An Adventure Through Time Into the Future - Odessa Ukraine

Travel Guides

I find a mix of official guides and guides with blogs to be the best way to find out about a city or location in general.
I have enclosed some links to get you going here.

www.2odessa.com
www.theodessaguide.com
www.odessaglobe.com/english/
www.odessa-guide.com/

If you want to read about others comments on hotels, stays, and sights, here you go.

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Ukraine/Odeska_Oblast/Odessa-703435/TravelGuide-Odessa.html

Things to do in Odessa, here are some tips and some visitors comments on places, worth reading really

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Ukraine/Odeska_Oblast/Odessa-703435/Things_To_Do-Odessa-BR-1.html#0
http://www.world66.com/europe/ukraine/odessa
http://wikitravel.org/en/Odessa
http://www.travelpost.com/EU/Ukraine/Odessa/Odessa/2420263
www.odessa-portal.com/
http://www.iagora.com/itravel/icities/ukraine/odessa/ic_index.html
http://www.odessaplus.com/tourismtravel

Hotels
You can choose to stay in hotels or in apartments, it is really only a personal choice and how well you want to live and how much cooking you want to do yourself and where you want to live.

Renting an apartment really requires you to have some knowledge of Russian/ Ukrainian or you can easily get tricked to get a bad apartment. Apartment itself can be fantastic, but the building it is in, can be in terrible state(Russian style really).

However, it can also give you the touch of authenticity if you want to experience this.

We can help you out here, if you want to try this option.

To give you a taste of apartment selections possible, I have this link for you to use;

http://www.katamarantour.com/index.php?p=apart&lang=eng

I recommend Londonskaya or Mozart hotels for good comfort and central locations.

Odessa hotel if you want western new style, and willing to take taxi to centre or make walks (20 minutes).

Here are the hotels we use every time we are in Odessa now:

Black sea hotels
http://www.bs-hotel.com.ua/e_main.html

They have two hotels, both are quite central and good quality for a nice price.

First one, oldest and rooms a bit worn down but ok quality and service is good, and good food in restaurant. Breakfast is ok, and they serve you in nice locations.

Black Sea Hotel
The eleven-storeyed building of the hotel "Black Sea" is situated in the very historical centre of Odessa, only five minutes on foot from the railway station. The hotel accommodates 207 comfortable rooms. Each room has air-conditioner, bathroom or shower, toilet, telephone, TV-set.
The hotel includes restaurant-bar with different fish courses, express-bar with wide range of alcohol and alcohol-free drinks, different starters and confectionary products.You will be pleasantly struck there by the superb service. There is also a night club there.

One can find in the lobby of the hotel the currency exchange, souvenir shop and the service bureau, where one can send fax to any country of the world or make a copy.
You may order breakfast, dinner or supper right into the room at any time. The hotel has also a laundry, where you may have your clothes cleaned and your shoes repaired. The Black Sea hotel possesses its own comfortable swimming-pool (the usage of which is free of charge for the guests of the hotel), gymnasium, sauna, solarium, massage room.

Next recommendation is;
This is the hotel me and my wife use every time we stay in Odessa now. Price is good and rooms are modern and clean. Service good and food ok. However the best thing is, if you like markets (Russian style) and you want to be close (15 minutes walk) from centre, there is your choice.

We like it and use it, simple as that. Several categories of rooms, however price around 450 Gryvnas ( 1 USD = 5.05 Gryvnas) gives you a good room, howewer you can get very nice rooms for around 550 Gryvnas.

Chernoye More New hotel
Price from: USD 78 Location: Central area
In 2006 there has appeared a new 3-star hotel Chernoye More on the 7-9th floors of a brand new shopping mall. Being close to the Odessa center, the hotel offers attractive rates and good quality. Tidy rooms of delicate pastel shades, light and spacious lobby and halls, green spaces with lush palm trees create relaxing and cozy atmosphere.

If you want to indulge in luxury and have a nice time for an affordable price, here is a choice.
However in fall and winter it is far from centre and you can not enjoy the beach and arcade only 5 minutes away from hotel.
But location and rooms are very nice. Recommend for stay in spring and summer.
Four star hotel Palace Del Mar is situated in the most picturesque district of Odessa-in Arcadia. The building of the hotel is the original example of the classical style. After the reconstruction it was skilfully equipped with various modern conveniences. Apart from luxurious comfortable accommodations the Palace Del Mar may offer its visitors SPA-centre and clinic, which are also known as the centres of the international association "Meramed". Here you can receive a full range of treatments, including massage, hydrocolonotherapy, skin-peels, sauna, face-lifts aqua-aerobics, etc.
The hotel possesses 34 rooms, including presidental suite, 1 Del Mar suite, 2 exclusive penthouses, 2 deluxe rooms,7 business-class rooms, 15 Superior rooms, and 8 Standard rooms, ATM machine, currency exchange. The price for the accommodation includes taxes and breakfast. Payment may be accomplished in cash, or by means of the following credit cards: Visa, Master Card, Eurocard and American Express.
The hotel can offer to its guests free parking, guard, service in rooms, business-centre, open swimming-pool, sauna, tennis court, medical centre, SPA-centre, Beaty centre, Mediterranean and European restaurants. All the rooms contain satellite TV, access to internet, mini-bar, safe, hair-dryer, dressing-gown, slippers.

Continental hotel
Price from: USD 101 Location: Center
After thorough reconstruction, the new comfortable business-hotel Continental has occupied a beautiful 19th century mansion on the central street of Odessa. Conveniently located on the very Deribasovskaya Street, the hotel offers high quality service and rooms, part of which faces a quiet courtyard with a century old chestnut tree.

London hotel
Price from: USD 128 Location: Central area
In the central and quiet green area of Odessa a 4-star hotel has opened in October 2006. Short stroll from the hotel via broad Alexandrovsky Avenue walking area will lead you to the main Deribasovskaya Street. Ecologically pure materials in the rooms interior, drinkable tap water due to the modern water-purification system and a number of non-smoking rooms - this hotel was designed with travelers’ healthy life style in mind.

Londonskaya hotel
Price from: USD 118 Location: Center
There is a hotel of this kind in every old big city. Old-fashioned building, luxuriant interior, superb location and a long list of famous tenants. The Londonskaya Hotel is that hotel in Odessa. Good hotel, very good location.

Mozart hotel
Price from: USD 125 Location: Center
Mozart Hotel is a 4-star hotel in the very heart of Odessa. Superb location - right by the famous Opera Theatre - and classic style of the building lend special charm to this small private hotel. Wi-Fi Internet access.
Probably the best rooms in Odessa, very central and good location. Breakfast not so good. Service ok but could be better.

Odessa hotel
Price from: USD 171 Location: Central area
Odessa Hotel is situated at the Odesa Sea Trading Port, only in a few steps from the famous Potemkin Stairs. Location is perfect for fares and exhibitions visitors. Very modern and good hotel, good service and good food, however location require taxi to and from centrum
However it is close to Potemkin stairs.

Otrada hotel
Price from: USD 157 Location: Central area, Otrada Beach.
In 2005 a small hotel was opened in a beautiful mansion of 19th century right by the seaside on the Franzusky Boulevard in Odessa. Proximity to the beach and high quality standards make the Otrada Hotel a favourite for summer vacations. And at wintertime low off-season rates draw guests to the hotel too

Arcadia Plaza hotel
Price from: USD 126 Location: Arcadia Beach area
Small 3-star hotel within 10 minutes walk to the famous Arcadia Beaches, booming with nightlife in the summertime. The hotel rooms have classical design. Cozy balconies face the beautiful hotel garden, tennis courts and swimming pool.Very nice location, but far from centre. Close to beach, a clear hit in summer though.

Chornoye More hotel
Price from: USD 87 Location: Central area
Close to the center of the city, only ten minutes walk from the railway station, the Chornoye More Hotel has customary amenities of a standard Ukrainian hotel. It offers more or less reasonable prices, though least expensive rooms are not perfect. The hotel proved to be a good option for tourist groups due to number of similar rooms.Old fashioned (soviet style) hotel
Lots of tourists stay here, especially package tourism.

Frapolli hotel
Price from: USD 108 Location: Center
Charming historical building in the very center of Odessa has recently become a small hotel. All the hotel rooms have air-conditioning, deposit box, minibar, computer, Internet access, satellite TV.

Lermontovsky hotel
Price from: USD 60 Location: Central area, Lanzeron Beach
In the beginning of 2006 a 3-star hotel has appeared in the central green area of Odessa. Right by the charming park Shevchenko and in 20 minutes stroll through the park to the Lanzheron Beach, the Lermontovsky hotel is a perfect place for vacations or health restoration. Each of 33 hotel rooms has air-conditioning, direct dial phone, cable TV, hairdryer and bathroom accessories.

Morskoy hotel
Price from: USD 129 Location: Arcadia Beach
If you are visiting Odessa for its beaches and bright nightlife this hotel will definitely meet your expectations. Located right on the seashore by the sandy beach of Arcadia, the Morskoy Hotel is in a few steps from Ibiza, Itaka, Pago, and Tropicana Night Clubs. So this place is not for solitude seekers in summertime. Nice hotel, but on the beach far from centre, clear hit in the summer.

Palladium hotel
Price from: USD 101 Location: Central area, by the rail station
The Palladium Hotel is not for the solitude seekers. With one of the most popular Night Clubs on the lower floor (open October-April), the modern style hotel offers extravagant rooms with equally extravagant names.

Passage hotel
Price from: USD 56 Location: Center
Passage is a tourist class hotel located right in the very heart of Odessa historical center. The beautiful building faces the Deribasovskaya Street and Sobornaya square park with the Cathedral. This hotel is for budget-minded travelers, who do not wish to spend lots on accommodation and willing to set up with some imperfections. Very old fashioned, Rooms not good, but you can find a bargain for large rooms here. Very central location, and gives you feel of being in old castle almost.

Yunost hotel
Price from: USD 44 Location: Franzusky Boulevard, Arcadia area
Located within 10 minutes walk to the seaside and famous Arcadia Beaches, the Yunost Hotel is a medium-priced option for summer holidays in Odessa. After recent renovation the hotel offers freshly remodeled rooms, tidy and brisk restaurant. Plus, friendly and hospitable personnel was always a merit of the Yunost hotel. New hotel, far from centre, maybe a choice in summer, lots of tourists here.

Outside Odessa, and areas to visit in southern Ukraine
Visit the Crimea region.
If you are going to the Crimea it is a 12 hour overnight train ride costing around 10 USD (2 persons sleeper 25 USD, very nice!). If you buy your ticket on the day you are leaving (not recommended) there is one group of cashier windows where you buy your ticket in the train station. If you buy your ticket on any other day (i.e. at least one day in advance) there is a completely separate group of cashier windows where the ticket must be purchased. As the lines can take up to 30 minutes make sure you are in the right one. Nobody in the train station will speak any international language other than Russian. In Simferopol you can take a trolleybus to Yalta via Alushta. The beaches on Crimea in summer are awfully crowded and the beachresorts are very noisy. Its better to go to East Crimea on the Sea of Azov.
If you need tips here, I can provide you with a list of activities, hotels and so forth to make you going for weeks in Crimea.
It’s a fantastic place to visit in spring and summer, even In fall if weather is good.
So I recommend people to go there.

Either by train or by taxi. A taxi will run you around 150-200 USD for up to 3 persons with luggage.

I hope you will try Ukraine some day, it is really worth the experience. Especially Odessa which is a city which can serve as your entry point into Ukraine. It is really worth the money spent, and you will get to see lots of history, mixed with modern lifestyle in the ever so lively Odessa center, with clubs and restaurants.

Please follow my article series on Odessa, as i will write more about its nightlife and the potential for the young spirited people wanting to see Ukraine at its best.