There are a lot of hotels in Ukraine of different types from budget to luxury ones, like Hyatt or InterContinental in Kyiv. Although the shortage of quality hotels remains an issue, Ukraine’s hospitality industry has been exhibiting strong signs of growth. In addition to several international operators that successfully entered the market, small privately-owned hotels have also been proliferating, becoming experienced enough in the mini-hotels sector and providing decent competition to the participants of the world hotel market.

Though the demand for the high-quality hotel service still greatly exceeds the supply. As well as the lack of luxury hotels, the problem of quality of services and the cost for a bed (which is well above the European average). stays quite relevant. Even in certified hotels the number of stars meets neither the national requirements, nor the international standards. However, the quality lower than it is claimed is usually the feature of two- and three-star hotels. It is caused by the fact that the Ukrainian system of hotel certification has a number of drawbacks.

Guest House is a competitive alternative to the hostels and hotels. They usually offer better services for less money. Guest Houses are a quite recent innovation in Ukraine. They usually look like a small hotel; nice and cosy.

If you like complete privacy, comfort, want to be able to cook your favorite meals , or just look for a cheaper and better alternative to basic Ukrainian hotels, then private apartments are meant for you.

Many companies all over Ukraine offer private lodging, which vary from the budget to luxury apartments. Budget apartments are usually of a Soviet style with old Soviet furniture. Location of such apartments leaves much to be desired, but still could be found close to the metro stations or the center of the city. Usually they are not equipped with such electrical appliances as microwave, washing machine and air conditioner, but they are clean and have the basics like a refridgerator, a gas stove, a TV-set and maybe an electric kettle. Every apartment has got linen, some plates and cups, one or two pots and a frying pan.

More expensive places of a Western Style or so called apartments with "evroremont" (euro renovation) have nice modern furniture and all nessesary equipment, including a nice TV-set, DVD player, washing machine, fridge, air conditioner, etc. By your request, the maid will clean your apartment if you are staying longer than a couple of days (sometimes it is included in the price, sometimes for an additional fee).

Note: Apartments in Ukraine are described by how many "rooms" they have but not "bedrooms". (Rooms not counting the kitchen and bath). For example a one room would be what you would call a studio and two rooms what you would call a one-bedroom apartment.

There are not so many Youth Hostels in Ukraine and they are all not like the ones in the West. Hostel System by itself is not new for Ukraine, but hostels for tourists or Youth hostels are a pretty recent innovation (the first one appeared in 2003). They just now started to develop and more or less comply with the European standards.

Hostels of the Soviet type are widely spread in Ukraine and meant for the students, workers and their families. They look like the regular 5 to 9 storied buildings, more often without balconies. Typically they have a "corridor" structure, when rooms go both sides of the long corridor. There is usually one bathroom and a kitchen per floor. Some other hostels have a "block" structure, when there's one bathroom per block of two or three rooms. Maybe that is the reason why the newly reated Youth hostels look somewhere in between a hostel and a regular hotel. Sometimes they are just rennovated and rebuilt from the Soviet type hostels or old Soviet hotels.

The prices for the bed are also quite high, taking into the account cost / quality definitions and comaring with the Eusropean hostels.

But still, this sphere of the Ukrainian hospitality industry just started to develop and needs more time and experience until it becomes on a level or at least close to the European one.

Nowadays there are lots of websites (such as www.trivago.com) that offer a wide choice of accommodations, including hotels, hostels, guesthouses to browse online. It is always better to search for your accommodation earlier to avoid stress and find the right option that fits your budget and needs most. Also, do not forget to read some reviews of your fellow travelers to get information from first hand that will help you with your choice.