I recently stayed at the Ibis Hotel in Yerevan and, unfortunately, my experience was far from satisfactory. From the outset, I was perplexed by their policy of requiring a deposit of one and a half times the nightly rate upon check-in – that's 50,000 drams for a night priced at 31,000 drams. This seemed excessive and unwarranted, especially considering the room's basic amenities, which included neither a kettle nor anything of significant value, with even the drinking glasses being plastic.
This deposit policy immediately set a negative tone, making me feel distrusted before I had even settled in. It's baffling why such a measure was necessary when the hotel already had my passport and all pertinent details to address any potential damages or issues.
Moreover, the hotel was undergoing renovations, resulting in excessive noise that compounded the discomfort caused by the inoperative air conditioning and ventilation systems. The lack of proper air circulation made the room oppressively hot and stuffy, leading to restless nights soaked in sweat. The only remedy was to open the window, which did not fully open, and this invited noise from the ongoing construction outside, along with the risk of a draft.
The culmination of my disappointing stay was the room inspection conducted by a receptionist upon checkout to ensure the room's condition for the deposit return. Such scrutiny felt demeaning and was an unpleasant end to an already frustrating experience.
