Hotel Cristal

The lighting was awful, and there's a crack in the ceiling by the chandelier; only four of its small bulbs worked. The shower doors were broken and wouldn't shut. Our basement room was very cold, and the staff were rude. For the price, there wasn't even a hairdryer, and they gave us just one set of towels for two people. I wouldn't recommend it. Other, better equipped hotels cost the same or less, and this room isn't worth the money.

For a night or two, this little hotel is a decent choice. Just be aware that there's no dryer, so laundry will be hard to dry. Satellite TV is a plus, but it had no Ukrainian or other local channels. They could use a simple T2 antenna.

The room was cozy, though pricey, and it had hot water, a hairdryer, TV, and air conditioning. The shower was awkward to use with one hand because the holder didn't fit, and the towel came off with its hook. The large bed was broken, so I had to sleep with my feet at the head end, and my pillow kept falling onto the floor.

What stood out was that, at 3 a.m., this was the only hotel whose employee answered and then took me in. I'd already called about a dozen others. As for the place itself, it's fine if you just need somewhere to sleep, though it's supposedly a hotel in a basement. The rooms are tiny, with repairs that look about 2,000 years old, and the window sits high up on the wall, which may not bother everyone. Given that, 600-700 hryvnia felt a little steep.