Kazan Hotels.

Best categories I could come up with here were Budget: under 1000 rubles for a standard single; Mid-range: 1000-2000 rubles for a standard single; and Expensive: more than 2000 rubles for a standard single.

Budget.

Hotel Fatima.
KazanÕs best budget hotel option. Fatima is a fairly small and new hotel with a great location in a quiet area just next to the Kremlin. A nice, simple, single room with a shared bathroom costs just 600 rubles ($22) per night. A double costs 900 rubles ($33) while a triple costs 1200 rubles ($44). The shared bathrooms are nice and clean, the only drawback being that there are menÕs bathrooms only on the first floor, so if your room is upstairs you have to wander down a floor to take a shower or use the toilet. The hotel also has rooms with their own private bathrooms starting at 1100 rubles ($40) for a single and 1500 rubles ($55) for a double. But Fatima is probably best utilized as a budget option. The hotel charges 25% of the first night as an advance booking fee so unless youÕre traveling to Kazan in peak season youÕre best off just turning up. Fatima has friendly, helpful staff, some of whom speak English. Breakfast is available for 50-70 rubles ($2-$2.50) in the hotelÕs small cafe/bar. Cheap lunches and dinners are served there as well.
Address: Karla Marksa Ul., #2. Tel: 292-0616. Website: www.phatima.ru.

Hotel Tatarstan.
The Tatarstan is from the old, Soviet monstrosity stock of hotels. The facade has been renovated to give the impression from the outside that it might be quite a nice hotel. But once you enter the reception area any such illusions are shattered. On offer is a mixture of renovated and non-renovated rooms. There are no non-renovated single rooms so if youÕre staying there alone, youÕre not going to find a cheap room here. Non-renovated doubles cost 1450 rubles ($55), while a ÔrenovatedÕ single costs 1900 rubles ($70) and a ÔrenovatedÕ double costs 2200 rubles ($80). If by some chance youÕre traveling in a group of five, then the five person rooms might be worth a look for 2000 rubles ($75). But otherwise you can do better elsewhere. What redeems the hotel somewhat is its great location with views onto the main street and just a short walk from the cityÕs best nightclubs. Worth considering if you plan to spend only a very small amount of time inside.
Address: Pushkina Ul., #4. Tel: 238-8379. Website: www.hotel-tatarstan.ru.

Hotel Volga.
The better of the two old Soviet-era hotels in Kazan. The Volga is still reasonably priced and the rooms are more attractive. The location isnÕt as good as the Tatarstan but it is nice and close to the train station, so if youÕre just overnighting in Kazan then itÕs a good budget option. The Òsecond categoryÓ non-renovated rooms cost 600 rubles ($22) for single and 1000 rubles ($37) for double and have shared bathrooms while the Òfirst categoryÓ non-renovated rooms have their own showers and cost 1000 rubles ($37) and 1760 rubles ($65) for single and double respectively. The non-renovated rooms are very basic and run-down but clean enough. There is a range of different half-lux and lux rooms but most of them arenÕt worth the money, although some of the cheaper luxury rooms, such as the single for 1400 rubles ($52) are quite good value. Buffet breakfast is included for all but the second category rooms. The hotel also has a health center with sauna, gym and solarium which can be used for extra charges.
Address: Said-Galeeva Ul., #1. Tel: 231-6349. Website: www.volga-hotel.ru.

Hotel Bazilika.
Bazilika is a small, cozy hotel that looks pretty ugly from the outside but actually has some very attractive rooms. Standard rooms are 985 rubles ($36) for single and 1280 rubles ($47) for double with a shared shower. The higher class rooms are 1475 ($55) for single and 1685 rubles ($62) for double. The difference between the two categories is the room size and the quality of the furniture. Although the hotel is a bit of a walk from the center it is close to the train station. And you probably wonÕt find rooms as nice as these (the higher class ones) for a cheaper price in Kazan. Business services are offered at reception for reasonable prices and there is a small cafe/bar with a few tables. The staff are friendly and there is a large Ramstor across the street which means you could save cash on food. Otherwise there is no real reason to stay here. Situated on Narimanova Ulitsa which is an incredibly ugly street.
Address: Narimanova Ul., #145. Tel: 293-3123. Website: www.bazilica.ru.

Mid-range.

Hotel Regina.
A great little hotel that you could easily miss when strolling down KazanÕs main street. The Regina is one of those small, cozy hotels that are so rare and badly needed in Russia. Standard rooms are quite large and comfortable and boast excellent, unhindered views onto Ulitsa Baumana. They cost 1200 rubles ($44) for single use and 1400 rubles ($52) for double use. The queen-size beds in the standard rooms mean that if youÕre traveling as a couple then the Regina is undoubtedly the best mid-range choice in Kazan. The higher class rooms are larger and have a fold-out sofa as well. They are priced at 1600, 1800 and 2000 rubles ($60, $67 and $74) for single, double and triple occupancy respectively. Breakfast is included but the hotel has no other facilities. They also rent rooms by the hour at the rate of 500 rubles ($18), which makes the hotel sound much seedier than it is. The Regina is a great choice for tourists. There is another Regina Hotel well outside the center that caters more for businessmen (see www.hotelregina.ru).
Address: Baumana Ul., #47/9. Tel: 292-5483. Fax: 292-5583.

Hotel Shushma.
One of several hotels that sit at well-spaced intervals along Narimanova Ulitsa, Hotel Shushma is probably the pick of them. As it happens this is an incredibly ugly street, strewn in parts by refuse from the central market and in other parts dotted with old crumbling buildings. In contrast, however, everything about Shushma looks new and clean, from the outer facade to the modern reception area to the spacious rooms. A single room costs 1700 rubles ($63) per night, a double costs 2700 rubles ($100) while a four person room (with two separate rooms) goes for 3600 rubles ($133). Buffet breakfast is included in the prices. The single rooms have double beds meaning you can sleep two people in there, in which case the hotel becomes a bargain as well. Shushma also features excellent service, a bar, cafe, billiard room, internet cafe, and a small conference hall that costs 500 rubles ($18) an hour to rent. A good option for tourists or for businessmen who donÕt want to spend a fortune.
Address: Narimanova Ul., #15. Tel: 292-9821. Website: www.shushma.ru.

Prestige House.
Prestige House is a very peculiar hotel. The managers werenÕt quite able to explain why the hotel is adjoined to a dental clinic, other than by saying that the owner had the dental clinic and thought it would make sense to open a hotel next doorÉ Anyway, basically this is some sort of health resort, which would make more sense if it was on the banks of the Volga or Kazanka rivers instead of on this incredibly ugly street. A single room here costs 1920 rubles ($71), luxury rooms are 2480 rubles ($92) while the VIP luxury room is quite stunning, though perhaps not worth the 4800 rubles ($178) they want for it. It costs 580 rubles ($21) more to have a second person in any of the rooms. Prices include breakfast. Use of the health facilities - sauna, spa, swimming pool, solarium, massage and billiard room ø costs 480 rubles an hour but is free for hotel guests on weekends. There is also a cool cafe/bar overlooking the pool. And you can always drop into the attached dentist or beauty salon to get some gold caps or a spot of plastic surgery. Would be a great place to treat yourself, or perhaps to pamper and impress a local lady, but otherwise its existence seems a bit perplexing.
Address: Narimanova Ul., #63. Tel: 293-9087. Website: www.prestigehouse.ru.

Hotel Safar.
Over-priced, over-rated and over the river is the best way to describe the Hotel Safar. Yet for some reason it is held in revere by KazanÕs locals, most likely because it was the first ÔinternationalÕ hotel to grace the city. These days though the three star offering looks rather run-down compared to KazanÕs newer upscale offerings. But the rooms are nice enough, if a little dank. And some of them have great views of the rivers and Kremlin. Rack rates are 1600 rubles ($60) a night for a basic single, 2800 rubles ($105) for a double and 2250 rubles ($85) for a single business suite (3050 rubles or $115 for double). Buffet breakfast is included. The hotel also features some moderately priced business facilities with three conference halls. The largest holds 150 people and costs 12000 rubles ($450) for six hours. TheyÕre not all that impressive but are well equipped. Wi-Fi internet access is available throughout the hotel for 620 rubles per day. The Safar also has one bar and one restaurant, a sauna, billiard room and a night club, gentlemenÕs club and casino attached to the hotel.
Address: Odnostoronnyaya Grivka, #1. Tel: 527-9527. http://www.safar-hotel.ru/.

Hotel Duslyk.
The best feature of the Hotel Duslyk is probably its location. Located on the Bulak canal, two streets over from KazanÕs main pedestrian street, it is in a prime position. And the prices are quite reasonable. But otherwise the hotel is nothing special. The staff are rude and speak limited English. The rooms are ordinary. TheyÕre quite large and theyÕre clean, but they look aged and dull. A single here costs 1300 rubles ($48) and a double costs 2000 rubles ($74). There are also two room singles (a bedroom and sitting room) for 2000 rubles ($74). The prices include a breakfast in DyslykÕs cafe. If you get a room at the back of one of the upper floors then youÕll be treated to some nice views of Baumana Ulitsa. A very basic hotel, there are no other facilities on site.
Address: Pravobulachnaya Ul., #49. Tel: 292-3320. Website: www.hotel-duslik.ru.

Expensive.

Shalyapin Palace Hotel.
The Shalyapin Palace Hotel is the best value of the higher class hotels in Kazan. It was named after opera singer Fyodor Shalyapin, one of KazanÕs most famous sons, whose statue stands outside the hotel. The prices are great value considering the hotelÕs location, quality and range of facilities. It has all the features you could hope for in a business class hotel at prices that wonÕt break the bank. The comfortable standard rooms cost 2800 rubles ($104) for single and 3360 rubles ($124) for double while the superior rooms are 3080 rubles ($114) and 3640 rubles ($135) for single and double respectively. Then there is a progression of better and better rooms starting at 4480 rubles ($166) for a Junior Suite up to 28000 rubles ($1037) for the Presidential Suite. The prices include a buffet breakfast and use of the swimming pool, gym and sauna. Wi-Fi internet is available throughout the hotel at 11 rubles ($0.40) per MB. There is also a fully equipped business center and a billiard room available at extra cost. Conference facilities consist of two halls, the larger of which holds up to 150 people and costs 15000 rubles ($555) for half a day, plus a small meeting room that is rented at 4000 rubles ($148) for half a day. Topped off with a great location facing on to KazanÕs main street, the Shalyapin Palace Hotel is pretty hard to beat.
Address: Universitetskaya Ul., #7/80. Tel: 238-2800. Website: www.shalyapin-hotel.ru.

Mirage Hotel.
The Mirage is TatarstanÕs only five star hotel. Opened in 2004 it has all the facilities and comfort you would expect from a hotel in this category. The rooms are spacious and luxurious, the business facilities are state of the art and the fitness center is top quality. But, of course, it is also by far the most expensive hotel in the Kazan. A standard room costs 6120 rubles ($227) for single and 7200 rubles ($267) double. The luxury rooms range in price from 10080 rubles ($373) for the Òhalf luxÓ to 33120 rubles ($1227) for the Presidential Suite. Prices include a buffet breakfast and use of the gym, pool and sauna. The hotel also has a currency exchange, hairdresser, solarium and massage room. The conference facilities consist of four halls, the largest of which holds 180 people ($875 for 6 hours) while the smallest holds 20 people ($400 for 6 hours). Attached to the hotel are two trendy restaurants, a sushi bar, stylish night club and two bars. The place to stay in Kazan if money is no object.
Address: Moskovskaya Ul., #1a. Tel: 278-0505. Website: www.mirage-hotel.ru.

Novinka Hotel.
An out-of-town option. The marketing line is that people prefer to stay at the Novinka because it is in a quieter area away from the hustle and bustle of the center. But this is Kazan and there is no real hustle and bustle in the center. Still it isnÕt a bad hotel and itÕs close to KazanÕs Victory Park which is a nice little area. The Novinka is clean and modern and has friendly, helpful, English-speaking staff. Facilities include a games room and free pool and sauna for guests. The rooms are large and well-appointed though a bit overpriced. The cheapest rooms are 2150 rubles ($80) for single or 2750 rubles ($100) for double but the Òhalf-luxÓ rooms are quite good value at 2400 rubles ($90) for single and 3000 rubles ($110) for double. The difference is basically the size and some extra furnishings. A buffet breakfast is included in the prices. The Novinka also boasts a business center, meeting room and a conference hall for up to 50 people. Internet is available at 30 rubles ($1.10) per 5MB. Really only an option for business travelers but a worthwhile choice for anyone who doesnÕt mind the location.
Address: Korolenko Ul., #30. Tel: 544-0921. Email: novinka_hotel@mail.ru.

Hotel Giuseppe.
The Giuseppe is an overpriced hotel thatÕs biggest drawcard seems to be its pizzeria/restaurant of the same name. Quite popular with foreigners who are most likely attracted by its foreign-sounding name. I canÕt vouch for the quality of the rooms because they wouldnÕt show them to me, but that in itself usually says something about a hotel. In fact they couldnÕt even spare me the paper to print out a list of prices. That said, judging by their propaganda photos the rooms look very elegant. And the prices are: 3040 rubles ($113) for the cheapest room, then there are slightly bigger rooms for 3420 rubles ($127) and 3515 rubles ($130). These rooms have shared bathrooms. These prices make them the second most expensive standard rooms in Kazan after the MirageÉ and they donÕt even have a bathroom? The cheapest room with a bathroom is 3800 rubles ($140).
Address: Kremlevskaya Ul., #15/25. Tel: 292-6934. Website: www.giuseppe.ru.