Mezhyhirya Residence Museum
Mezhyhirya Residence Museum
4.5
About
Since mid-November 2014, Mezhyhirya has been a museum that displays the luxury of its former owner, former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych. The estate is located in the village of Novi Petrivtsi, 25 km from Kiev. Yanukovych lived in it from 2002 to 21 February 2014, when he abandoned the estate during the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
274 reviews
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165
Very good
69
Average
20
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5
Terrible
15
irina f
Muscat Governorate, Oman58 contributions
Jun 2018 • Couples
We enquired about tours from Kiev and as the prices were too high for us, we decided to do it on our own and it turned out well: we took an Uber ride for 270uah from Kiev down town, a 45min ride. Once we arrived there, we took bikes (4hrs 400uah..a bit pricey)and toured the beautiful huge garden. It was very pleasant.Note that there is no ATM closeby and you cnt pay anything by card(!).The only toilet we encountered is hidden away on the right side after the entrance.(on thec1.5hr house tour you cnt use a toilet). No one speaks English, prepare with google translate. For the main house visit:there was a number on a paper fixed on the main door..written in ukrainian only. You needed to go behind the souvenir shop to actually pay and start the tour,but there is no one there, no timetable of the tours and all it says was call the number on the poster(i am attaching the poster below, try to call before you go to fibd out the house tour schedule..guide speaks very limited english,let ab ukrainian call)..the thing is that tours last 1.5hrs and during that time the phone of the guide is switched off.We managed to get into a tour at 12.30 on a friday. Looking inside the house was fantastic.it costs 200uah.A symphony of kitsch, wealth and exageration.Interesting, even if we didnt understand all the explanations, but worth the visit the same. We would have liked to stay longer in the park after,but we had a flight to catch. There was one taxi there, we paid 300uah back to kiev center(any Uber was 20min away).Definitely worth a daytrip,just bring sufficient cash
Written 30 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EdwardNortonH
Budapest, Hungary26 contributions
Aug 2016 • Family
Previous commenters have already described what you are about to see, well, in case you go with a guide...which we had been told was unnecessary.
We had been told, cause there is no normal/official website or anything available except for some private guides homepage neither in English nor in Russian, Ukrainian, which is quite strange in 2016...unless its again good (beneficiary) for "someone".
Its true that you can simply walk/bike/cruse with an electric golf car around but without a guide you can not enter the "main" house. And here is where the "good old Ukrainian mentality" gets into the picture. There is a number on the door which you can call and get an appointment cz there is only 1 guide who can get you in. If the phone is off they will call you back. In our 3-4 hours there we did not manage to get in sadly. And that goes on and on. Theoretically you could enter his boat or the garage but the boat is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday the garage is closed on Wednesday and Thursday etc etc.
It wouldn't take much to make it much more tourist-friendly but for some reason they left it...well, rather chaotic.
By the way there are 2 restaurants inside next to kiev sea with normal (grill) food and there are some small kiosks for snacks as well so there is a chance to refresh yourself whilst going around.
Entrance fee is 50UAH to the territory and than (if places are open/allowed to go without guide) they have different prices but everything is around this 50UAH.
Going with a golf car (with a driver) was 400UAH per person/hour.
We had been told, cause there is no normal/official website or anything available except for some private guides homepage neither in English nor in Russian, Ukrainian, which is quite strange in 2016...unless its again good (beneficiary) for "someone".
Its true that you can simply walk/bike/cruse with an electric golf car around but without a guide you can not enter the "main" house. And here is where the "good old Ukrainian mentality" gets into the picture. There is a number on the door which you can call and get an appointment cz there is only 1 guide who can get you in. If the phone is off they will call you back. In our 3-4 hours there we did not manage to get in sadly. And that goes on and on. Theoretically you could enter his boat or the garage but the boat is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday the garage is closed on Wednesday and Thursday etc etc.
It wouldn't take much to make it much more tourist-friendly but for some reason they left it...well, rather chaotic.
By the way there are 2 restaurants inside next to kiev sea with normal (grill) food and there are some small kiosks for snacks as well so there is a chance to refresh yourself whilst going around.
Entrance fee is 50UAH to the territory and than (if places are open/allowed to go without guide) they have different prices but everything is around this 50UAH.
Going with a golf car (with a driver) was 400UAH per person/hour.
Written 2 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
voyageurparis08
Paris, Ile-de-France, France13 contributions
Aug 2016 • Friends
We had a tour of former Ukrainian president Yanukovich's residence in Mezhigirya.
The skilled guide who was with us (who was in Maidan by the way) showed us the inside of this over-the-top luxurious mansion (it is possible to have a tour in English, but he does the Ukrainian one). I won't spoil it with photos, because I want the reader of this review to go and look at this house and its surrounding. I want him or her to go and look at all the features of this mansion, and look at how ordinary people live in Kyiv. I want him or her to see how much riches a president can steal from his people.
Anything you can think of as ridiculously luxurious, it exists in Mezhigirya. Golden toilets ? Yep. Private boxing ring ? Yep. Private zoo ? Yep. Private antique car collection ? Yep. Private lake ? Yep. Stuffed Lion ? There you go. First John Lennon Signature white grand piano ? Yep. Private Clinic ? Yep. And it goes on and on for 370 acres. The tour is well crafted as you can visit the interior of the house and the rest of the territory (by electric cars or by foot).
When you see how beautiful this place is and you learn that most of the work was done by Ukrainian workers (supervised by a Finnish company), it gives you a glimpse of how Ukrainian equipments could be, with good financing and the right workforce for the right place.
I know that when this stupid war end, Ukraine will have the power to build itself through its people. This mansion proves it.
Many thanks to our guides (including the driver of the electric car). Many thanks to the people who maintain this place. Go and see it, it's worth the trip.
Claudio Arenas
The skilled guide who was with us (who was in Maidan by the way) showed us the inside of this over-the-top luxurious mansion (it is possible to have a tour in English, but he does the Ukrainian one). I won't spoil it with photos, because I want the reader of this review to go and look at this house and its surrounding. I want him or her to go and look at all the features of this mansion, and look at how ordinary people live in Kyiv. I want him or her to see how much riches a president can steal from his people.
Anything you can think of as ridiculously luxurious, it exists in Mezhigirya. Golden toilets ? Yep. Private boxing ring ? Yep. Private zoo ? Yep. Private antique car collection ? Yep. Private lake ? Yep. Stuffed Lion ? There you go. First John Lennon Signature white grand piano ? Yep. Private Clinic ? Yep. And it goes on and on for 370 acres. The tour is well crafted as you can visit the interior of the house and the rest of the territory (by electric cars or by foot).
When you see how beautiful this place is and you learn that most of the work was done by Ukrainian workers (supervised by a Finnish company), it gives you a glimpse of how Ukrainian equipments could be, with good financing and the right workforce for the right place.
I know that when this stupid war end, Ukraine will have the power to build itself through its people. This mansion proves it.
Many thanks to our guides (including the driver of the electric car). Many thanks to the people who maintain this place. Go and see it, it's worth the trip.
Claudio Arenas
Written 11 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Larisa K
Canada100 contributions
Aug 2017 • Friends
It is built with a good taste and from good materials. Beautiful, but small for president . 350 acres of land not possible to walk trough. PLEASE at the entrance TAKE GOLF CAR with DRIVER-GUIDE for 100 Hryvnia per person to have a ride there for one hour, otherwise you see nothing. 350 acres is too much to walk. Allow 3-5 hours total .
ADMISSION in Ukrainian Hryvnia:
100 - week days , half price if purchase ticket before 9 am.
40 - Tuesday.
20 - Tuesday if you come BEFORE 9 in the morning.
120 - Saturday, Sunday.
200 - to see inside the house, TOURS ARE SHARP ON TIME, IF YOU 1 MIN LATE, THEY DON'T LET YOU IN. Time: 10 am, 12 am, and you would have to call to book it.
20 - to see garage with cars.
?? - i don't remember exactly for Hunting Dog house.
free- his farm with exotic animals he used for food.
TRANSPORTATION
Metro - HEROIV DNEPRA, blue line, last stop. Than on the corner next to station take small vans for 6 people for 50 Hryvnia each. Same cars will bring you back at ANY time you finished your tour, no limitation with time.
I had huge trouble with transportation. DO NOT TAKE VANS OFFERING TOUR for 200 Hryvnia ! They give you only 2-3 hours for everything and if you are a minute late, leave without you, ( that happened to me and i had to return to Metro with van which was only 50 Hryvnia i mentioned above. )
have a good time if decide to go
ADMISSION in Ukrainian Hryvnia:
100 - week days , half price if purchase ticket before 9 am.
40 - Tuesday.
20 - Tuesday if you come BEFORE 9 in the morning.
120 - Saturday, Sunday.
200 - to see inside the house, TOURS ARE SHARP ON TIME, IF YOU 1 MIN LATE, THEY DON'T LET YOU IN. Time: 10 am, 12 am, and you would have to call to book it.
20 - to see garage with cars.
?? - i don't remember exactly for Hunting Dog house.
free- his farm with exotic animals he used for food.
TRANSPORTATION
Metro - HEROIV DNEPRA, blue line, last stop. Than on the corner next to station take small vans for 6 people for 50 Hryvnia each. Same cars will bring you back at ANY time you finished your tour, no limitation with time.
I had huge trouble with transportation. DO NOT TAKE VANS OFFERING TOUR for 200 Hryvnia ! They give you only 2-3 hours for everything and if you are a minute late, leave without you, ( that happened to me and i had to return to Metro with van which was only 50 Hryvnia i mentioned above. )
have a good time if decide to go
Written 15 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Martin503
London, UK111 contributions
Jun 2015 • Solo
Before booking this tour please check with the tour company that the main house 'Honka', the Entertainment Centre and the building housing the Car Collection are OPEN otherwise you will be disappointed. According to the tour guide the main house is owned by a media company and is only open once or twice a month to the public. Initially I was looking forward to my tour of the 'Museum of Corruption' as it is affectionately known by the locals but it was only on arrival I learnt that we could NOT access any of the buildings which was such a disappointment after I had seen the various opulent rooms on the Internet and of course I wanted to see these rooms for myself. The grounds and the farm were quite interesting as well as the high fence and you do get to see the Sauna House which is an additional 20 grivnas to go inside. The admission of 200 grivnas is not an issue but they should make it clear to the public that admission to the main buildings is NOT included. You have been warned.
Written 24 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lily K
Kyiv, Ukraine32 contributions
Jul 2019 • Friends
I went to this park with my mom and paid 40 grivnas to enter, she also paid 40 grivnas, they told me she didn't qualify for the senior discount because she wasn't a citizen of Ukraine. After we bought our tickets we walked up to the main residence and saw a sign on the door with a phone number on it. I called the number. The man told me go back to golden baton by the spa area and the next tour into the house starts at 12:30. We got on the tour. After an excruciating hour and a half of information about trees and fresh air, I was really really tired. Everytime the guide stopped to tell us something she did it right in the sun. And her microphone was inaudible, so everyone was pushing and shoving each other to get closer to hear her. It felt crowded. And we never did get in the house. We weren't let in any of the buildings, we just peered through the windows. You should be able to book a tour of the buildings right there on the spot.
Written 16 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ula
26 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
It’s the best monument of corruption, you simply can’t understand the size of corruption without visiting this place.
Few practical tips:
1. Go there and return with Uber. It’ll cost you around 10eur one way. Expensive but you will not need to worry about finding marshrutkas next to metro
2. On the other hand, it’s quite an experience to catch a driver from Metro station but you must speak at least a bit of russian. We met an old woman who sat us on an old bus and drove there for 150uah directly to the residence. But it was a bit awkward and we didn’t fee safe.
3. 120 uah each person to walk into the park. Card available.
4. 500 uah each to get into the residence. you need to call a number on the main entrance and if you lucky - someone will pick up. We weren’t that lucky so simply waited until someone came outside. After approx 20min, group of people left the residence so we meet the guide. Russian only. We were told to meet in an hour next to yanukovich sculpture which was pretty hard to find. Look for a dirrection to Fock from souvenir shop.
5. You can pay in cash only. We didn’ have so much cash, so payed half price in eur :)))
6. The tour was INCREDIBLE. Best experience of the whole trip. The guide, woman, was wery good, explained lots of unknown details of Yanukovich life, his polical relations, family, etc. I personally don’t like guide tours but it’s the only way to get inside now.
7. Guides don’t speak english!! We understood very limited russian, so she did her best to explain the story in english :)
8. There were 8 of us in a group, it felt nice and personal
9. Tour took around 1,5h.
10. YOU MUST GO THERE! It’s just mindblowing.
Few practical tips:
1. Go there and return with Uber. It’ll cost you around 10eur one way. Expensive but you will not need to worry about finding marshrutkas next to metro
2. On the other hand, it’s quite an experience to catch a driver from Metro station but you must speak at least a bit of russian. We met an old woman who sat us on an old bus and drove there for 150uah directly to the residence. But it was a bit awkward and we didn’t fee safe.
3. 120 uah each person to walk into the park. Card available.
4. 500 uah each to get into the residence. you need to call a number on the main entrance and if you lucky - someone will pick up. We weren’t that lucky so simply waited until someone came outside. After approx 20min, group of people left the residence so we meet the guide. Russian only. We were told to meet in an hour next to yanukovich sculpture which was pretty hard to find. Look for a dirrection to Fock from souvenir shop.
5. You can pay in cash only. We didn’ have so much cash, so payed half price in eur :)))
6. The tour was INCREDIBLE. Best experience of the whole trip. The guide, woman, was wery good, explained lots of unknown details of Yanukovich life, his polical relations, family, etc. I personally don’t like guide tours but it’s the only way to get inside now.
7. Guides don’t speak english!! We understood very limited russian, so she did her best to explain the story in english :)
8. There were 8 of us in a group, it felt nice and personal
9. Tour took around 1,5h.
10. YOU MUST GO THERE! It’s just mindblowing.
Written 24 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
figuerasluis
Barcelona, Spain411 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
Despite the very expensive private tours where you are picked up at the hotel.... you dont need to waste what these tours demand (over $250). Ubering a taxi or renting a car, the location is 35 km away from Kiev, there is a ticket entry to the park complex (where you can pay by credit cards). Once there, forget about paying bu credit card. There are no ATM, the restaurants (few offer)will tell you that the credit card device doesnt work. The area is HUGE and you can see the opulence of the place but what it is really worth is to visit the house of that robber former Ukranian president. You should be in the annexe building (winter garden and gym) by the strike of the hour. Signs are limited, info mostly in Russian. The entry to the residence is very expensive for locals.... 7e cash.
The tour takes over an hour and you visit that annexe building, the secret passage underground to get into the mansion and all floors. Really worth to feel like a king or queen.
The tour takes over an hour and you visit that annexe building, the secret passage underground to get into the mansion and all floors. Really worth to feel like a king or queen.
Written 30 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Zuzana A
14 contributions
Jun 2018 • Friends
I really recommend to see it. BUT it is not easy to get inside the house. You must call a number (but there is a lot of them and you are confused which is the right one) to book the tour. But it is not easy to call, nobody answers you, nobody speaks to you.. Everything is written in Ukrain.Nobody could help us. So because of these reasons we did not go inside. I think it is almost impissible to get inside.. They are not really ready for tourists.
Written 27 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eimantas B
1 contribution
Jun 2018 • Family
DO NOT GO THERE!
Why? Let's begin.
Visiting the park itself without seeing the house inside is not worth going there from Kyiv.
Its a just nice park, but nothing special. You can find this kind of park in every bigger city.
Knowing that we went there because we only wanted to see the inside of the famous villa of former Ukrainian president. TO GET INSIDE you need to call for a special guide, which would let you inside the house and show around during the private excursion. (do not go to their official site, because its not working at all and no one will contact you when you will fill the form for private tour). Knowing that I called four times before my trip. No one answered. I thought OK - still two days left.
During those two days I called 5 more times but still the same.
Finally we arrived at the park, so I went to the entrance and asked the staff (which for sure, doesnt speak english, only russian) how to get inside the house, but they were rude and said me - call the guide. "I did it 15 times already" - i said, "keep calling and go away" - they answered.
So we were going around the park for about three hours and I made more than 30 calls. Sometimes the phone was switched off because of the ongoing excursion, but when it was turned on, there was a signal but nothing. I even wrote 3 messages and asked for a soldier to call from his number. NOTHING.
So we ended up with no excursion and didnt see inside the house. Awful.
AVOID THIS PLACE, because no one will care about you here, very dissapointing..
And as I said the park is nothing special. Better spent that one additinal day in Kyiv.
Why? Let's begin.
Visiting the park itself without seeing the house inside is not worth going there from Kyiv.
Its a just nice park, but nothing special. You can find this kind of park in every bigger city.
Knowing that we went there because we only wanted to see the inside of the famous villa of former Ukrainian president. TO GET INSIDE you need to call for a special guide, which would let you inside the house and show around during the private excursion. (do not go to their official site, because its not working at all and no one will contact you when you will fill the form for private tour). Knowing that I called four times before my trip. No one answered. I thought OK - still two days left.
During those two days I called 5 more times but still the same.
Finally we arrived at the park, so I went to the entrance and asked the staff (which for sure, doesnt speak english, only russian) how to get inside the house, but they were rude and said me - call the guide. "I did it 15 times already" - i said, "keep calling and go away" - they answered.
So we were going around the park for about three hours and I made more than 30 calls. Sometimes the phone was switched off because of the ongoing excursion, but when it was turned on, there was a signal but nothing. I even wrote 3 messages and asked for a soldier to call from his number. NOTHING.
So we ended up with no excursion and didnt see inside the house. Awful.
AVOID THIS PLACE, because no one will care about you here, very dissapointing..
And as I said the park is nothing special. Better spent that one additinal day in Kyiv.
Written 27 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
when can i see the car collection? I was there before but the car collection was closed. What are the hours to see them?
Written 27 August 2018
Car collection was closed 1,5 week ago when I've been there. Maybe you just need to call to museum help desk?
Written 28 August 2018
I have been there before but didn't see the car collection. When is it open to see the cars, or do I have to get in a tour group?
Written 27 August 2018
We didn’t see the cars but I believe you just turn up and if it’s open you are able to visit without any tour. As I understand from the website it’s shut on Wednesdays and opens at 9:30 any other day. Entry is 50 UAH extra reduced to 20 on Tuesdays.
Written 28 August 2018
Hi, do you know how much is to rent the golf cart with driver? We have total 4 person and have limited time in Mezhyhirya Residence as we need to rush to take flight. I am going to a Tuesday, I read someone's post saying going on a Tuesday before 9am will get 20UAH/ticket. Is that true?
Written 31 July 2018
Здраствуйте ! Если ехать на велосипеде, есть возможность его где-то оставить и пойти например на выставку ретро авто ?
Written 30 May 2017
Там можно попросить его завезти и за ним посмотрят охранницы, либо возле наливайки с кофе и глинтвейном, есть забор, где можете приковать велик.
Written 31 May 2017
In American dollars $2-2.5
In Ukrainian local money 50 grivni
Written 9 December 2016
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