I’ve stayed here a number of times now and always happy to come back. I love the marble staircase with the pictures of old Baku; the large hallways with chairs and settees; and the hot and cold breakfast selection. Rooms are spacious, clean and fresh. Bathrooms a bit dated, but with instant hot water. Since my previous review (October 2012) the hotel has installed free WiFi throughout, so no need to rely (or pay for) the local ‘Hotnet’ service. And I should probably mention their in-house laundry service – it’s the most reasonably-priced (and quickest) laundry service I’ve come across in any hotel, anywhere. Leave it in the laundry basket in your bathroom in the morning, and you’ll come back to it all done the same day. The town centre had a power cut the other morning – at twenty-to-seven which, in January, means it’s still dark – so it was good to see that not only did the emergency lighting work (I needed to get to breakfast, which starts at 0700) but the buffet of fruit juice, cereals, cold meats and cheeses, yoghurt (tubs and also local type) and fresh fruit was already laid out and, as they ‘cook on gas’ the hot selection was still available despite the power cut (which reminds me – we lose the bathroom water during those rare power cuts – but this is the only time it’s happened to me in this hotel during many visits). Situated on the edge of ‘Fountain Square’ the Azcot is ideally located for town centre restaurants, shopping, and a walk to the seafront Bulvar promenade. Baku is a city that seems permanently ‘under construction’ for one reason or another – a few years ago it was the Eurovision Song Contest; in 2015 it’s the first ‘European Games’ – so more new buildings; and more new stadia. Anyone who like a contrast in building styles will like Baku – from the Old City; to the not-so-old but traditional buildings (like Azcot, and Government House); to the modern (like the Hilton Hotel and Bulvar Shopping Centre). See separate, earlier review of Baku itself.
