There are not many hotels in Grodno. There are actualy just 3 big hotels, all of them big ugly concrete buildings, made in the eighties. Hotel Belarus, Hotel Grodno and Hotel Tourist. We stayed in hotel Tourist, it was most recommended by the travel agency (Belarus Tour Service in Minsk) which organized the hotel for us (foreigners can not organize the hotel themselves, since only a travel agency can help you with organizing a tourist visa).
I read somewhere that probably hotel Belarus would have been a better choice, but I think all 3 hotels are very equal, only hotel Belarus is a bit closer to the center.
For tourists from West Europe (like me) a hotel in Grodno is a weird experience. The hotel room looked as if it was made in the 60's, the bathroom could be in a hotel in India and the whole atmosphere is really just like in communistic days. As a guest you must be happy to stay there, so don't expect nice people or extra service ;-)
The service was not always terrific, but the good point was that the people speak Polish, because my girlfriend is Polish and at least she could communicate good with them.
When I wanted to pay with my credit card in the end of the stay, they told me it was not possible, while we heard from the travel agency it was. It was not possible because of some holiday and even the bank machines didn't work ! Luckily I still had just enough dollars and euro's (the exchange office in the hotel luckily was open), otherwise I even could not have payed the bill, because we had to leave next morning.
The restaurant is a bit lousy and compared to a restaurant in the center a bit expensive (allthough for western tourists still ridiculous cheap ;-) ).
There is a tourist store in the hotel, which sells bus tickets, map of the city and postcards (probably stamps too). Unfortunately the store was only open 1 day when we were there (on a saturday) and after that we didn't see it open anymore.
There is also a small bar where you drink coffee or tea and have a breakfast, don't expect too much of it ;-)
Unique Qualities: Exchange office that was open all the time, apart from that the hotel didn't had any unique qualities ;-)
Well, maybe for Belarussian standards it already is quit unique that the hotel has 2 restaurants, a bar, a casino, a private parking, a place to clean your suit and a hairdresser.
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Theme: Hotel
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$20-40
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Phone: Tel: +375 (0) 152 265520
Address: 63, Yanki Kupala Prospekt
Directions: 2 km. from the centre in the south east district on the other side of the river.
Website: http://www.hotels-belarus.com/en/grodno_tourist.html
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on Aug 29, 2004
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