Our itinerary suggested we were staying overnight at a local guesthouse, so Kok-Bel Hotel, and I use the word ‘hotel’ loosely, was totally unexpected: a long cream, utilitarian-looking two-storey building. It was located on the shores of the Toktogul Reservoir, the largest in Central Asia, which powers the dam downstream and supplies the majority of Kyrgyzstan’s electricity.
With 30 rooms and stairs at either end, we were in 207 on the second floor, although the 7 was missing from the door. The small basic room had two very single beds with a sheet and bed cover. Although there were two bedside tables, only one power point was available as the air-conditioning was plugged into the other. A small wardrobe was the extent of the furniture. There was no Wi-Fi in the room, and it was fickle in the communal areas.
The bathroom was equally small with no fripperies like a hairdryer or toiletries. The shower over the high bath made it difficult to get into, but the water was hot and powerful. There was no bathmat, and of the two towels provided, one was a hand towel.
As we stayed on a Sunday, the large rectangular outdoor swimming pool was busy with local families, and seats around it had been made from wooden pallets. Another circular pool nearby was empty of water, as was a fountain.
Just after our arrival, the skies darkened, and thunder and lightning curtailed our outdoor explorations, so we enjoyed beers in the indoor bar i.e. a space with a fridge. Fortunately, by the time dinner was served at 7pm, skies had brightened, and we ate al fresco in the gardens at a fabulous swinging seat/table overlooking the reservoir. Nearby were a group of local men, and one was wearing an Ak-kalpak, the white felt hat said to resemble the country’s snow-capped peaks. Just as we were debating about whether to ask for a photograph, they asked to have their photos taken with us as we appeared to be the only tourists in town.
Dinner comprised of a simple salad with tomato, cucumber and onion, a delicious lentil soup with bread, followed by trout from a nearby fish farm accompanied by ‘home cooked potatoes’. The pudding was apricots picked from the nearby tree by our driver. We drank more beer and pots of black tea and although it was a beautiful evening, the sunset was a little disappointing.
Breakfast was arranged for 7.30am and again we sat on the swinging seat and began with yet more black tea. Excellent sour cream pancakes were accompanied by a grape compote, and although we declined the rice porridge, we enjoyed two fried eggs with bread.
As it was our 9th wedding anniversary, we got in our vehicle to leave and found the driver had placed a red rose on the seat.
This was a slightly bizarre place, and during what was literally a 16-hour stay, we experienced virtually every type of weather, apart from snow, which added to our experience. Despite it having a slightly unloved, run-down feel, it was clearly popular with locals as there appeared to be several event spaces of varying sizes. Bearing in mind the stunning surrounding scenery, it was easy to see why they enjoyed getting away from it all.
