Ekaterinburg Hotels.

Budget.

Hotel Sverdlovsk.
The Sverdlovsk is EkaterinburgÕs Soviet monstrosity, the likes of which can be found in any Russian city. But it is a very convenient Soviet monstrosity in that it sits directly across from the train station. While this makes it a good 15-20 minute walk from the city center, it is a perfect location for people just stopping off in Ekaterinburg during a longer train journey. There is a major public transport stop right outside the hotel so reaching the center isnÕt too difficult anyway. And itÕs really not all that bad. The rooms are drab and the furnishings and fittings a tad decrepit, but itÕs clean enough and it does the job. As usual, there are standard and ÔrenovatedÕ rooms, which are only minimally better. Standard rooms cost 680R ($25) single and 1100R ($40) double, or a bit more if you want a room with a television. Renovated rooms cost 850R ($31) single and 1320R ($49) double, or a little extra for a TV and fridge. An edible breakfast is included and there is a 100R business lunch on offer in the restaurant. There are also decent conference facilities and a business center with internet as well as a souvenir shop, bar, cafe and hairdresser. Sadly, the Sverdlovsk is EkaterinburgÕs best option for the budget traveler.
Address: Chelyuskintsev Ul., #106. Tel: 353-6574. Fax: 353-6560. Email: sv_hotel@e343.ru. Website: www.sv_hotel.ru.

Zelyonaya Rosha.
Zelyonaya Rosha is the absolute budget option in Ekaterinburg but the money you save isnÕt really worth the hassle of staying here. For a start, itÕs a bad location, south of the central district and even further from the train station. But it is very cheap. Single rooms are 510R ($18) and 680R ($25) for standard and renovated respectively, while doubles are 590R ($22) and 750R ($28). The renovated claim is fairly spurious ø there doesnÕt seem to be any real difference. There are also three-person rooms for just 690R ($25). Breakfast isnÕt included in the prices but thereÕs a dirt-cheap cafe in the hotel. None of these rooms have private bathrooms. Instead there are shared toilets on every floor. But a major drawback is that there are showers only on the fourth floor and no lifts in the building. There are no extra facilities worth mentioning. Some of the clientele donÕt look like the most savory characters.
Address: Narodnoi Voli Ul., #24. Tel: 257-3585. Website: www.greenhotel.ru.

Akvamarin.
There are some strange hotels in Russia that seem targeted specifically at non-existent markets, but Akvamarin is up there with the most perplexing of them. The entrance is around the back of the building, through a barely marked door and up a dark staircase. The hotel itself is nice enough but itÕs way overpriced. Their line is that Akvamarin is in a Ònice, peaceful area,Ó which, as usual, is code for, ÒHas a terrible location.Ó The only rooms worth considering are the ÔdormÕ rooms which cost 800R ($30) for a bed in a two or three person room and 700R ($26) for a bed in the four person room. For the regular rooms prices are 2500R ($92) for a single, and between 2950R ($110) and 3150R ($117) for a double. There is also one single with a shared bathroom for 1700R ($63). The hotel has some sort of affiliation with the nearby Ural State Academy of Mountain Geology which perhaps explains the dorm rooms, but makes the high prices even more mystifying. On the bright side the staff is very friendly and helpful. But, really, you canÕt charge $90 for a room in a hotel that has an entrance and facade akin to a discrete strip club.
Address: 8 Marta Ul., #82 (entrance from the back of the building). Tel: 251-9136. Fax: 251-9126.

Mid-range.

Hotel Ekaterinburg-Central.
The Ekaterinburg-Central is a decent mid-range option that certainly is very central, located in what must be the technical center of EkaterinburgÕs well-planned inner city.
Housed in a beautiful early 20th Century building, this is the oldest hotel in Ekaterinburg. But after a complete renovation the rooms are now very modern and inviting without being distinctive in any way. A standard single costs 2700R ($100) while a Ôsingle standard plusÕ goes for 3300R ($122), the difference being a bigger bed and room. The rate for a double is 3800R ($140) and then there are a few more expensive rooms with extra furniture and so on. Prices include breakfast. The business facilities are quite good with the large hall holding 70 people and costing 1200R per hour ($44). Then thereÕs a smaller conference room that holds 30 people (1000R/h - $37/h) and a meeting room for 500R ($18) per hour. WiFi internet is available throughout the hotel at 100R ($3.70) per 20MB. A respectable option for tourists or businessmen, it has allusions to luxury but is mediocre enough to keep the prices reasonable.
Address: Malysheva Ul., #74. Tel: 350-0505. Website: www.hotelcentr.ru.

Grand Avenue Hotel.
Opened at the start of 2006, the Grand Avenue Hotel is what you would expect from a modern business hotel. The rooms arenÕt exactly plush but are completely modern with quality fittings that donÕt look impressive enough to be expensive. There are three basic room types: standard single (3000R - $111), better single (3300R - $122) and standard double (4000R - $148). The better single rooms are slightly bigger and have a wider bed, which might be necessary since the standard beds are very small. Double rooms have two of these small beds. The hotel is proud to have three rooms for disabled customers which have a wider bed and an equipped bathroom and cost 3300R ($122). They are also proud to offer wireless internet throughout the hotel at the price of 100R ($3.70) per 20MB. Also on site is a fitness center, sauna, beauty salon, a souvenir shop, restaurant and a very snazzy lobby bar. The Grand Avenue HotelÕs business facilities are also very impressive with three conference halls. The largest holds 100 people (1500R/$55 per hour), the next holds 70 people (1000R/$70 per hour) and the smallest fits 30 people (800R/$30 per hour). The halls are equipped with the latest technology. Has a great location near the middle of Prospekt Lenina and is a good choice for business travelers.
Address: Prospekt Lenina, #40. Tel: 350-0555. Email: rs@avenue.ru.

Hotel Iset.
Iset is a nice, 3 star, centrally located hotel suitable for tourists or businessmen. The interesting building was built to house NKVD staff in the 1930s and is shaped as a sickle when viewed from above. Facilities include a gym, sauna, pool, conference hall for 30 people and an internet room that costs 150R ($5.50) per hour to use. Standard rooms cost 2900R ($107) for single and 3600R ($133) for double. There are also higher class rooms priced at 3600R ($133) for the studio or 5300R ($195) for the luxury class. Prices include buffet breakfast. The rooms on the higher levels of the 10-storey hotel have great views of Ekaterinburg. ThereÕs a bar open from 11am-5am daily and, while there is only a small room where breakfast is served, room service is available. The Hotel Iset is perhaps a little overpriced in comparison to some of the similar range hotels in Ekaterinburg, but the rooms have more character and are a little more spacious.
Address: Prospekt Lenina, #69/1. Tel: 350-0128. Fax: 355-2469. Email: hotel_resr@r66.ru.

Hotel Voznesensky.
Among a number of hotels that opened in Ekaterinburg in 2006, the Voznesensky is a 3 star offering that feels more luxurious, mainly due to the exceptional level of service. The sleek and modern hotel features spacious modern rooms and great facilities making it perfect for the tourist or business traveler. The rooms are actually quite pleasant and not just functional like at many other hotels in this category, but they cost more as well. There are three types of standard rooms costing between 3500 and 4400 rubles ($130-$162) for single and 4500 and 5400 ($166-$200) for double. The difference is basically the size ø an extra 3 square meters for each upgrade. There are some higher class rooms as well and the luxury rooms (5900R - $218) are really worth considering as they have great balconies that look out onto the picturesque Kharitonovsky gardens. Some of the cheaper rooms have the same view but not the balconies. All prices include breakfast and thereÕs a 30% discount on Friday and Saturday nights. Voznesensky Hotel also has a 24 hour bar, a gym, a conference hall that holds 50 people (800R - $30 per hour), and a business center where internet costs 10R per MB. WIFi is available throughout the hotel as well. Highly recommended.
Address: Mamina-Sibiryaka Ul., #52. Tel: 379-3535. www.v-hotel.ru.

Park Inn.
Another new hotel, the Park Inn opened its doors in March 2006. If youÕve stayed at a Park Inn hotel elsewhere in the world you would have some idea what this one is like. The Ekaterinburg incarnation has the nicest, most modern rooms in the city with bright colors and features like plasma screen TVs. Considering this, their prices arenÕt too bad. Park Inn has blissfully simple room categories, a rare thing in Russia. Standard rooms cost Þ130 ($165) weekdays or Þ95 ($120) on weekends, while business class rooms cost Þ145 ($185) weekdays and Þ110 ($140) on weekends. The prices are the same for single or double occupancy and are inclusive of breakfast. Business class rooms are bigger, have a sofa and have a couple of nice touches like slippers and bathrobes. Wireless internet is available throughout the hotel and is overpriced at 260R ($9.60) an hour or 640R ($23.70) for 24 hours. On the downside you could expect a hotel of this standard and price range to have some extra facilities like a fitness center and sauna. But there is a swank 24 hour bar. The conference hall is attractive and well-equipped but quite expensive. It holds 80 people and is priced at $220 per two hours. Alternatively it can be split into a 50 person and 20 person room which cost $167 and $128 per two hours respectively. Overall, the Park Inn has high quality rooms but is lacking in other facilities, which makes the prices questionable.
Address: Mamina-Sibiryaka, #98. Tel: 216-6000. Website: www.parkinn.com.ru.

Luxurious.

Hotel Antei.
ItÕs only a small hotel with just 12 rooms, but the Hotel Antei offers something a bit out of the ordinary. On the 19th floor of the Antei Business Complex, the comfortable rooms have brilliant views of the city. If youÕve got the cash, the spacious business studio suite with its wall length windows is a beautiful place to stay at a price of 7000R ($260). The other rooms, which start at 3000R ($111) for a standard single and quickly become more expensive are all quite pleasant but are not great value since the city views are only available from a regular window. Breakfast is included in the prices and is served in the restaurant on the 6th floor. Internet is available at 5R ($0.18) per MB. The staff are a plus ø very friendly and helpful. Meanwhile, for businessmen, the Antei building has all the business facilities you could need (see Practicalities).
Address: Krasnoarmeiskaya Ul., #10 (19th floor). Tel: 378-4114. Website: www.antey-e.ru/hotel.

Magister Hotel.
Another hotel that offers something a bit different, the Hotel Magister has just 22 rooms, half of which are like apartments while the other half are standard hotel rooms. A strange entity, it doesnÕt look like a hotel from the outside and doesnÕt really feel like one inside either. The rooms are very nice and spacious but the well-appointed apartments are definitely the better option. Prices are 4300R ($160) for the standard rooms and 4900R ($180) for the apartments. Buffet breakfast is included but the apartments have a kitchen so you can cook. The rooms have a very homely feel to them and are beautifully furnished. There is also a business center where copying, faxing and internet is available. The small conference hall is nothing special. The apartment rooms would be a great choice for tourists.
Address: 8 Marta Ul., #50. Tel: 257-4206. Website: www.hotel-magister.ru.

Premier Hotel.
Apparently, this is a 4 star hotel, but that is really reflected only in the prices. Which isnÕt to say that the Premier is a bad hotel, itÕs just overpriced. It has some tasteful touches, the rooms are suitably luxurious and so on, but in spite of the dark lighting and antique decor makes it comes off more as outdated than opulent or romantic. A standard room costs 4400R ($163) for single or 5700R ($211) for double. Add about $13 to those prices if you want air conditioning. Buffet breakfast is included and the restaurant is pretty high-class. ItÕs got a good location in a quiet but central area. Other features at the Premier Hotel include wireless internet ($3.70 for 20MB) and a sauna. The 30 person conference hall isnÕt a bad price at 600R ($22) per hour. The security guard gave me a plastic bag to carry my papers in, which was nice. It had ÒHotel PremierÓ written on it in biro ø 4 star, indeed.
Address: Krasnoarmeiskaya Ul., #23. Tel: 355-3897. Website: www.premier-hotel.ru.

Atrium Palace Hotel.
The Atrium Palace Hotel is the only 5 star hotel in Ekaterinburg. Attached to the World Trade Center it is really only a worthwhile option for those who need the on-site business services such as office rental, translators and secretaries. The conference facilities are exceptional as well. But even with all that youÕd be just as well off taking the business studio suite at the Hotel Antei for less than the cheapest room here. A standard room costs 7980R ($295) for single and 9880R ($365) for double. Next up the scale are the luxury rooms for 15580R ($577) single and 20330R ($750) double. After that the sky is the limit. Facilities include a fitness center, swimming pool and sauna, which are included in the price. There is also a top notch restaurant and a delightful bar on site. But if youÕre not in Ekaterinburg on business then youÕre basically paying for deep-pile carpets and a bit of prestige. If your companyÕs picking up the bill, then why not? Otherwise, swimming pool aside, you can find better options elsewhere.
Address: Kuibysheva Ul., #44. Tel: 359-6000. Website: www.atriumhotel.ru.