Ask a question and discuss Odessa at the 2odessa message board

From 2odessa.com The most comprehensive guide to Odessa, Ukraine

See also Listing of Odessa hotels

Odessa Ukraine hotel

Reservations

The average occupancy rate in Ukrainian hotels is 25%, so finding a vacant hotel room in Odessa is usually easy. If you do choose to make a hotel reservation online, refer to online guide below.

Quality

Similar to the rest of Ukraine, western-standard hotel rooms in Odessa are ridiculously over-priced.

Unipress travel also states (travel-2-ukraine.com): "Prices and quality fluctuate even within the same star category. This strange situation is caused by numerous room types the majority of hotels have. You can see suites A, B, C, semi-suites with the same nominations, a couple of standard and economy rooms as well - all in the same small hotel.

There are several reasons for such a vast categorization. One of them is that hotels usually make renovation in part of the rooms they have, the rest stays untouched. And since this process is repetitive and stretched in time, new and new room types appear. On the top of it, rooms can differ in size and amenities - air-conditioning, newer furniture, Hi-Fi stereo system, VCR, etc. As a result, economy or non-renovated room at a 4-star hotel might be of a lower quality and higher cost than suite or semi-suite at a 2-star hotel. "

Hotel Grading

There is no third party arbiter which grades hotels in Ukraine, and each hotel decides its own grading system. Hotel grades listed in this guide are based on the hotel's own advertised ratings. Pay special attention to the hotel description to get a better idea of whether the self-appointed grading is accurate.

The Ukrainian rating system for hotels is very different from western standards. It is often based on the physical accommodations available rather than the condition of the facilities, quality of services, and the cleanliness. A three star hotel in the Ukrainian system may not qualify as a three star hotel in any western city because of rude service, neglected maintenance, bad food, and worn interior decor.

Business travelers

Of all of the hotels, Londonskya, Kimpinski, and Chernoye More all have business facilities for the business traveler.

Londonskaya is advertised as: " The business center offers fax, telex, international communication, copying, and typing."

Kimpinski is advertised as: "designed with the business traveler in mind and feature a large desk, direct dial telephone, PC connections, safe, mini-bar, air-conditioning, TV with extensive satellite channels… Business Center offers secretarial and translation service. "

Chernoye More is advertised as: " equipped with fax, satellite communication system, telex, personal computers, laser printers, Xeroxes, banquet and meeting halls and provides secretarial and translation service."

Children

Odessa hotels do not usually make any special provision for children. There are several hotels that do have swimming pools.

Cheaper options

Women advertising rooms for rent
From frockland at virtualtourist.com

Woman advertising rooms for rent outside of train station

Also refer to the Sanitariums section, which are much cheaper than Odessa hotels.

The absolutely cheapest way to find a room is to rent a room in someone's apartment. Go to the train station and look for people, usually old women, standing at the entrance with small pieces of paper or cardboard attached to their clothing by a clothes pin. These signs will say: Комната "room"

Being a foreigner you will probably be charged much more than a local. But you should not have to pay more than $10-$15 a night. Make sure to ask if there is hot water (garyachya voda / горячя вода) and a Kolonka (water heater) available in these apartments, as there often is not.

Renting apt with an agency

The following sites and organizations act as go-betweens to rent apartments to foreigners:

Web sites:

• kvartira.od.ua/eng/ Renting a flat in Odessa Ukraine from landlords. First hand prices and services. From 25$ per day. Good alternative to hotels. No need to pay extra money to real estate and dating agencies.

• odessaapts.com Odessa Apartments - Huge database of apartments, varying from budget to ultra upscale.

• ukraine-tours.com

• www.accomodation.odessa.ua

Booking a hotel online

The three best established and most expensive hotels in Odessa: Krasnaya, Londonskaya, and Chernoye More (Black Sea) can be booked from any of the major international hotel booking companies online.

The other 16 hotels listed in this guide are nearly impossible to book through a hotel booking company (with the exception of all-hotels.com.ua).

The following organization can book most of the hotels listed online:

• all-hotels.com.ua

The following organizations can book many of the three and four star hotels:

• travel-2-ukraine.com/hotels/default.htm (Includes views from rooms)
• www.odessaglobe.com/english/hotels.htm (Includes pictures of the rooms)

Hotels offering online booking

As of 2002, no credit card is needed to book with these hotels online.

• www.bs-hotel.com.ua Chernoye More (Black Sea)
• www.londred.com Krasnaya
• www.londred.com Londonskaya
• www.yunost.com.ua Yunost (In Russian) (Use this translation program)

Longer-term stays in Odessa

Average rent for a native Odessite for a furnished, non-renovated one room apartment in the center of Odessa is $80-$150 a month (2002 prices). Being a non-native, you may have to pay substantially more, especially if you go through a dealer who advertises on the Internet.

Landladies often openly discriminate against visible minorities when renting flats/apartments, particularly to people of non-Caucasian background. This reputation has evolved from international students in Odessa from wealthy backgrounds according to Ukrainian standards, for being wild and noisy tenants.

If a renter goes through a dealer/agency, the renter must pay a one-time fee to the agency, which is usually one-half of one month's rent.

Rental deposits are not typical in Ukraine.

Landladies may come into the flat unannounced and are not as sensitive about privacy as Western landlords.

It is best to find a translator to help you find an apartment. See the businesses section for more information on this.

Classified Ads listing rentals:

These two want ads newspapers (each less than 2 Hr) are found in many kiosks around Odessa.

To find a flat/apartment pick up the paper early in the morning. Many of the flats/apartments advertised are through dealers.

You may get lucky and find an advertisement for an independent landlady and avoid the dealer's finder's fee.

See also

• Where to Stay, listings of Odessa hotels
• Sanitoriums