I stayed here because I've never seen such good reviews for anything before. I booked a transfer to and from the airport. My bag got lost, so I had to wait over an hour to get everything sorted. Our transfer was weird. All our driver did was complain about how bad drivers were in the Ukraine (while turning completely around to tell us this and having both hands off the steering wheel). We got to the hotel, after about 30 minutes of silence in the car and the receptionist asked us for our passports right away. I wanted to wait to get our passports back before we headed out and she took her time chatting to the driver for over 30 minutes. Not a very warm welcome. We went out to get something to eat and couldn't find any productties/little supermarkets, so I asked the receptionist. Instead of telling us where one was, she asked 'why do you need to know?' When I said to buy snacks, she told us to go to McDonalds. Later, we found a soviet style producttie across the street, called Ukrainian Bread.

The breakfast is stale bread and pastry, with liquid like yoghurt and fruit juice, fruit and condiments. I wasn't impressed and it didn't make me feel too well. We stayed there for over a week and every day the bread managed to be stale, even if we got it right away.

And even though you agree a time with them for breakfast, they knock on your door till you get up and get it, which I found a little annoying.

It's a nice room with all the accessories. They very kindly let us borrow a lap top, although the internet connection is very, very slow.

Like I said in the review, 3 of the people in reception were extremely friendly and smiley, one is not. This is the same one who wouldn't tell us where the small supermarket was. When the electricity went out, I went out of the room to ask when it will be back on to which she replied, 'why don't you go outside and explore?'

I must add that we were sick nearly our whole time there, but that just seemed to have them not like us, even though I told them we weren't feeling well (and had to spend a lot of time on in the bathroom).

I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. I think 95 euros a night is a bit steep, but it was centrally located and includes breakfast. So I can't really complain.

They forgot to book our return transfer, which made me a little upset. It was the same receptionist with an attitude. She booked us a cab instead and while we were leaving, the only thing she said to me was to put on a hat, it's not summer! Which anyone will know visiting gas rich countries, they keep indoors about 50 degrees Celsius and I was holding my hat in my hands.

You definitely need to know how to read syrillic to get around if you visit the Ukraine!

The bb is very well located on the centre within walking distance of main attractions. airport pickup service available. rooms are new but not too big. bathroom nice but couldnt turn off the heating so it turned into a sauna. no wireless but free internet by cable. Since there is no breakfast room breakfast is delivered to your room on a little trolley

Large, quiet, comfortable rooms with continental type-breakfast delivered to your door every morning. Don't be put off by the gated entrance to the hotel which is dark, narrow and has lots of graffiti on the walls. Once you get beyond it it is fine. Hopefully it is removed periodically.

There is apparently lots of crime in other parts of the Ukraine but I felt very safe in Kiev. Don't be put off if you feel like trying it. I have been to most Eastern European capitals now and Kiev is definitely different. The Metro is a real challenge for Westerners (some stations are huge, like underground cities, and can be very disorientating) as the place names are in Cyrillic script (like Russian). If lost or you require help best to ask a younger, studenty type as they are far more likely to speak a bit of English. Few other people seem to (probably not surprising).

Don't get ripped-off by Ukrainian taxi drivers who want 30 US dollars to take you to the Sunflower. From where the bus drops you from Boryspil airport it is just 3 Metro stops (costing about 25p!). To find The Metro from the drop zone you have to walk about a third of a mile through Kiev railway station to the end and turn left at the exit. It is a building with a green "M" on, illuminated and easier to see in the dark. Don't confuse the railway station with The Metro as you'll probably end up in Russia!

We arrived by train in Kiev and had planned to stay in a hostel near the train station. No chance! Found the supposed building but couldn't find a sign, a door or a hostel. And then, it started pouring. Girls were losing their high heels in the rivers that had formed on the streets. So we decided to call the Sunflower and got a double room for a couple of nights. More expensive than a hostel, but not as high as the hotels, the sunflower is the perfect in between. Our (wet) arrival was warmly welcomed and our shoes were lovingly placed in the warm laundry room. The rooms are very clean, spacious and somewhat "fresh", sunflower being the overall theme. There isn't any wifi, but the B&B provided us with a laptop computer so as to access internet. And then there was the breakfast! The fact that there isn't a table in the room, means that you sip orange juice and munch on a whole lot of goodies lying around on the bed, knowing that the room will be perfectly made up a little later on. The B&B saved our Kiev stay, and the ideal location meant we could aimlessly wander the streets of this intriguing city.