Hotel Iris in Chisinau

I stayed here 3 nights this week as part of a group. Supposedly a 4-star hotel (per Moldovan rating). Good: rooms were clean and had basics (AC, minifridge, TV, hair dryer). Breakfast was varied and food quality was good. Bad: TV was in Russian, phone dead, no one answered reception calls, had to fix it myself with Google Lens. No cable channels on our floor (only upstairs), and the receptionist was rude ("don’t you have a smart TV at home?"). Other guests had the same issue. Bigger problem: no drinking water at breakfast. One receptionist spoke only Russian, another promised a jug for next day but nothing came. The same rude guy from 1st day told me to put bottled water in the fridge and "wait for it to get cold". Only solution was a group member bringing water from our floor’s dispenser. The 3rd day, still no drinking water. Conclusion: poor service, unhelpful reception, and zero care for customer experience. I would not return here even if it was free. I do not recommend it if you like to drink cold water at breakfast.

The bathroom had a strong, unbearable musty smell that made me want to leave within seconds. This is not a minor inconvenience, but a clear sign of poor hygiene and lack of proper maintenance. When I asked to change rooms, I was flatly refused, with no attempt to resolve the issue. Such a level of service is a disgrace for any hotel.

It's too remote. There is only one restaurant next to it. It's not open on Saturdays and Sundays. It only sells food at noon from Monday to Friday. The front desk service is poor. I stayed for a week and didn't even change the sheets in the middle.