Journalists: Sochi Isn't Ready

Journalists already in Sochi say that some hotels remain far from finished and sanitation remains an issue at some facilities. Above is what came out of the faucet in one reporter's hotel room.

While the main venues and Olympic Village are finished, the area around the Olympic Park and a number of hotels are effectively construction zones, according to widespread reports. Among the nightmare stories: Hotels with stray dogs in the rooms, hotels without working elevators, and even one hotel that told its guests not to wash their faces with water because it was dangerous. Two weeks ago Russian blogger Alexander Valov took a series of photos that showed Sochi half-built and covered in trash 15 days before the games. The sidewalks were falling apart, and construction equipment dotted the muddy patches on the outskirts of the Olympic Park. Combined with the travel nightmares we're seeing from a variety of journalists, there's a growing impression that Sochi is not fully ready for the Olympics, despite spending a record ~$50 billion to stage the games.