Hotels in Kiev and Ukraine
The era of post-Soviet hotels began in 1997 in Dnepropetrovsk with the re-opening of the Grand Hotel Ukraine. Originally built in 1910 in the style of Ukrainian modern, the hotel is now considered an architectural monument. It was the first western style hotel in Ukraine offering luxury mainly to business people coming to Dnepropetrovsk.
Now, 10 years later, the era of international five star hotels began.
In September 2005, Radisson SAS opened in Kiev city center. The hotel was expected to accommodate visitors of the Eurovision Song Contest in May 2005 but the date was delayed several times. Radisson SAS set new standards when it came to friendliness and quality of services.
Recently, the Hyatt Regency Kyiv Saint Sophia Hotel opened in one of the most beautiful places in the historical part of Kiev, between the St. Sophia cathedral and St. Michael’s church.
Hyatt set the bar high for its competitors. The hotel offers 284 rooms including 25 suites and a presidential suite with a private terrace above the golden domes of the nearby churches. Clearly, the clientele is expected to be mostly businessmen as the prices start from 330 Euro per night (excluding breakfast!).
The long awaited appearance of international brands like Radisson or Hyatt in Kiev signalizes the country’s development and how attractive it is to foreign investors. Now Kiev is eagerly awaiting western weekend tourists who still haven’t discovered the green city.
The country has now several luxury hotels but still not enough to cover the travelers’ needs. The Premiere Palace Hotel, owned by a group of Russian investors, was for a long time the Capital’s only real five star luxury hotel.
The Opera - a boutique hotel - opened its doors in December 2006. Since March 2007 it is a member of the prestigious Leading Hotels of the World Association which only accepts members that meet very high international standards. The Opera hotel was also the first to introduce weekend rates. The Opera Hotel is owned by System Capital Management, a Donetsk industrial corporation that also owns the ultra luxurious Donbass Palace.The Donbass Palace opened in 2004 and has been widely considered Ukraine’s best hotel. The stay is supposedly a truly unique and unexpected experience.
Another new venue opened in spring 2007. Hotel Riviera is located in Podol, close to the funicular.
In the regions the choice is far more limited. Among the nicer hotels there is the Londonskaya in Odessa, Cosmopolit Art Hotel in Kharkov and the Opera Hotel in Lvov.
People involved in the hospitality business finally start to realize that tourism is an industry and only through fine services and quality accommodation available countrywide, Ukraine will be ready to welcome more tourists.
The European Football Championship scheduled for 2012 is now perhaps the biggest challenge for the travel and tourism industry which gives Ukraine a chance to prove it is truly the welcoming and hospitable nation it claims to be.
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