Only wanted to book it,but when called staff were so rude - unbelievable! I would never ever stay in this hotel!!!

My partner and I stayed here on a business trip, and short break, this being our first trip to the Ukraine we decided to combine both business and sightseeings with a trip to Chernobyl.
The hotel is typical eastern block with heavy communist influences but quite characterful in its own way. Its location is not close to the center of Kiev, or in the most fashionable or up market of districts but in a more realistic area of Kiev.

The reception as with most hotels is the grandest of areas with having the most money spent on it. The desk staff where as courteous as you could expect, with language barriers etc but where pleasant and as helpful as they could be. There is a currency exchange and two ATM's in the reception area.

We where on a "refurbished" floor in a "refurbished" room.
It was like many large hotel chain rooms, had been given a fresh coat of paint and some new wallpaper with new bed covers etc and a make over.

The hotel was comparable to many here in the UK and abroad, and was comfortable and clean. We had a meal in the hotel arranged as part of our business trip and the food was good and typically of the area, and a lot of Vodka was supplied on the table, but then isn't everything OK with enough Vodka? :)

I would recommend it to people and stay there again, its close enough to the metro to be able to go sightseeing and travel the city and other parts of Ukraine, although outside the large town public transport is patchy to say the least.

Kiev is hard to lodge. For hotels you have 2 options:
- old soviet block-style hotel, with hopefully renovated rooms around $100
- 5 stars hotels around $500

Our company did not pay for the $500 so we were staying in Hotel Bratislava.

Actually it wasn't that bad that I expected and as bad as it looks like from outside.

Rooms were redecorated nicely, it was clean, airy, with view to the city (well, to the grey blocks around, the nice part of Kiev is on the other side of the river).
Bathrooms were tiny, but still okay.
Corridor is with new deep carpet, lobby is quite lively, nice to have a drink there before sleep.

As I've seen it from the elevator stops redecoration of the corridors are still under construction on some levels (I was staying on 12th).

Getting around town is very easy as metro is 3 minutes away. I felt safe even late at night between the station and hotel walking. Metro takes 15 minutes to the very heart of Kiev (which is a beautiful city that took me by suprise). Don't take taxi - they will rip you off for sure.

Stuff is somehow still a bit soviet: not really flexible, they can be veeery serious - but if you try a little spaseeba they turn nicer.

One more: it is still a bit wild-east, so don't be surprised if the hotel-phone rings around 10 PM and you are asked if you need a 'Very good sex massage?'. Just say no and won't call you again.

I stayed here with a large group. The rooms have been renovated and are nice. There are not many amentities at this hotel, no business center.

The staff speaks English and are friendly. There's a currency exchange in the lobby, two restaurants on site.

It's a good hotel if you want a CLEAN room but aren't looking for a hotel to entertain you.