HOTELS

The most obvious trait of Russian hotels` sphere is the difference in width of choice in Moscow and St. Petersburg and other Russian cities and towns. The two capitals of Russia have a great variety of hotels to offer, while in smaller cities the sphere of hotels is still in developing state. Hotel prices depend on many factors: location, number of stars, additional services, etc. When choosing a hotel in a cosmopolitan city one has to set the priorities and decide what aspects of accommodation are of prior importance: quality of service, price, location, views seen from the window? Moscow and St. Petersburg can satisfy every tourist’s need. At the same time one must get prepared to have a limited choice of hotels in many other Russian cities, especially provincial ones. If a guest comes to Moscow or St. Petersburg for quite a long time, there is a profitable accommodative alternative to stay in a suburban hotel with flat–like rooms which cost less than rooms in centrally located hotels. Such rooms have TV, kitchen, refrigerator – everything needed for a comfortable stay. In case of a short visit, when a traveller is interested in sightseeings and a quick acquaintance with the place, centrally situated hotel with easy access across the city is the most appropriate choice.

APARTMENT RENTAL

Apartment rental is an accommodative option too, but one must keep in mind that it’s likely to be a time consuming task. A guest to Russia should think over the peculiarities of a needed flat beforehand and contact any of rental agencies, which are especially multiple in big Russian cities. Moscow and St. Petersburg have a wide choice of apartment types to offer, different in price and comfort level. There are several criteria constituting the price: location (the closer a flat to the centre of the city the more expensive it is), age of the house a flat is situated in (a newer house always implies extra price), number of rooms, complex of furniture and facilities and interior class. As for the latter, one can find various categories of interior and renovation degree: from luxury apartments to flats with the simplest and modest style. Apartments done in western style are now mushrooming in Moscow, St. Petersburg and some other big cities of Russia. Prices for apartments located close to the centre of Moscow, for instance, vary from 80USD to 170USD per night, but farther located flats undoubtedly cost less plus long-term rental usually implies discounts. There is also a beneficial way to share the apartment price by finding a flat mate, which is not hard to do taking into account a great number of specialized web sites in Internet.

HOME STAY

Staying with locals is the best variant for those who wish to perceive the peculiarities of Russian everyday life from inside and learn some Russian – everything a hotel can hardly offer. Russians are known as a hospitable nation: it’s not hard to find a family to live with via Internet and multiple services. A guest will normally be provided with a separate room and all basic facilities, but most likely will share lavatory and bathroom with dwellers of the flat. One possible advantage of such stay is price, which can be lower than staying in a hotel (though exact prices depend on a region), besides, the pluses of a home stay beat all expenses: living with families means a hospitable stay in a home-like atmosphere, an opportunity to know a lot about sightseeing and get some useful tips on where to go, what to do, how to behave in various situations while being in Russia, and taste home-made Russian cuisine.

Lavrentyeva Natalya