The Blue Sky Hotel & Tower
by the TopOfHotel team
Blue Sky is a night inside the glass sail that has become Ulaanbaatar's signature on the skyline, with a top-floor Sky Lounge running a full 360-degree panorama — it wins on its plaza-side location and landmark status more than on the polish of the rooms.
Blue Sky is a night inside the glass sail that has become Ulaanbaatar's signature on the skyline, with a top-floor Sky Lounge running a full 360-degree panorama — it wins on its plaza-side location and landmark status more than on the polish of the rooms.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Open the door to a Blue Sky room and you land in a classic-European mood — warm tones, dark wood, heavy curtains, a big-spread bed and curved traditional furniture. It is not contemporary minimalism; it is the formal, composed luxury of an older European hotel. The best thing in the room is the large glass window that curves with the shape of the tower. Many rooms open straight onto Sukhbaatar Square, with the seated Chinggis Khaan statue in front of the Government Palace and the Bogd Khan range wrapped around the city in the distance. Higher floors get the wider angle — the kind where you wake up and want to take your coffee at the window first. Bathrooms use marble and 5-star toiletries, some with a separate tub and shower, and the beds are comfortable to the Preferred standard. These are rooms that do not shout about design but give you the steady, easy feel of an international hotel.
Food and amenities
The thing everyone talks about is the Sky Lounge on the top floor — glass on all sides, a 360-degree panorama that runs from central Ulaanbaatar out to the Bogd Khan range. At sunset the towers and the square below catch the gold against the mountain shadows, then the city lights take over after dark, and plenty of reviewers rate the cocktail up here as a do-not-miss Ulaanbaatar moment. Downstairs is the indoor pool, which becomes the star in winter when the city can sit tens of degrees below freezing. Beside it sit a spa with treatment rooms, a sauna and a steam room, and the in-building fitness room is open through the day. For food there are several restaurants spanning European and Asian, plus a lobby bar for a meeting or a quiet drink. Having it all under one roof is exactly what makes Blue Sky work in a city where the weather is harsh and the options outside the building are still limited.
Location and getting there
If you have ever seen a wide shot of Ulaanbaatar, the curved glass sail standing next to the central plaza is in nearly every one — that is this hotel. It stands directly across from Sukhbaatar Square, the historic plaza that is both the heart of the city and the gathering point for the Government Palace, the Chinggis Khaan statue and several major museums. The Government Palace and the statue are about 2 minutes on foot, and the National Museum of Mongolian History is a few minutes more. From Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN) it is roughly a 50-minute drive. Tell a taxi driver "Blue Sky" and everyone knows it.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk to help you decide. The first thing reviewers agree on is that the building and rooms are starting to look older than the 5-star rate — the hotel has been open for years, the traditional European look can feel dated next to newer contemporary hotels, and some bathrooms, carpets and furniture look faded and due for a refresh. Second is inconsistent breakfast and service: a number of reviews mention the morning buffet being slow to refill and repetitive over several days, some staff with limited English, and slow check-in when it is busy. Third is noise and Wi-Fi — the hotel sits on a main road in the city centre, so street-facing rooms can pick up traffic in the morning and evening, and Wi-Fi in some rooms is flagged as less stable than it should be. Light sleepers should ask for a high floor or an inward-facing room, and if you need to work online a pocket Wi-Fi is worth packing.
Our take
Reading through a lot of real reviews, The Blue Sky Hotel & Tower delivers fully on being the city icon — plaza-side location, a 360-degree Sky Lounge and everything you need under one roof. If your picture of the trip is a first time in Ulaanbaatar, sleeping in a landmark you can spot from anywhere, waking to a view of the central square and the mountains, then heading up for a sunset cocktail above the city before a swim in the indoor pool to dodge the cold, this is the most complete pick in a city that does not yet offer many 5-star options. If instead you are expecting a brand-new luxury hotel with contemporary design and the service level of the big East Asian brands, the age of the building and the patchy service may leave you feeling you paid full rate for less than full marks. Overall we give it 8.5/10 — best for travelers who want the city's icon, business guests who want a trusted name in Ulaanbaatar, and couples who want that night view of the city from one of the best lounges in town.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- The 25-storey curved glass sail, about 105 metres tall, is a landmark people remember and a building that photographs well from every angle in town.
- The location is directly across from Sukhbaatar Square — an easy walk to the Government Palace, the Chinggis Khaan statue and the National Museum of Mongolian History.
- The top-floor Sky Lounge runs a 360-degree panorama that takes in both the city centre and the Bogd Khan range wrapped around it. A lot of reviewers call it the best sunset drink in Ulaanbaatar.
- An indoor pool, a spa and a fitness room all sit in the one building — a real plus through the winter, when Ulaanbaatar turns bitterly cold and you would rather not leave the tower.
- It is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, and the rooms run a formal classic-European look that suits business travelers and anyone who wants a trusted name in a city where 5-star choices are still thin.
- The tower has been open for years, and the classic-European rooms and lobby are starting to look older than you would expect at a 5-star rate — some of the bathrooms and furniture look faded and due for a refresh. If you are picturing a brand-new 5-star, the build may feel off-brand.
- Breakfast and service draw mixed notes. Some reviewers mention the buffet being slow to refill and repetitive day to day, a few staff with limited English, and slow check-in on busy days.
- The hotel sits on a main road in the city centre, so rooms facing the street can pick up morning and evening traffic noise, and Wi-Fi in some rooms is flagged as unstable. Light sleepers should ask for a high floor or an inward-facing room.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Ulaanbaatar
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Insider Tips
- Ask for a high floor on the side facing Sukhbaatar Square — you get the central plaza and the long line of the Bogd Khan mountains, which is the best view the hotel has.
- Head up to the Sky Lounge around sunset, order one cocktail and walk the full 360 degrees — the city-and-mountain view in the golden light is the highlight you should not miss.
- Ulaanbaatar runs well below freezing in winter, so get your money's worth from the indoor pool and spa — step outside for more than a few minutes and the cold sends you straight back in.