St Petersburg
On the top floor of a building given over to small creative businesses, the dorm at this free-wheeling hostel is on the cramped side and the 'capsule'…
Must-see hotels in Russia
Yaroslavl
Modern and stylish – light-coloured wood abounds – this hostel is in brand-new digs in a quiet but central location. Accommodation is in bunk or twin beds…
Mattress, Sailor & Albatross Hostel
Vladivostok
OK, so the name sounds much better in Russian, but this quirky place is a real winner for its superb location (in the trendy GUM courtyard, which is…
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
With a view of the city's decaying docks, this place where sailors often put up offers much better value than most of Petropavlovsk’s hotels. Rooms are…
St Petersburg
This hotel is in one of the city centre’s most charming streets, just one block back from the Neva River. The 33 rooms are comfortable and simple, all…
Western European Russia
Part of a swish business and entertainment complex, this appealing hotel offers professional, English-speaking staff, some kremlin views (worth the…
St Petersburg
There's great value to be had at this centrally located hotel, a conversion of the house where the great writer Nikolai Gogol himself apparently once…
Volga Region
The serene 'White Lotus' is professionally run, friendly and arguably the best of a small number of hotels in the city. It's tucked away on a quiet street…
Golden Ring
Tastefully fitted rooms and a location right on the Volga make this an appealing choice for an overnight in Rybinsk. Spend the extra R300 to get a…
Russian Far East
In an ideal location on the riverfront walkway, the flashy Armenia has modern carpeted rooms done up in earthy hues, with flat-screen TVs and luxurious…
Lake Baikal
Around 2km away from Port Baikal and geared primarily for domestic tourists, this modern turbaza has summer-only rustic log houses with funky wooden…
Kaliningrad Region
Rybachy's most upmarket option. Although the rooms and facilities feel dated, it has a quiet location next to the lagoon. Amenities include a pleasant…
St Petersburg
The Vedensky is a nine-storey hotel that draws a business crowd to its 190 modern, well-equipped rooms with dark-wood furnishings and masculine colour…
Kaliningrad Region
This cheery, modern hotel, about 500m from the beach and close to the highway, got a major refresh in 2016 with new carpets and baths. Rooms come in…
St Petersburg
On the 3rd floor of a handsome apartment building with an antique lift, this six-room pension takes its name from the nearby bridge. The standard rooms…
Black Sea Coast
This sleek-looking six-storey hotel has 40 sizeable rooms with clean lines, soft tones and contemporary style. It's on the east side of ul Prosyshcheniya …
Sochi
Here's a sweet retreat for budget travellers. In a quiet residential neighbourhood, this is a tiny hostel upstairs from an interior design shop. In…
Northern European Russia
This friendly family run hotel is set amid trees on the banks of Lake Varyazhskoe. It has pleasant, spacious rooms and a banya (R1500 per hour) for guest…
St Petersburg
Although this slick Finnish chain hotel offers 255 rooms, you'll hardly notice it from the street. It’s a well-designed place aimed at business travellers…
Khabarovsk
Having undergone an impressive renovation, this one-time Soviet place has begun a new life as a stylish and (almost) boutique hotel with a low-lit, arty…
Russian Caucasus
In a town where most hotels seem to be super-sized, the Attaché offers a delightfully intimate atmosphere, with 42 spacious and well-appointed rooms in an…
Northern European Russia
Right beside the Church of the Entry into Jerusalem, this pink, two-storey hotel is rather institutional looking, but even the cheapest of the compact…
Russian Far East
This fun and friendly hotel has a range of fairly eccentrically furnished rooms that are nevertheless very comfortable and clean. Downstairs there's a…
Russian Caucasus
These comfortable and good-value rooms have ample space to accommodate both you and your ski equipment. The hotel is split across two neighbouring…
Golden Ring
This very modern multi-floor hotel is one of Kostroma's newest, and the location down the street from Susaninskaya pl can't be beaten. There's 24-hour…
Yakutsk
Though it's far from the centre, pine-fringed Hotel Ontario lets you wake to singing birds rather than honking horns. Rooms are small, modern and carpeted…
Around St Petersburg
All those visiting VIPs need somewhere to stay, so next to the Palace of Congress is this luxurious hotel. It’s a fancy enough place, but there’s really…
Ulan-Ude
This tiny hotel, with 10 comfortable rooms on the 1st floor of a Soviet apartment block (entrance at the back of the building), is good value for money…
St Petersburg
Just off the Fontanka River, this newish place has stylish rooms with king-sized beds, classy furniture and gilded antique-looking mirrors, plus sleek…
Northern European Russia
Don’t be put off by the Gostiny Dvor building’s decrepit entrance and stairways: the Zimnyaya’s vaulted cell-rooms are (aptly) austere and overpriced for…
Russian Caucasus
A great budget choice that's next door to Azau's old cable car base station, Free Ride offers attractive modern rooms as well as a lively cafe and bar…
Black Sea Coast
Stylish apartments in the heart of the Roza Khutor are an excellent alternative to expensive hotel rooms, especially if you prefer to self-cater on…
Russian Caucasus
This well-run hotel with English-speaking staff is popular with those who come to climb Mt Elbrus or hike in the area. Nicely furnished rooms have…
Kaliningrad Region
The Crystal offers some of the cheapest in-season rooms and is also a nice place to bunk down. Some of the rooms, particularly on the upper floors, offer…
Krasnoyarsk
With its European business-standard facilities, waxy antique-style furniture, 21st-century bathrooms (with bidets!) and high-flying ceilings, taking the…
St Petersburg
There are just six rooms here and three of them share bathrooms and toilets, but it is much more like staying in a large apartment than a hostel. The…
Sakhalin Island
A bit out of the way overlooking the namesake park, this pleasant business hotel capably fills the upper-midrange niche. Rooms are plush, with a modern…
Western European Russia
Located above a shopping centre, this hotel has spacious rooms, modern furnishings, fast wi-fi and big flat-screen TVs. The owner here is a hunter, which…
Novosibirsk
Boasting awesome views of the city centre from its upper floors, this formerly glum Soviet-era tower has been transformed into a plush modern hotel with…
Western Siberia
In Sheregesh town rather than on the ski slopes, the small, family-run Shorhotel offers exceptional value for money with big, bright and quiet rooms, some…
