Dinner at the Novotel was fantastic. I started in the bar with a Saverapi from Georgia (cheap and delicious) and later took it into the restaurant with me.
A bell pepper (capsicum) soup, with immaculate presentation and a selection of dumplings from the regions (there was also a good selection of horse dishes!)
The next day the weather was bad again. With a flight around midnight, I asked for a late check-out and was given 6pm!!

Didn't do much during the day - had a massage at the Novotel spa which was quite good, and went back to the mall.
I read henleybeach's comments re the lounge at Almaty airport so I decided to have a light dinner at the hotel. Just a club sandwich and a beer.
Then a taxi to the airport - the hotel recommended a taxi rather than yandex at that time of night, so I went with the flow. Still cheap, and this time I got one of the chatty taxi drivers that HB wrote about. He never stopped!! Student, wants to go to Australia ...
About an hour to the airport, even using a really good short cut the taxi guy used (I was following on
maps.me). The outside is impressive:
... but inside its not. Small and not very well equipped. This is the single gate lounge.
I was flying Asiana J (LifeMiles redemption) and they (and everyone else) used a contract lounge. Basic selection of nuts, sweets, fruit and small cakes etc, plus water for free, everything else you had to pay for (eg US$3 for a coke). I was so glad I ate at the hotel. Wifi so slow it was useless.
