Arrived in Novi Sad to break travel from Belgrade to Budapest. Took the taxi to the Hotel to discover it was in a remote part of town and under reconstruction. Then I discovered that they could not honor my reservation. They admitted that they should have informed me but the person who had that job simply forgot. Stay away from this place. We made a quick change to the Hotel Park which was better located and quite nice while only a bit more expensive.

I never intended to stay in Novi Sad at all but with every hotel room in Belgrade being full for the Eurovision Song Contest it was the best alternative.

The hotel is modern and clean, tucked down a side street and the staff very friendly. I arrived early evening and was given one of the more simply decorated rooms (maybe not such a bad thing!) full of pine furniture, a very comfy bed and plenty of TV channels. The bathroom was sparkling with a huge separate bath and shower but no hairdryer it turned out.

I decided to walk into town which was a bit of a trek but very easy to find and worth visiting for the old town and citadel. I ended up taking a cab back because of a sudden thunder storm which cost next to nothing.

I managed to over sleep the the next morning but the hotel still managed to rustle up a big omelette breakfast and have a cab waiting for me to take me up to the bus station.

I thought it was excellent value and for business travellers or gym freaks probably even more so. I would stay there again.

I stayed at the Gymnas Plus Hotel for four nights in November. It is located a short distance from the main area of Novi Sad, but taxis are cheap, and the hotel makes a big effort to help you find one. When I first arrived I was surprised that I would have about a 10 minute commute, but finding other hotels was difficult as there were lots of conferences during the period I was there.

My room was very large, on the second floor (the third to Americans) and was beautifully kept. Someone has noted the amount of mirrors in their room. My room had either snowscapes or female nudes.....a rather odd combo. The furniture was a mixture of antiques and patio type furniture, and there was a large table with chairs, and another sitting area by the window. It did seem rather warm in the room, but I opened a window at night and it was comfortable. The bed was very comfortable, and the bath clean and efficient.

I enjoyed the large breakfast, which is very middle European, with lots of cold meats and cheese, and your choice of eggs. I even managed to have my rolls split and toasted each morning, altho I had to repeat the request daily.

I too discovered that this is a CASH ONLY hotel, and after reading on the web I would be able to pay by card, this proved false info, and if my debit card had not worked in the cash machine in the lobby, I would have been severely inconvenienced. The explanation was long and convoluted, and not worth repeating here. To change money in Serbia is quite a routine....you have to go to a special office to exchange dollars to dinars. Thankfully, one was just down the street.

There is no food here, except breakfast, so you must either order in, or walk down the street to a local restaurant. It had a huge menu, but I gathered everyone ordered pork roasl, and it was okay. The first time I went I enjoyed the meal, the second night was just the reverse. The hotel staff were unfailingly courteous, and conversational, and helpbul. Cocktails are very expensive at the bar, but beer and cold drinks are not.

The owner lives behind the hotel, and I was amused when his young son would glide through the lobby on his roller blades. I had the feeling that alot of business people stay here, and the people I saw were well dressed and courteous. In all, it was somewhat different, but it did have alot of character. If it wasn't for those snowscapes and nudes!!

This quaint property is one of the top choices in the charming town of Novi Sad. The staff could not be more helpful. The room had all the amenities one would expect from a North American 3 or 4 star property. The breakfast (included in the reasonable price) was wonderful.

There are a few things that some may find a disquieting, but tolerable:

1. Smoking is everywhere, including inside the hotel. Whether you like it or not, you will end up smelling like cigarettes, as well as your clothes, and somehow it drifts into the halls and the rooms.

2. Heating is great - but its too much. Unless you want the room to be 125 degrees (due to a steam heating system), you will find yourself opening all the windows, which was actually nice - unless it is raining, in which case open windows will result in water intrusion.

3. The bedroom is outfitted with mirrors everywhere - on the ceiling, on the wall, and a 45 degree angled mirror at the ceiling corner down from the end of the bed. Warning - do not open the bedroom window. The apartment neighboring the Gymnas Hotel houses a curious Novi Sader who thinks nothing of spying your room by shining a light (at night) straight into your hotel room to see if they can catch any interesting sights in the various mirrors. Creepy, and surprising.

4. Want to pay by credit card? Forget it. Upon check in, they claimed that their credit card terminal was down. By day three - same story. Be prepared to pay by cash - and that means tens of thousands of Serbian Dinars. Have them on hand and ready.