In Ukraine, a hotel is more than a place to spend the night. It's a travel agency, a bank, a restaurant, a bar, a beauty parlor, and a ticket window. Traditionally run by Inturyst for the convenience of foreign tourists, hotels theoretically offered all the services a traveler might desire. Now accustomed to the influx of businesspersons and other well-heeled travelers, hotels no longer regard tour groups as special.
Through joint ventures, a few luxury hotels have opened up in major cities and tourist destinations. The ambience, service, and meals in these hotels are comparable to that in good European or American hotels, but expect prices to be higher in Ukraine. Older hotels in large cities are renovating their lobbies and restaurants and refurbishing their rooms, floor by floor. Their rates have gone up substantially. (Ukrainian citizens pay only a fraction of what foreigners are charged.) Leading hotels in large cities accept credit cards, while payment in smaller cities and towns is in cash only.
Availability and price of rooms vary with the season and location. In Kyiv, it's easier and cheaper to get a hotel room in the winter, while in smaller towns that are off the beaten track, hotel rooms are almost always available without reservations. Rooms in small towns are much cheaper than those in large cities, but these hotels are unlikely to be up to Western standards.
Remember that the lobby is on the "ground floor" and the floor above is the "first floor." Expect your room to have a TV set and a small refrigerator; the bathroom is likely to have a scant supply of toilet paper and — according to European custom — towels, but no washcloths. In many hotels, the water rarely runs hot, but leading hotels often have their own water heating system.
Be cautious in large tourist hotels, especially those with bars and casinos. Try to look as inconspicuous as possible. Leave expensive jewelry at home, and don't flash money. It's risky to leave your valuables in your room, and safety deposit boxes are not usually available or are unsafe