Anyone been to Kirovograd Ukraine?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: DC
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 589
Anyone been to Kirovograd Ukraine?
This will be a first. About 4.5 hours from Kiev. Would love to get any hotel any or food recommendations from anyone who may have visited.
Thanks all!
Thanks all!
#3
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: AMS
Programs: Flying Blue Gold
Posts: 1,849
Lets see, I've been stuck on a bus outsides Kirovograd/Kirovohrad for a few hours due to heavy snow in the late 1990s, and have often been woken up there on overnight trains from Kyiv to Odessa with all the shunting because it tended to be the station where they added extra carriages, but can't say I've been there proper. It's very low on the Places to Visit Before You Die list for Ukraine! I don't imagine there are a large number of hotels, and those that there are will your standard Soviet style (which are fine in their own way, but no Hilton or Radisson). Do you speak any Russian or Ukrainian? How long are you going for? Renting an apartment is often cheaper. The unfortunate truth is that it is often marriage agencies which have the best tourist information in less well known cities in the former USSR, maybe you can find one of their web sites for the city?
#4
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 2
Kirovohrad is the city in Europe
(Ukraine, about 300 km south from Kyiv) In general nothing worth to see except nuclear rockets base museum created on former soviet army rocket base. This is really intresting place. The city itself is quite boring and sad - a good example of old soviet-syle creations.
(Ukraine, about 300 km south from Kyiv) In general nothing worth to see except nuclear rockets base museum created on former soviet army rocket base. This is really intresting place. The city itself is quite boring and sad - a good example of old soviet-syle creations.
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: DC
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 589
Great. I'll be stuck there for three days. You know that a place is off the grid when no travel guide includes even the briefest description of the city.
#6
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AA, UA lowly commoner
Posts: 778
Due to an unhealthy addiction to guidebooks, I happen to have a copy of the 2007 edition of the exhaustive Bradt guide to Ukraine, though I have no particular plans to go there. Your magical destination rates two whole pages out of about 420. Without violating copyright, I think I can quote: "one of the less glamorous corners of the country" with "very little in the way of tourist attractions" though it does have an "interesting" combination of Soviet industrial architecture with pre-revolutionary Russian neoclassical architecture. The guidebook recommends the Catalonia hotel and a few restaurants: Maksim (cafe), Cossack Zastava (theme restaurant!), Vesna ("posh"), and Grand Pizza (next to the Catalonia), but no doubt things change over time...even in Kirovohrad. There's a 2010 edition of the Bradt guide if you're so inclined, and I've found Bradt to be quite informative for central and eastern Europe.
#8
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 2
Kirovograd is Wonderful
I am from Vancouver Canada, arguably one of the best cities in the world for living and lifestyle. (affordability is a sore point).
Since May 2012, I have spent more than a month in Kirovograd. I am currently there now as I write this,
Visit the city.
Cultured / educated / well mannered / friendly population...and yes more beautiful girls and women than you can ever imagine. Down to earth but not without luxury..Yes, you can buy the latest iPhone 5 and all the other Apple and top current electronic products.
Top fashion abound. Great DJ's and clubs, bowling, cinemas, markets, loads of parks and public spaces - very green city. Plus, top medical facilities, cheap transportation - both marshrutka local buses) and taxis. Many Universities and colleges and other education faculties in this city.
Yes, trying to get by on English is a challenge, but locals are friendly enough to try to understand you. However, it is really incumbent upon visitors to make the effort to learn the local languages when you travel abroad.
My hotel is Reikartz, part of a national chain. It's located next to the main city street called Karla Marksa Street. (This is the main street about 10 blocks long with all the buses, shops, cafes, people etc)
The Reikartz chain maintains very high standards for its properties and it is evident in my both my long stays here. I easily rate its standards 3-4 star. Service is top notch! I pay about $46 USD per night for a room equal to anything you'd easily pay $100+ stateside...plus, included is a huge buffet menu offering for breakfast...including all your cappuccinos etc. It's literally my one meal for the day. But dinner in the hotel, all in, including beer or wine / amazing fresh salad / filet mignon (not a huge "western style" portion but well prepared and tasty with sides etc...$12.00 USD. All is clean and well presented and well served.
Many local restaurants offer fabulous casual / formal menus at similar or less than hotel prices.....Cafes are popular and a great place to meet locals!
I will return in May and spend the summer. Any questions? Ask- No problem.
I flew to Kiev or Odessa and rented a car/driver.
Since May 2012, I have spent more than a month in Kirovograd. I am currently there now as I write this,
Visit the city.
Cultured / educated / well mannered / friendly population...and yes more beautiful girls and women than you can ever imagine. Down to earth but not without luxury..Yes, you can buy the latest iPhone 5 and all the other Apple and top current electronic products.
Top fashion abound. Great DJ's and clubs, bowling, cinemas, markets, loads of parks and public spaces - very green city. Plus, top medical facilities, cheap transportation - both marshrutka local buses) and taxis. Many Universities and colleges and other education faculties in this city.
Yes, trying to get by on English is a challenge, but locals are friendly enough to try to understand you. However, it is really incumbent upon visitors to make the effort to learn the local languages when you travel abroad.
My hotel is Reikartz, part of a national chain. It's located next to the main city street called Karla Marksa Street. (This is the main street about 10 blocks long with all the buses, shops, cafes, people etc)
The Reikartz chain maintains very high standards for its properties and it is evident in my both my long stays here. I easily rate its standards 3-4 star. Service is top notch! I pay about $46 USD per night for a room equal to anything you'd easily pay $100+ stateside...plus, included is a huge buffet menu offering for breakfast...including all your cappuccinos etc. It's literally my one meal for the day. But dinner in the hotel, all in, including beer or wine / amazing fresh salad / filet mignon (not a huge "western style" portion but well prepared and tasty with sides etc...$12.00 USD. All is clean and well presented and well served.
Many local restaurants offer fabulous casual / formal menus at similar or less than hotel prices.....Cafes are popular and a great place to meet locals!
I will return in May and spend the summer. Any questions? Ask- No problem.
I flew to Kiev or Odessa and rented a car/driver.
Last edited by GaryCanada; Oct 26, 2012 at 4:08 am