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Traveling to Russia and beyond

  • RUSSIA GUIDE 2020
  • RUBLES
  • GUIDED TOURS
  • VISA INSURANCE (PDF)
  • VISA INVITATION (PDF)
  • 1. Visa
    • 1.1. Invitation to Russia
      • Should I indicate nights on the train in the application for an invitation letter or Russian visa?
      • Russian visa invitation. What is it and how to get it in 5 minutes?
      • How do I get the invitation to Russia if I’m staying with Airbnb?
      • How do I get the invitation to Russia if I’m making hotel reservations with Booking.com?
      • How do I get the invitation to Russia if I travel on a cruise ship?
      • Can I modify my invitation to Russia if it contains some incorrect information?
    • 1.2. Visa to Russia
      • How to obtain a Russian Visa in an easy and cost-effective way in 2019
      • Is it possible to travel to Russia Visa-Free? Who does not need a visa?
      • Flight Stopover in Moscow: What to See and How to Obtain a Transit Visa
      • Where do I apply for a Russian visa if I live abroad?
      • How to get a Russian visa in Canada in an easy way
      • Russian Embassies, Consulates and Visa Centers – Updated list
      • Visiting St. Petersburg on a cruise without a visa (visa-free) and with a tourist visa
      • How to get a private visa to visit relatives or friends in Russia
      • Is it possible to change my itinerary or renew my Russian visa?
      • The reasons for refusal of the Russian Visa (and how to avoid them)
      • Business Visa to Russia: Step by step guide
      • How to obtain the Russian electronic visa (e-visa): St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad and Far Eastern regions
      • How to get a 3-year tourist Russian visa (only for US citizens)
      • How to get travel medical insurance for Russian visa (in 5 minutes)
    • 1.3. Registration and immigration
      • Registration in Russia: What it is and how it is done
      • Russian airports: immigration card and customs formalities
    • 1.4. Visa to China, India and post-Soviet states
      • How to travel to Belarus without a visa (visa-free) and with visa
      • How to obtain a Chinese Visa in Canada in an easy and cost-effective way
      • How to obtain a Chinese Visa in the USA in an easy and cost-effective way
      • How to apply for the electronic visa to Uzbekistan (e-Visa)
      • How to get an e-Visa to India online: Step-by-step guide
  • 2. Transport
    • 2.1. Arriving by plane
      • How to go from the airport to the center of Moscow or the Red Square
      • How to find the cheapest flights to Moscow and St. Petersburg
      • How to go from Pulkovo Airport to St. Petersburg
      • Russian airports: immigration card and customs formalities
    • 2.2. Russian trains
      • Traveling between Moscow and St. Petersburg: Which is the best way?
      • Trains in Russia: How to buy tickets on-line without the middle-man
      • Train stations in Russia: luggage storage, Wi-Fi and other services
    • 2.3. Metro, bus and taxi
      • How to use the Moscow Metro and what stations to visit
      • How to catch a taxi in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, or in other Russian cities
      • Moscow’s Troika Card: paying all public transport costs with a card
      • St. Petersburg’s Public transport: the Podorozhnik card
      • Traveling by bus through Russia (and how to buy tickets online)
    • 2.4. Car rental
      • Is it worth to rent a car in Russia? Recommendations and requirements
  • 3. Sleep and eat
    • 3.1. Accommodation in Russia
      • Accommodations in Russia: How to choose and where to make a reservation cheaply
      • Ostrovok: the best alternative to Booking.com
    • 3.2. Restaurants in Russia
      • Where to eat in Moscow: from Teremok to Café Pushkin
      • How to book a restaurant in Moscow, St. Petersburg or other Russian cities
      • What do you eat in Russia? Typical dishes and Russian restaurants
  • 4. Destinations
    • 4.1. Moscow
      • What is the Moscow Kremlin and how to buy tickets online
      • Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow: tickets and guided tours
      • What to see and do in Moscow in 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 days
      • Flight Stopover in Moscow: What to See and How to Obtain a Transit Visa
      • Shopping in Moscow: from GUM to Izmailovo market
      • Where to eat in Moscow: from Teremok to Café Pushkin
      • Guided tours in Moscow: by foot, by bicycle, by boat, or by tour bus?
      • The Free Visit to the Lenin Mausoleum in Moscow
      • St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. Visits, tickets and schedules
      • Moscow’s Troika Card: paying all public transport costs with a card
      • Moscow Tourist Information Offices
      • Official tourist maps of Moscow (PDF)
      • Russia Travel itineraries: Big capitals, the Trans-Siberian Route and the Golden Ring
      • Places to enjoy the best views of Moscow
      • How to buy tickets for the Russian circus in Moscow and St. Petersburg
      • Russian Folklore Shows in Moscow and St. Petersburg
      • Moscow in Space: from the Museum of Cosmonautics to the Planetarium
      • What is a Russian banya and why you should visit it
      • The Seven Sisters of Moscow: The Stalinist Skyscrapers secrets
      • The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour of Moscow: you will not believe its story
      • What to see in Red Square in Moscow (and best things to do)
      • Novodevichy Convent (and cemetery), one of my favorite places in Moscow
      • Star City Moscow, where the cosmonauts live – What to see inside?
      • Moscow City: Skyscrapers & Observation Decks (You can go up to enjoy for its views)
      • Traveling to Moscow with children: What to see and do as a family
      • The Tretyakov Gallery: Russian art like you’ve never seen before
      • VDNH (VDNKh), my favorite park in Moscow: Back to the USSR!
    • 4.2. St Petersburg
      • The Hermitage of St. Petersburg: What to see and how to avoid queues
      • What to see and do in St. Petersburg in 1, 2, 3 or 4 days
      • The Palaces and Gardens of Peterhof, a must-go site in St. Petersburg
      • Catherine’s Palace in St. Petersburg: how to buy tickets online
      • The main cathedrals of St. Petersburg: Tickets and schedules
      • Opera and ballet in St. Petersburg: Where to go and how to buy tickets
      • Russia Travel itineraries: Big capitals, the Trans-Siberian Route and the Golden Ring
      • St. Petersburg’s Public transport: the Podorozhnik card
      • How to buy tickets for the Russian circus in Moscow and St. Petersburg
      • Russian Folklore Shows in Moscow and St. Petersburg
      • The Church of the Savior in St. Petersburg: How to buy tickets and schedules
      • Saint Isaac’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg: how to buy tickets and schedules
      • What is a Russian banya and why you should visit it
      • Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg: Guide to not get lost
      • White Nights of St. Petersburg: When the city doesn’t sleep
      • Essential tourist maps of St. Petersburg (PDF and JPG)
      • Visiting St. Petersburg on a cruise without a visa (visa-free) and with a tourist visa
      • Drawbridges (and Pedestrian Bridges) of St. Petersburg: Schedules and Recommendations
    • 4.3. Trans-Siberian
      • Organizing a Trans-Siberian Train Trip
      • Russia Travel itineraries: Big capitals, the Trans-Siberian Route and the Golden Ring
      • What is a Russian banya and why you should visit it
      • What to see (and do) at Lake Baikal between Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude
      • Yekaterinburg, where Europe and Asia come together
      • Next stop: Novosibirsk. Welcome to Siberia!
    • 4.4. The Golden Ring of Russia
      • The Golden Ring of Russia: from Sergiyev Posad to Suzdal
    • 4.5. Veliky Novgorod
      • Trip to Veliky Novgorod: the birthplace of Russia
    • 4.6. Kazan
      • The Kazan Kremlin: it will captivate you
  • 5. Practicalities
    • 5.1. Ruble exchange and prices
      • How to send money to Russia: WesterUnion, PayPal or TransferWise?
      • Is Russia an expensive or cheap country to travel? Tips to reduce expenses
      • Where is it better to change dollars for rubles?
      • How to request a VAT refund in Russia (Tax Free)
      • How to pay for purchases in Russia without losing money in ruble exchange?
    • 5.2. Weather, health and safety
      • Is Russia a safe country for tourists? Travel tips
      • When is the best time to travel to Russia (and which clothes to wear)
      • What is a Russian banya and why you should visit it
    • 5.3. Telephone and Internet
      • How to buy a Russian SIM card for your smartphone (online or in a store)
    • 5.4. Russian products
      • Which souvenirs to buy in Russia? From Matrioskas to Cheburashka
      • 15 maps that will give you a better insight of Russia
      • Traveling to Russia with a travel agency or on your own? What is better?
      • Holidays and celebrations in Russia in 2020 (and important days)
You are here: Home / 3. Sleep and eat / 3.1. Accommodation in Russia / Accommodations in Russia: How to choose and where to make a reservation cheaply

Accommodations in Russia: How to choose and where to make a reservation cheaply

Posted on: 08.08.15 | by Irena Domingo

In this post, I will present an analysis of the main types of accommodations for tourists in Russia and what criteria to follow when choosing from among them. I also explain how Russian web booking platforms can find the best prices for your hotel stay.

1 Accommodations in Russia - Main Image

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Introduction
  • 1. Main types of accommodations in Russia
    • 1.1. Hotels
    • 1.2. Tourist Apartments
    • 1.3. Hostels
  • 2. Factors to consider when choosing your accommodations in Russia
    • 2.1. Location and easy access to public transportation
    • 2.2. Price
    • 2.3. Free Cancellation
    • 2.4. Opinions of other visitors
  • 3. Websites for booking acommodation in Russia
  • 4. Conclusions

Introduction

One of the most important parts of any trip, and one that often makes up half the cost of the trip, is the choice of accommodation. Good accommodations can make your trip memorable, while bad accommodations can ruin it entirely.

In Russia you can find both excellent accommodations and horrible ones (I think more often than in USA or Canada) as well. Fortunately, major online booking platforms include many reviews that allow travelers to easily avoid choosing bad accommodations.

In this post I try to analyze the main types of accommodations that exist in Russia and that I think are the most interesting when you are sightseeing on your own.

I also try to explain the criteria that I usually follow when choosing and booking lodging on the trips that I myself have had to organize for family and friends visiting Moscow and St. Petersburg. The best option for making your reservation is usually a Russian platform similar to Booking.com.

1. Main types of accommodations in Russia

There are different levels of accommodations when staying in large Russian cities, each with its own characteristics and prices.

The three main types of options, depending on your budget and the amenities you desire, are: hotels, tourist apartments and hostels.

1.1. Hotels

In Russia you can find both internationally renowned hotel chains, such as high- quality international chains as well as excellent local hotels that do not belong to any chain.

In recent years, major 3-5 star international hotel chains have proliferated. They are often located in downtown areas and mainly distributed in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Sochi.

By the end of 2014, international hotel chains boasted a total of 137 hotels in Russia with over 31,000 hotel rooms (see Ernst & Young report). More than half of these hotels belong to three major international hotel groups:

  • Accor Hotels. French hotel chain that has spread quickly throughout Russia in recent years. Already has 23 hotels and plans to have more than 80 in 2020. This group operates under the commercial brands Mercure, Ibis and Novotel. Personally, it is one of my favorite options since it has options for all price points and in great locations.
  • The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. American hotel group that, by the end of 2014, had 30 hotels in major Russian cities under brands such as Radisson and Park Inn. Another excellent choice for hotels.
  • InterContinental Hotels Group. A British chain with 15 hotels under the brands InterContinental, Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza.

Other chains in Russia include Marriott, Hilton, Best Western, Hyatt, Swissotel, and Lotte, a Korean hotel group whose only 5-star hotel in Moscow is the highest rated of all Russia by TripAdvisor users.

Accommodations in Russia - Novotel Moscow City

Besides the large international chains, there are also some major Russian hotel chains that also operate in other countries, such as Azimut Hotels Group or Intourist hotel, owner of the legendary macrohotel Cosmos, located northeast of the Russian capital and built to meet the demands of the Olympics Games in Moscow in 1980.

Alongside these large hotel chains, there are a number of local 3-5 star hotels that do not belong to any hotel chain, or so-called mini hotels.

Accommodations in Russia - Novotel Moscow Center

1.2. Tourist Apartments

As in major US cities, tourist apartments have proliferated in recent years in Russia. This is a good way to travel if you go with family or a group of friends or if you’re going to Russia for a more extended stay.

They are located near the city center and are usually very well equipped. In many cases these are apartments that have been renovated in old, Soviet-era buildings and are managed as tourist accommodations.

While the interior of the apartments is usually pretty good (some are pretty luxurious), the buildings exteriors are often very neglected and damaged. Therefore, you often will not find published photos of the facade or interior courtyards of these buildings when researching this option online.

There are several local rental platforms, such as LikeHome tourist apartments, although there is also the option of staying in apartments through the Airbnb American platform.

Accommodations in Russia - Tourist Apartments

1.3. Hostels

For younger people, such as students, or for people traveling alone, hostels are a good option. Hostels usually offer bunk beds and shared bathrooms.

This is a form of cheaper housing, designed as a place to meet people from around the world.

They are usually very well located and some of them are very highly rated by their guests. You can usually stay in these types of accommodations for very affordable prices (less than 10 dollars per person per night).

Accommodations in Russia - Hostels Moscow . St. Petersburg

2. Factors to consider when choosing your accommodations in Russia

Personally, I look at four main points when booking accommodations: that they are well located and have easy access to public transportation; price; that they allow for free cancellation up until the day before the trip; and that they have good reviews from other visitors.

2.1. Location and easy access to public transportation

If you’re a tourist in Moscow, I advise that you stay in a central area that is located within the first ring of Moscow and is located near a subway station.

The ideal is to be able to walk to the Red Square in about 30 minutes or, at least, to have a metro nearby. One area that I particularly like, although it is more expensive, is Arbat, whose heart is Arbat Street, which is surrounded by historical buildings and is itself another major tourist attraction. This area also includes the Tverskoy neighborhood near the Red Square and is characterized both by old architecture and new business areas.

The following screenshot shows all the location of the hotels around Moscow’s Red Square, marked with a red square on the map:

Moscow Map Center - Acommodation
In St. Petersburg it is also advisable to stay in a central area that is located close to the Hermitage Museum or Nevsky Avenue, from which to access most tourist attractions on foot. These include the Peterhof Palace, which you can access by boat from the pier opposite the Hermitage (although you can reach it by bus much more economically).

In the following screenshot, you can see existing hotels in St. Petersburg and in which I marked the Hermitage with a red square and Nevsky Avenue with a straight red line:

St. Petersburg Map Center - Acommodation

2.2. Price

Everyone’s budget is different. Obviously it will be more expensive to stay closer to the city center and during the summer time.

Prices vary widely and can range from 10 dollars for a night in a hostel, to 300 or 400 dollars for a double room in a five star hotel downtown such as the Lotte Hotel Moscow. Although it should be noted that the 5-star hotels in Russia often do not have the same level of quality that you can find in USA or Canada, you can find well located 5 star hotels at fairly reasonable prices (less than 100 dollars for a double room).

The average price of 3 and 4 star hotels would be between 60 and 180 dollars, depending on the location and amenities offered.

Regardless, it is always good to compare prices at several hotel booking platforms and reserve the hotels via one of these pages. Below I explain how you can find very good deals on Russian web platforms (like Booking.com).

2.3. Free Cancellation

I always try to book accommodations that allow free cancellation until shortly before arrival. You never know what can happen when you are planning a trip well in advance. Also, if later on you find a hotel that you like more, you can always cancel your hotel and book a new one.

You should bear in mind that even though you have to list the hotels where you will be staying in advance, as part of the visa application process (they should be listed in your letter of invitation or visa support), nothing happens if you decide to cancel your hotel reservation and book another. There may be many reasons to do this and you do not have any reason to be tied to a hotel.

However, do keep in mind that the reservations that allow you to cancel can be more expensive than firm, prepaid reservations.

2.4. Opinions of other visitors

Before exploring a hotel option in more detail, I always read the opinions of other guests. Their reviews can give you clues as to whether the customer service is good, if the hotel is clean, if the food is good, if the wifi reaches the rooms, or if the hotel is quiet or noisy.

In this regard, booking websites with the highest number of guest reviews are the best and this is why, to me, Booking.com is a great website to use.

3. Websites for booking acommodation in Russia

There are many websites for booking accommodations in Russia, among which I would like to highlight the following:

  • Classic reservation platforms such as Booking.com, Hotels.com, etc. allow you to book all types of accommodation: hotels, hostels, apartments, etc.
  • Platforms for making reservations with international hotel chains: Accorhotels, Radisson, Intercontinental, etc, where you can book rooms from the aforementioned chains.
  • Websites of local hotels (eg Hotel Metropol)
  • Websites and booking for tourist apartments such as LikeHome or community markets for reserving apartments such as Airbnb.
  • Russian hotel reservation platforms. The most used by the Russians to travel within the country are Ostrovok (in Russian and English) and Oktogo (only in Russian). Ostrovok usually has very good deals and I recommend that you at least consult this site before choosing accommodations anywhere (it includes options for accommodations in USA, Canada, or any other country).

It is always good to consult more than one platform and compare prices. I recommend using two: Booking.com and Ostrovok. The first will allow you to read reviews from other Italians and tourists and Ostrovok should be used for the actual online booking since prices on this platform are often much cheaper than you will find on Booking.com.

4. Conclusions

There are many different types of accommodations where you can stay during your visit to Russia: hotels, whether international or local chains; tourist hostels; or apartments. The choice of one or the other may depend on many factors: budget, number of people, age, personal preferences, etc.

A great option is to stay at hotels in any of the international hotel chains in Russia. Some of these chains, such as Accorhotels, have several options (Mercure, Novotel and Ibis) in various price ranges depending on the level of amenities offered. The same is true of the Radisson Hotels.

There are also many good 3-5 star Russian hotels in the city centers. Before making your choice, it is always good to read the opinions of other visitors.

For larger families or for extended stays, apartments can be a good option, while hostels are a good choice for young people, students or solo travelers looking for something cheap but well situated in the center.

In any event when booking a hotel, it is always important to read the opinions of other visitors and compare prices between different platforms such as Booking.com or Ostrovok so that you can find better deals.

I hope this article has helped you to choose the best accommodations for your stay in Russia and at the lowest price.

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About the Author

Irena Domingo's avatar

Hello, my name is Irena. I was born in Russia in 1974 during the Soviet era. I worked as a Russian teacher and as a translator and interpreter for the past 15 years. One of my main hobbies is traveling. Therefore, through this blog I want to help those people who want to travel to Russia.

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Hey! I’m Irena Domingo

I was born in Russia in 1974 during the Soviet era. I started this blog with one goal: to create the most complete guide ever written to travel to Russia and beyond!

I want to know about …

  • 1. Visa
    • 1.1. Invitation to Russia
    • 1.2. Visa to Russia
    • 1.3. Registration and immigration
    • 1.4. Visa to China, India and post-Soviet states
  • 2. Transport
    • 2.1. Arriving by plane
    • 2.2. Russian trains
    • 2.3. Metro, bus and taxi
    • 2.4. Car rental
  • 3. Sleep and eat
    • 3.1. Accommodation in Russia
    • 3.2. Restaurants in Russia
  • 4. Destinations
    • 4.1. Moscow
    • 4.2. St Petersburg
    • 4.3. Trans-Siberian
    • 4.4. The Golden Ring of Russia
    • 4.5. Veliky Novgorod
    • 4.6. Kazan
  • 5. Practicalities
    • 5.1. Ruble exchange and prices
    • 5.2. Weather, health and safety
    • 5.3. Telephone and Internet
    • 5.4. Russian products

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