"The Grenade!!!" Salute Hotel Tip by smirnofforiginal

Colloquially known as The Grenade due to its shape, for me everything about this hotel screamed out a former Soviet existence and, with its close proximity to Rodina Mat, my search for a hotel was over!!!
I booked a junior suite which was £260 for 3 nights and guaranteed me a nice view from the balcony.
You cannot walk to the centre of town from this hotel - it is too far. You must take a taxi and you WILL spend a lot more time in and around te centre than you will this end of town. It makes more sense to stay centrally and cab out this way when wanting to go to the Lavra, the Great Patriotic War museum etc... but you have to admit it is a great looking hotel!!!

My room: I am not sure if I would attach the word "suite" to my room - I think that is a generous lable for what was a room with a bathroom... but granted, it had a balcony that looked across the river and, from the 7th floor (which is where my "suite" was, afforded magnificent views of golden domes (from a variety of churches and cathedrals) and Rodina Mat.

The room was clean but REEKED of stale smoke. Everybody smokes in Kiev but the smell in the room was awful. I actually had to leave my clothes in the acse so that they did not stink!

There was a mini bar with beer, vodka, cheap champagne and johnnies! Yup - apparently refredgerated condoms is where it's at!?! These were possibly seen as a necessity for all rooms due to the strip club on the 3rd floor (nb... we heard no noise from this club and would never have known it was there if it had not been advertised all over the hotel and the dribble of slightly "shifty" looking men that could been seen wandering across reception en route up!)

The staff were all very friendly and helpful.
Breakfast was NOT included.
The best thing was a cash machine in the lobby... (it was the "green" ATM machine that accepts foreign credit cards... this was most helpful!)

Address: Sichnevoho Povstannia 11A, Kiev, 01010, Ukraine
Comparison: N/A
Phone: 380-44 494-1420
Price: N/A
Theme: Hotel