Crimea
This large Soviet pansionat (resort) is undergoing a slow transition to normality, but it is still far from modern standards. Rooms look a little Soviet,…
Must-see hotels in Eastern Europe
Lithuania
Paukščių Sala sits 1km east of Salakas on the shores of Lake Luodis. The en suite rooms are smallish but clean and good value, and the onsite restaurant…
Crimea
People are absolutely raving about this stylish little place, which comes with individually designed rooms, a pool and smashing views of the valley – the…
Crimea
Instantly popular, this new hostel occupies the upper floor of a house, which belonged to the architect responsible for Livadia palace. Its large…
Lithuania
A fun spot to stay and play is Bikėnų Uzeiga in Bikėnai, on the eastern shore of Lake Antalieptės. There are 'homestead' rooms or log cabins, and the bar…
Central Rīga
During the Soviet era, the Hotel Latvija was a drab monstrosity in which several floors were devoted to monitoring the various goings-on of the hotel’s…
Crimea
As elsewhere in Ukraine, it makes a lot of sense to rent a flat in Feodosiya, rather than get ripped off by hotels. These incredibly helpful people – a…
Lithuania
Families will love this hotel. It has a children’s playroom, nanny care, billiard room and fitness centre alongside spotlessly clean and comfortable rooms…
Lithuania
Alaušynė offers log cabins and more modern chalets in rural Sudeikiai village, 12km northeast of Utena. It also has a sauna and pool, hires out boats and…
Crimea
It once housed public baths built for the city by a Karaite millionaire and more recently the studio of Soviet pop diva Sofia Rotaru (hence the current…
Crimea
Cute as a button, this private hotel's most eye-catching feature is its tiny atrium, with slit windows, oleanders, tea roses, a marble floor and a curved…
Eastern Ukraine
The decor is slightly on the macabre side – corridors lined with faux antique busts of Greek gods and Roman emperors, but rooms are very well appointed,…
Vilnius
With a great location (just off Vokiečių gatvė), wi-fi, cheery decor, friendly staff, a well-stocked kitchen and some rooms with en suite or balconies,…
Curonian Spit National Park
At the southern end of Preila is thatch-roofed Kuršmarių Vila, which offers bed and board all year. The fishing family that runs it produces great fish…
Eastern Ukraine
The country's first five-star property when it opened in the mid-1990s, the Donbass Palace has a lot more competition of late, but it remains the No 1…
Crimea
Although far from perfect, this is easily the best choice for most Westerners. It's a hard-to-miss high-rise not too far from the town centre with plenty…
Crimea
It's just a converted flat inside a Brezhnevian apartment block, but its location on the train station square makes it convenient for transit purposes…
Lithuania
Named for a Lithuanian goddess of surpassing beauty, the Medūna is a likeable little place set on one corner of spacious, leafy Laisvės aikštė. Rooms are…
Crimea
Located in a riddle of old streets around 800m up the hill from the seafront, this year-round hostel offers two dorms and three private rooms in a three…
Estonia
That this odd little guesthouse, attached to the crumbling hulk of a power station, is one of the best places in the city to stay says a lot about Narva…
Eastern Ukraine
The city's pioneering hostel is a classical converted flat affair run by a friendly family. It's been getting consistently positive reviews since it was…
Kaunas
This smart business hotel fills eight floors of a renovated building in the New Town. Service is slick and professional, and rooms are standard business…
Kaunas
A retro-chic hotel owned by basketball hero Arvydas Sabonis, Daniela is a fun and bold place, with soft pink chairs, steely mezzanines and extra-large…
Old Rīga
Centra is a great choice for comfort in the heart of Old Rīga. Rooms are spacious and sport loads of designer details such as swish LCD TVs, porcelain…
Sevastopol
What makes it call itself an art-hotel we can't fathom, but it is a friendly place with a black-wood interior so favoured by former Intourist…
Crimea
This place is good value for money and popular with foreign travellers, largely because of the friendly English-speaking host Elzara. You may not find the…
Crimea
Rub shoulders with visiting Russian celebrities in this upmarket hotel that's still quite affordable for Western tourists. Built in 2001, its rooms are a…
Old Rīga
Initially built to host Latvian emigrants coming to see their homeland after decades of exile, this a reliable (and soundproof) option in the heart of the…
Crimea
Run by a major adventure tourism operator, which primarily caters to ex-Soviet tourists, this an atypically large and modern hostel with a rooftop lounge…
Lithuania
The visitor centre at Marcinkonys has its own simple guesthouse, with en suite rooms, along with a list of homestay accommodation (around €25 per person),…
Latvia
Apart from the rough concrete ceilings, everything is gaudy and gilded at this kooky budget hotel. Strange knick-knacks and sculptures abound, and the…
Central Rīga
This flash address was designed by an up-and-coming London architectural firm. The facade is an eye-catching mix of chrome, steel and giant sheets of…
Crimea
Admittedly, the baroque public areas of this central, forward-thinking hotel are a bit over the top, but rooms are restrained and well finished – the…
Southern Estonia
Above this rustic, timber-lined pub there's a pleasant set of 10 rooms, each decorated around a different motif and colour scheme (Japanese, Egyptian,…
Biplan Guest House Aleksandria
Latvia
Close to the train station, this guesthouse offers spacious studios, some of which are equipped with a kitchenette and a washing machine. No breakfast is…
Crimea
This nine-room guesthouse just 200m from the Khan's Palace is a long-time favourite among travellers, though it lacks the personal welcome of the town's…
Southern Estonia
While Hilda’s a plain Jane from the outside, this homely guesthouse has plenty of 1930s period features inside, including polished wooden floors, antique…
Lithuania
Housed in a 19th-century spa building in the centre of town, the Europa's hospitality is as professional as you'd expect from an international chain…
Crimea
Spread across five buildings below the fortress, with excellent amenities and prices targeted at differing budgets, this hotel is often fully booked, so…
Crimea
Far from the habitual post-Soviet tackiness, this is a nicely designed and professionally run, top-notch hotel with friendly and very attentive staff. The…
