As other reviewers have said and is obvious from the photographs on your booking pages , the building dates back to the sixties. The first room I was shown, was on the 6th floor, had no airconditioning and a poor view looking at another block of the hotel. The new room had more modern furniture. My visit to Sochi coincided with that of a friend staying at another hotel meters east. That hotel, the Edem, also hasa a large salt-water pool, but one not divided all day into swimming lanes.
It's beach access is also more 'natural' than that at Zhenchuzhina - so I spent my days at the Edem even though there was a R charge for poolside R just for the beach. Breakfast was plentiful and Ii thought the choice available was fine - better than in other Russian hotels I have stayed in over the years. I only tried the Limpopo restaurant, but had two good meals, accompanied by live variety performances one the 'normal' show, the other a 'special' for which there was a small charge to reserve a table.
Both shows were fine - if you like the sort of thing that is very common on Russian TV. And yes, the high-end nightclub on the 'Platform' which has nothing I did not visit either the lap-dancing bar or the strip club in the Zhemchuzhina, nor did I succumb to the blandishments of the prostitutes who materialised late at night in the Xhemchuzhina's lobby Why would I with my girlfriend almost next door?! I'm pretty sure I was the only non-Russian in the place, but reception staff helped out when my own command of Russian let me down But the hotel, staggeringly, does not provide a 'visa service' - perhaps because they get so few non-Russians.
I would happily stay there again The location is great, on the seaside. However, the service and personnel is from old soviet time. The system of check out is absurd - your room first is controlled by lady who is your floor attendant, then she calls to reception if everything is ok and then the second control.
If you pass both, you will need to get a paper permission for bringing your own staff! Then the last check by security and you can go. The hotel is an old soviet style block.
