We'd booked through an agent to get another hotel, which they couldn't do for us so they at the last minute "upgraded us" to this hotel - as it had an ensuite (which is a fair enough reason to call it an upgrade). However, I don't know how much worse it could be.

The lobby is nice, clean and the staff at the front desk are friendly enough. I don't recommend the guide desk next door who were clueless about everything though.

We were given floor 7, which as someone said before us "is a different world". I would agree with those sentiments. The wallpaper was peeling, numbers were missing off the doors and the floor was tatty linoleum.

The room was, different to a typical hotel room. Wallpaper peeling, pipes showing in the bathroom, insulation showing around the windows and damp patches around the ceiling. If this was the UK this hotel would have already been shut down! We had a TV, it's TV stand a rusting fridge probably much older than me - I didn't dare plug it in! It was mouldy inside and the door didn't close properly. Food anyone?!

To top it off the beds were like sleeping on rocks.

Plus points: Breakfast was half decent and they had curtains (a western luxury in Russia it seems!)

You get my picture, unless you have to, don't stay here.

I have stayed in Hotel Sverdlorsk twice now. First time in September 2006 when I stayed for one week, then again in December 2007. Both times I have stayed, I was charged 700Rubles a night and have found the staff helpful and friendly. The first time i stayed I spoke not a word of Russian (I am Australian) and had no problems at all. The second time I stayed the receptionist even arranged an apartment for me in the centre as I was going to be staying in Ekaterinburg for two months. The rooms are terrible, but thats to be expected. For a cheap price its ok. Safe and convenient. If you wish to stay in comfortable surroundings and need to feel as you are back home (Europe, Australia, USA), then dont stay there. This is typical soviet style hotel. For a trans siberian stopover with basic amenties then its perfect. Just dont walk in to the foyer with your loud accents and flash gadgets. Be respectful and you are sure to not be ripped off.

Picked the Sverdlovsk merely because it was across the road from the train station, it was getting late and it was cold and snowing. I wish I had braved the weather and kept walking.
the lobby is very modern and stylish but looks are deceiving. The hotel advertises 3 rates - 1800 rubles, 2500 and finally 3500 rubles for a suite. I asked the difference between the first two and was told the 2500 ruble rooms had been renovated. they lied. The room was in a corridor that looked about 300 rooms long. The room was small with a very narrow rock-hard single bed with a hideous pink cover. The room was dirty and the bathroom tiles cracked and filthy. The plaster surrounding the windows was almost non existent. There was only tepid water in the shower - not good when it is -10 outside. I would recommend people stay away from this hotel ans spend the effort to get into town.

That said, some of the staff were exceptional. I walked back to the hotel because I had seen they had a train and air ticket desk but when I asked, they told me it had been closed down. I was asking whether there was anywhere else I could book (the train station itself was a nightmare - very confusing and absolutely packed with people) the young lass got a lady from the business centre who could speak english. When the lady worked out out what ticket I was after, she wrote it in cyrillic and got the young lass to take me to the train station and order the ticket for me. On with her coat, through the snow and across the road, standing in queue and ordered my ticket, back to the hotel where all the details written in english for me, all at no charge! Was greatly appreciated so I bought the young lass a single rose from the flower seller.

We turned up to Ekaterinburg in need of a room at a sensible price, having stayed in Kazan and had a nice room for 2600 rubles thought 2900R was going to give us a reasonable room, big mistake not to check room before you pay. 7th floor was like a different world, I don't think these rooms had been decorated since the hotel was build in 1969, I would expect better for my dog in kennels.
I refused to stay, was offered a better room for 3500rubles which was better though not great.

How do they get away with charging so much for such a dump, is there a lack of hotels in this city.

In the UK( not the cheapest place for hotels) you can get a reasonable standard hotel for £50 or less, nothing special but you know it will be clean and well looked after.

Is this hotel a candidate for one of the worst hotels in the world?