Rixos President Hotel Astana5

Rixos President Hotel Astana continues to hold its status as one of the most prestigious premium addresses in Kazakhstan’s capital, drawing guests with its impeccable location in the administrative center and its renowned hospitality. Independent travelers consistently cite the magnificent, varied breakfasts, an excellent wellness area, and a professional guest relations team ready to resolve issues promptly as the hotel’s main strengths. However, in recent years the hotel has faced increasing criticism over physical wear and tear in its rooms, malfunctioning air conditioning, and occasional lapses in cleaning. Additionally, a significant downside for non-smoking guests is the strong smell of tobacco that spreads from the 24-hour Irish pub on the ground floor.

Key Observations

Legendary Breakfasts: The breakfast buffet at Al Farabi restaurant earns rave reviews for its enormous selection of fresh pastries, cold cuts, fruits, and even black caviar, though the menu can feel repetitive during long stays.

Physical Wear and Tear of Rooms: Guests regularly note the outdated design, scuffed furniture, worn carpeting, and technical malfunctions, including faulty air conditioning and bathroom plumbing issues.

Smell of Smoke in Corridors: Due to the 24-hour Irish pub and cigar lounge on the ground floor where smoking is allowed, a persistent smell of cigarettes and hookah is often noticeable in the lobby and spreads to the guest floors.

Trajectory: According to guests who have been staying here for 9–10 years, the cuisine has become more varied and service overall remains at a high level, but the physical condition of the rooms and spa area has noticeably declined over this period and requires major renovation.

Main Pros

• Ideal location in the heart of Astana’s business and government district, within walking distance of the Bayterek Monument and major shopping centers.
• Exceptionally attentive and professional Guest Relations team, whose staff regularly assist in difficult situations and arrange thoughtful complimentary touches.
• Spacious Anjana spa area with a large pool, hammam, Finnish sauna, and a well-equipped gym.
• High-quality dining experiences across the on-site restaurants, with the Turkish restaurant Aksham standing out.
• Generous compliment system, including room upgrades when available, welcome desserts, juices, and nuts.

Main Cons

• Climate control issues: multiple 2026 reviews mention non-functioning air conditioners in rooms or an unpleasant smell when they are turned on.
• Lapses in room readiness upon check-in, including dirty towels left by previous guests and unwashed cups.
• Lack of basic amenities in some room categories, such as a shoehorn or a coffee machine in Premium rooms.
• Unusual bathroom layouts in certain rooms (no door and no proper ventilation in the bathroom).
• Overcrowding in the spa area on weekends due to external visitors buying day passes.
• Incidents of guests being unfairly accused of using the paid minibar upon check-out.

Overall Grade: B

Hotel Overview

Basic Information:

• Name: Rixos President Hotel Astana (official name in Kazakh: Rixos President Astana)
• Address: 7 Dinmukhamed Kunaev Street, Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan
• Contact details: phone: +7 (7172) 24-50-50, email: [email protected]
• Year opened: 2005
• Number of rooms: 179–184 rooms spread over 8 floors
• Positioning and category: Five-star premium hotel catering to business travelers, official delegations, and discerning tourists.

Description: The hotel is designed in the traditional Rixos grand style, with a spacious, multi-storey atrium, panoramic elevators, and abundant live greenery in the public areas. The concept combines premium service with extensive leisure and business facilities: two restaurants (the international Al Farabi and the Turkish Aksham), a 24-hour Irish pub, a lobby bar, and the modern Anjana spa center. The room rate typically includes the famous breakfast buffet and access to the basic spa water zone.

Target Audience: The hotel is ideally suited to business travelers, conference attendees, and government delegations who require a location in the heart of the government quarter. It will also appeal to loyal Rixos fans and tourists willing to tolerate elements of ‘tired’ luxury in exchange for first-class service and excellent cuisine.

Location & Transport

Location: The hotel is on the left bank of the Ishim River, in Astana’s new administrative and business center. The surroundings consist of modern office buildings, government ministries, and landscaped boulevards, making the location safe and prestigious.

Key Points of Interest: The city symbol, the Bayterek Monument, is a 10–15 minute walk away. The Keruen and Khan Shatyr shopping and entertainment centers, as well as Nurzhol Boulevard, are within immediate proximity. A taxi ride to Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport takes about 20–25 minutes.

Transport: A paid airport transfer service is available for guests. Front desk staff readily assist with calling official taxis. There is a secure, guarded car park right in front of the hotel, with mandatory vehicle inspections.

Walkability: The surroundings are very pedestrian-friendly, with wide sidewalks and close proximity to the main attractions of the left bank.

Grade: A+

Rooms & Cleanliness

The rooms are very spacious (from 30 sq m in the Deluxe category to large suites), furnished with comfortable beds, excellent orthopedic mattresses, and quality bed linen. However, guests often have issues with the layout and equipment: for instance, in some Premium rooms the bathroom has no door, compromising privacy, and the shower is fitted only with a fixed rain showerhead without a flexible hose. The overall standard of cleaning is high, but occasional lapses occur (dirty carpets, unwashed coffee cups, worn bathroom amenities).

Grade: C+

Service

Staff attitude is one of the hotel’s key success factors: the Guest Relations team, with members like Ainur, Assel, Aigerim, and Moldir, regularly receives personal thanks for their attentiveness and assistance with leisure arrangements. However, the overall picture is marred by occasional disputes at check-out, when guests are unfairly accused of using the paid minibar, as well as rare incidents such as long waits for check-in or elevator malfunctions.

Grade: B

Dining

The breakfast at Al Farabi is the hotel’s pride, offering an extremely wide range of international and Turkish cuisine, fresh fruit, exquisite desserts, and high-quality cold cuts. Lunch and dinner can be enjoyed at the top-class Turkish restaurant Aksham, known for its impeccable service and the chef’s flavors. Yet some guests criticize the coffee quality at breakfast and note that the morning menu barely changes from day to day.

Grade: A

Facilities & Amenities

The wellness zone includes a large indoor heated pool, a modern gym, a Finnish sauna, a steam room, and a Turkish hammam. The spa is praised for its cleanliness and abundance of towels, but on weekends it can be too noisy and crowded due to the influx of external visitors not staying at the hotel. Additionally, the hammam occasionally hosts private paid peeling treatments, during which regular guests may be asked to temporarily leave the steam room. The wireless internet is consistently reliable.

Grade: B

Important Notes

• The hotel is of considerable age (built in 2005), so its interiors may seem outdated compared to newer chain hotels in the city.
• Smoking is permitted in the Irish pub area, so a persistent smell of tobacco smoke may be present in the ground-floor common areas and on some guest floors.
• At check-in, the hotel requires a mandatory deposit of 40 000 KZT per night, either in cash or by credit card authorization.

Practical Tips for Guests

• If you are sensitive to noise or tobacco smoke, request a room on a higher floor away from ventilation shafts and smoking areas when booking.
• Upon check-in, ask to have the minibar locked or conduct a joint inventory with the bell staff to avoid misunderstandings and false charges at check-out.
• If the air in your room feels too dry due to the heating, contact the front desk – they will promptly provide a humidifier.
• For a more peaceful spa experience, try to visit the pool and saunas on weekday mornings, when there are practically no outside visitors.

Final Verdict

Rixos President Hotel Astana is a time-tested premium hotel offering an exceptional level of dining and a superb location, but it requires a renovation of its accommodation stock to maintain its flawless five-star status.

Overall Grade: B

Breakdown: Location: A+ | Rooms: C+ | Service: B | Dining: A | Facilities: B | Value for Money: B-

Best for: Business travelers, official event attendees, and fans of classic premium service with a focus on superb cuisine.

Not for: Those seeking ultra-modern minimalist design, a completely smoke-free environment, or expecting impeccable plumbing in exchange for the high room rates.