Russian border and a more formal one at the Abkhazian border). From the train station, you can grab a taxi or a microbus - there are plenty of drivers waiting for you.

The hotel is in a great location: right across from the market, next to a big supermarket where you can pay by phone (a rarity in most places), and just a 5-minute walk from a new mall with a great food court. The beach is about a 10-minute walk away.

The Hotel Europa is situated on a large plot of land, with a guard at the entrance and a bunch of roses in front of the entrance - white, red, yellow, big, and small, with a lovely scent. To the right of the entrance is a kids' playground, and a bit further down is the dining hall. The courtyard has a pool and a bar area.

Flowers right outside the hotelThe hotel lobby is spacious: there's a reception area, a waiting zone with sofas, and four lifts (two on each side of the lobby). The lifts can be a bit temperamental, to be honest.

Check-in is at 2 PM, and check-out's at 12 PM, just like most hotels. The admin staff aren't exactly customer-focused: if you're friendly and conflict-free, they'll smile and help you out. But if you're having a tough time, don't expect them to smooth things over. We had a smooth experience with our company, but we did see some conflict situations. We lost our room key card, and they replaced it without a fuss. We asked for some dishes, and they provided them straight away. Our kid lost their phone, and the security guard was the only one who offered to help us look for it. We checked the CCTV cameras, but it's likely the phone was taken by someone else, not the hotel's fault – just my kid's carelessness and some other guests' dishonesty.

I got a room on the 8th floor with a view of the mountains. It's a bit bigger than the ones with a view of the pool (my friends and family stayed in rooms on the 6th and 9th floors in the other wing).

Room 822 on the 8th floor of the 4-star Europe Hotel in AbkhaziaThe corridor on our floor is clean, and there's a kettle, iron, and ironing board for everyone to use. The door to our room is opened with a key card.

Shared spacesCorridorThe first thing I noticed was that the room had recently been renovated - it's super clean. The entrance has a shoe rack and a closet for clothes. The room itself has a big double bed, which is basically two beds pushed together, and a fold-out sofa that's a bit wobbly. There's a TV on the wall with a standard Russian TV package, a desk, a small fridge, and a chair. Behind the curtain, there's a clothes dryer and a space heater.

Entrance hallEntrance hallThe balcony is open to the elements, and the view of the mountains is amazing. I slept with the window open and didn't even hear the music from the pool during the day, or the rowdy guests at night. The only downside is the mosquitoes - they're everywhere, so make sure to bring a bug zapper.

BalconyView from room 822 (8th floor) of the Europe Hotel in AbkhaziaI was really pleased with the mattress - it was super comfy. The bedding was crisp and clean, although it wasn't the whitest I've ever seen due to multiple washes. Each guest gets a small towel and a foot towel.

Standard 2-person room with an extra bedEurope Hotel 4-star reviewsThe bathroom had a shower and sink, and the heated towel rail was a nice touch - you can even turn it off by closing the tap. Each guest gets a toiletry set, including shower gel, shampoo, and soap.

BathroomI was pleasantly surprised to find that our room wasn't cleaned daily, but the housekeeping staff would still come in and collect the trash, replace the toiletries, and restock the toilet paper every day, even if we weren't using them. By the end of our stay, our sink was cluttered with soap and toiletries, and the toilet paper roll was almost empty. If you want a cleaner room, you can just ask the staff, and they'll take care of it. I had a bit of a mess with crumbs from my kids, and I asked for the vacuum, but they told me they'd get to it after they finished cleaning the neighboring room. They ended up cleaning it up while we were out on a walk. The same thing happened with the bedding on the third day when my kids spilled juice all over it - the housekeeping staff replaced it without any fuss or complaint.

The hotel has a kids' room on the second floor, but I didn't get to see it. My kids said it was pretty cool, but the walls were covered in some pretty... colorful language. On the 11th floor, there's an observation deck and a billiards table. They also have a mini sports court for kids to play football and basketball.

Observation Deck on the 11th FloorThere's also a kids' play area with a wooden castle, swings, a merry-go-round, and a table for parents to relax. It's mostly shaded by trees, so the kids can play comfortably until the mosquitoes start to bite.

Kids' Play AreaKids' Play AreaThere's a pool in the hotel courtyard. It's open from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and then they clean and chlorinate it. As a result, the water is spotless. The temperature ranges from 28 degrees Celsius, with one day reaching a scorching 32 degrees. I'm not a fan of the kids' area being right in the middle of the pool - it's not fenced off, and kids can easily wander into the deep end. During the day, there's supposed to be aqua aerobics, but I only saw it once in six days.Heated Pool in AbkhaziaJust beyond the pool is the bar and snack area - if you can call it that. Lunch is included in the package, and they give you a single serving on a disposable plate: either fries with a sausage or fries with a burger. Let's be real, it's not exactly gourmet. But they do offer a nice ice cream in a cup - it's like something from your childhood. You can also grab local drinks like wine and chacha, or non-alcoholic options like water, juice, and tea. I'm not sure how much booze you can get, since none of us dared to try it.

The dining area is located in a separate building. The wooden tables and chairs are arranged in several rows. When you enter, they ask for your room number. The dining area is clean. The food is arranged in several rows. While there isn't a huge variety, it's enough to feed the kids.

Dining Area For breakfast, they have oatmeal with milk, pancakes, varenyky, cottage cheese, instant coffee, and milk. For lunch, there are two types of first courses, and for second courses: macaroni, buckwheat, chicken, fish, goulash, liver, salad, fruits, and vegetables. For dinner, the second courses are the same as lunch, but they add kefir and baked goods. Despite the menu being the same every day, everything is fresh and tastes good.

Lunch under the "All-Inclusive" system at Europe Gagra Every evening from 9 PM, there's a disco party. They set up speakers by the bar near the pool and play popular songs.

There's also a bar where you can buy coffee, drinks, ice cream, snacks, and cocktails. You can only pay with a card here – they don't accept phone payments or transfers. The prices are way higher than anywhere else, and the girl who sells the goods has this really unpleasant attitude like you're breaking into her house at night and asking for money.

Viewing platformAfter three days, we felt like we needed a break, so we decided to stay for another three days. At the reception, we were told that they couldn't extend our stay - we could either book a room on their website or through a tour operator. I got in touch with our agent, and she found us three more rooms at the same price, so we ended up staying in the same rooms we had initially booked.

View from the 6th floor roomLooking back, I'd say that, yes, you can find some downsides, but considering the price of our stay, we're willing to overlook them.

View of Gagra from the viewing platformThat's all from me. Check out my other travel reviews:

BUKHATA INAL

DZHUBGA

KABARDINKA