Межсезонье в конце октября. Off season at the end of October.

We got to the hotel "Porto Mare" because of the conference. Well, we decided to combine business with pleasure, to relax on the weekends. It’s a little unclear about the pricing policy: a month ago, the management offered me a stay for 2 days to pay 3500gr, and now we rested for 2100 (although before that there were negotiations not by e-mail, but “eye to eye”). Good prices hang on booking, very inexpensive. But this is a prelude, and now to the description of the hotel:
In the evening or at night you will not find it without a navigator. The street in front of the main entrance is not lit, hotel guests wander from the city in complete darkness, even the gates are poorly lit. On my first visit, I got lost in a car, first driving into the first entrance - the parking lot, and only then I got to the main one - the second entrance from the highway. We had a check-in at 9.00 in the morning, and they settled right away, they didn’t ask to wait (although the hotel was completely empty that day), they didn’t ask for money for an “early check-in” either. Rooms: everything is of good quality, new, whole. We had two rooms, so both looked decent enough. I was a little unlucky: the room was opposite the conference "tent" with huge letters "porto mare" that shone neon through my windows all night. This neon would illuminate the main entrance for guests. Well, on the second day of stay in this tent, a banquet of pharmacists was held, and live music through the canvas wall rattled very, very loudly, until 23 hours. The territory of the hotel is small, because the hotel is located inside the city. The main alley from the restaurant to the pool is a hundred meters, no more. There are several more shorter paths and a separate fountain with a pool in front of the reception. Information about the "large park area" on the hotel website is, to put it mildly, exaggerated. But everything is in excellent condition, very beautiful. Kudos to the gardeners. Landscaping works are being carried out above the main building, but so far the classic view of "construction in Egypt near your hotel. " Probably, then it will be beautiful. Let's move on to the pool, because we are in Alushta, and it's October outside, you can't climb into the sea.
The POOL at the end of that same hundred-meter alley is a heated square compartment of the main pool, fenced off by a partition from the bottom, again covered with a canvas tent. The size of the pool is 10 * 10 meters, no more. Warm but cramped. 10 people swam (6 of which were children), and it was already uncomfortable. There is only one hair dryer, and when it was necessary to dry 3 girls with long hair, problems arose. Again, far from the body. I didn't like the pool schedule. Hotel managers, information for you: when I wake up on vacation, I like to go for a swim before breakfast (I like pools more than the sea), swim while no one is around. BUT! The pool is open from 9.00 to 23.00 (Who needs it at 23.00, except for those already drunk in the lobby? ). I went to the reception and asked at the beginning of the eighth to open the pool (it is locked). I was refused. At the same time, when asked in the lobby whether it is possible to drink whiskey, there was a counter question: "What kind do you want? " What kind of "family" hotel do you have, if you can roll into the lobby at any time of the day or night, and get into the pool only from 9.00?

Now about the good: CHILDREN'S ANIMATION. This is really the main strong point of the hotel. Finally, we understood why the parents of children 4-10 years old will go. You can leave the child in the children's room and relax. The animators are great, the children are very happy. By the way, the lobby bar is very nice. On the first day of our stay, a girl played the violin, very beautifully. We stayed until 22.00, until it was time to pick up the children from the children's room. Unfortunately, on the second day, due to the aforementioned day of the pharmacist, it was extremely noisy, a football channel was broadcast on the screen, and we left. A good bartender Ruslan works in the lobby, a nice person and a good specialist in his field. Respect to him too.
SPA. The spa is located in a completely different place (5 minutes at a fast pace, 10 at a leisurely pace), and belongs to a completely different company. The only thing you, as guests of the portomare, will get is a 10% discount off the regular price. We went to the tsunami spa, we do not regret it. Good spa (in Alushta is considered one of the best), nice staff, good impressions.
FOOD. Everything is very tasty. There is not a huge variety, but there is plenty to choose from. It's good that the portions are small, you can take to try different things. Good salads and fruits. The only thing that was not particularly inviting was sweet, but the children collected full plates. On Saturday there was a huge arrival of children, associated with the beginning of the holidays and the promotional offer of the hotel, there was a shortage of tables. But some queues in canteens are common everywhere, so it's not a problem.
STAFF. For the whole stay at the hotel, only good impressions about the staff. They even asked for a surcharge with a very affectionate expression on their faces. But to be honest, all the staff at the hotel are top notch.
Summing up, I recommend this hotel to parents with children, who, with a clear conscience, can be left with children's animators. Well, and also to people who want to live exactly “inside” Alushta, walking along its embankment on foot. I myself will go to this hotel only if my child strongly forces me.
Have a good holiday everyone!