Kazakhstan Experience

Mountain views, tropical pool

Advantages: Executive rooms great, good security, nice pool
Disadvantages: Regular rooms mediocre, inconsistent service

...chain and is now the Hyatt Regency Rahat Palace. I've stayed at the Hyatt Regency Almaty eight or nine times, the first in 1998 and most recently in November 2003. In this time I have seen few changes; the single most noticeable change is that the hookers who used to populate the lobby bar have been moved out, apparently to the neighbouring night club. LOCATION The hotel is located in the city, a little to one side of the central area, on Satpaeva ...
...dozen different rooms at the Hyatt Almaty and most have been the same. The layout is the stand four star hotel layout: Entering the room, there is the usual cupboard to one side, with a reasonable amount of room to hang clothes on the six or seven hangers supplied. Next to the cupboard is a flat space at knee level to place your suitcase. Opposite is the entrance to the bathroom. The room then opens up into the bedroom proper. The double bed is ...

Vodkaboy 15.02.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Hyatt Regency Hotel (Almaty)

Aktau, a lively port in the middle of nowhere

Advantages: Efficient port, many utilities
Disadvantages: Might be hard to navigate without a vehicle, though there are taxis but road signs are soley writt

Aktau (Also Actau) serves primarily travellers arriving from ferry over the Caspain Sea into Kazahstan. Predominent traffic comes from Baku, Azerbaijan (about one ferry a week) but also ferry links are established with Russia to the north. As a place it is separated from the rest of Kazakhstan by a large section of desert. Rumour has it that attempting to travel to Aktau to and/or from the south of the country (e.g. Turkmenistan or Almaty, Kazakhstan) ...
...folling sand dunes and rockscapes. Aktau is so remote that the Kazakh government once designated it a nuclear testing zone. Thankfully it is not anymore but instead sucks oil out of the Caspian and is a large factor in Kazakhstan's ranking of 3rd highest country of Oil stocks in the world. As a town Aktau displays a successful wealth. Frequent cash machines accept VISA and some of the best petrol can be found here (Grade 98). I drove across the ...

sultanaking 09.09.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Aktau (Kazakstan)

You wont find Borat, but his Mom is here!

Advantages: Wiered (Comfortably)
Disadvantages: Wiered (Wicker man style)

Think of a world where the sane people are locked up, and the lunatics are outside, yes, its Britain, ur, I mean kazakhstan. My entry was made from Iran, by boat on some massive lake, landing at Bautino. Bautino is some industrial armpit, I think it produces oil, but I moved as far away from this area as possible. Although it is vast in size, much of the land consists of semi-desert terrain. Caught up in the groundswell of Soviet republics seeking ...
...the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in October 1990. Following the August 1991 abortive coup attempt in Moscow and the subsequent dissolution of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan declared independence in 1991. It was last of the Soviet republics to declare independence,- however, it has coped well do move away. Kazakhstan has stable relationships with all of its neighbors. Kazakhstan is also a member of the United Nations, Organization for Security ...

gt5952 19.11.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Kazakstan: General