Luxury hotels in Astana

BACKGROUND

The hotel opened in June 2017 in time for Astana’s Expo 2017 event. It occupies the first 18 floors of one of the two Talan Towers in the middle of the city centre. Above it are RitzCarlton residences on floors 19 to 25.

WHAT’S IT LIKE?

The spacious lobby makes a statement from the moment you walk through the door: this property is all about top-end luxury and refinement. Gold is used throughout the hotel as a nod to the country’s ancient Saka (Scythian) culture, with lots of artwork too. From the doormen and front desk personnel to the waiting staff and concierge team, the level of service

(and English) is of a higher standard than most other Astana properties.

FACILITIES

There are 157 rooms

(measuring 40 sqm) and suites. My palatial

Executive Suite was 115 sqm, designed with dark woods, shiny gold metal detailing, leather and textile furnishings, and carpets in calm greys, browns and blues, plus attractive parquet flooring. The expansive living room – with plenty of table space and seating – would be ideal for meetings of up to six people, its quality no doubt creating a good impression.

Three restaurants and bars include the lobby-level Ozen Lounge for upmarket cocktails and Asian-Mediterranean food;

Mökki on the third floor, which is the allday dining restaurant offering “organic, cosmopolitan” cuisine (breakfast was expansive and heavy on meat offerings); and Selfie – a combined bar and restaurant on the 18th floor.

The Club Lounge offers a meeting room and food throughout the day, while the 1,400 sqm of event space include one of the city’s largest grand ballrooms (982 sqm) plus three meeting rooms, two boardrooms, a business centre, Guest Lounge and VIP room. Third-floor leisure facilities include the Ritz-Carlton Spa, a salon, a huge 275 sqm gym and 25-metre pool.