Sochi conditions disappoint Olympics-goers

A Sochi journalists complains about his hotel wi-fi. Hotels have been reported to have poor living conditions.

A Sochi journalists complains about his hotel wi-fi. Hotels have been reported to have poor living conditions.

Thousands of athletes and attendees arrived in Sochi anticipating the 2014 Winter Olympics, only to be greeted by shambling hotel accommodations.

Despite the enormous, unprecedented budget surrounding the Russian-hosted Games, many visitors found their rooms completely unfinished, often lacking toiletries, beds, and furniture. Other rooms were fitted with showers containing surveillance cameras and half-hung portraits of President Vladmir Putin, leaving many individuals aghast at the prospect of sharing their room with two other people. Certain hotels were even reported to be opened without having viable lobby arrangements.

Food arrangements have also disappointed Sochi-goers, with visitors finding actual bees within packets of honey and yellow water with warnings to avoid consumption and direct contact.

The streets of Sochi have also been plagued by several stray animals, mainly dogs and cats, leading the Russian government to controversially hire an extermination company to clear the roads of the “pests” by Friday’s opening ceremonies.

The town’s residents have reported seeing dogs being shot with poison darts and tossed into waiting trucks.