Hotel Rusel Park

What was good

The staff were very helpful and friendly. They couldn't have done more to make me feel welcome. It is a pity that they are let down by some of the quirkiness of this hotel. (See other comments.) Ideally positioned if you are attending an event at the Heydar Alijev Center. Close to a metro station (7 mins walk); buses are directly outside. But please see my other comments. The wifi exists in the reception area, but doesn't reach quite a few of the rooms. The reception staff provided a dongle for wifi access which worked very well, but had to be charged up (in reception) every day. (Use your own wifi hotspot if you can.)

What was bad

It is difficult to know how this hotel compares with other non-chain hotels in Baku. It doesn't meet some of the usual standards you would expect, but perhaps that's normal in the city. My main observation is that there is a strange smell throughout the building, and it was particularly strong in my bedroom - to the extent that I had to clean everything (incl. suitcases) when I got home to take the smell away. Whether this is down to some cleaning product, or general road/traffic pollution, it wasn't easy to tell. After I had inspected the room carefully I couldn't find a source for the smell, and everything seemed clean and in working order, so I didn't make a complaint. The owner might want to think about the overall impression of the hotel, upon arrival. The fact that there's a strong smell on entering the building results in a suspicion that the place isn't clean - but it IS. On the other hand, some of the fixtures in the bathroom were in need of updating (rust on shower fittings; new toothbrush holder needed). Bedding and towels (and gowns/slippers) were all clean, but looking well used (e.g. frayed edges), so replacing those would also give visitors more confidence in cleanliness. The breakfast was adequate, but some of the cold items were re-served day after day without evidence that they were fresh portions. On the other hand, the cooked food was very good. I used the pool twice. The cleaning fluid was quite strong, and should be checked more regularly. Lack of sufficient safety precautions (e.g. rubber matting in the shower area) definitely needs to be addressed urgently. On the other hand, it's a good pool for swimming short lengths for fitness/relaxation. Again, it's the strange smell that is unnerving.