ms1664

Back from Kiev, I wrote a little report in the IHG Stay forum. We ended up paying 60 EUR for the room as "you have a special rate with us Mr ms1664". A steal really !

jimthehorsegod

Single occupancy rates for Ambs?

Helsinki Flyer

Thanks for the report. Nice to read these. Not that I will be going on holiday at those prices. There simply are better options around. These absurd prices are the reason I don´t even think about travelling into former USSR, expect for the Baltic States.

zoobenny

I stayed in the Intercontinental on a pointsbreak in February. There were no taxes to pay or anything else come to that. The mini-bar was free, but the only alcohol was beer, also cokes, juices and water. From reviews I've read and comments from people who we met staying there they said the breakfast wasn't very good at all, even though its expensive.

We managed to get late check out at 3pm. The lady on reception said that as a Platinum PC we could have late check out until 2pm but when we asked for 3pm she agreed and said we could as it was our first stay!

We paid 200 funny money for a taxi from airport, but managed to get one for 150 to go back (although the taxi outside hotel quoted 500 so we laughed(!) and walked towards the Hyatt and got a taxi there. Allow about an hour depending on time of day.

PM me if you want any other info and I'll try and help (eg ballet or opera).

kyushuman

I also stayed at the IC Kiev, fantastic stay:
Free mini-bar--Coke, Diet Coke, Juices, and some beers.
Free WiFi (at least for me, an IC Ambassador--but I think it's free for everyone).
Hot water for coffee in room, so I just had pastries and coffee and fruit for breakfasts.
Behind the hotel about 3 minutes walk is St. Andrew's Hill, with lots of souvenir sellers--and also a great restaurant! I will look for the name of the place, I can't remember it right now--but it's on the left-hand side as you go down the hill, in a basement down some stairs. Excellent food, reasonable prices. I had veal chops in juniper-berry sauce with roasted pumpkin and polenta. And a beer, and some rabbit pyrogies for an appetizer. Total about US$15.
Decent Japanese food too--and reasonable prices-- exit the hotel, go right, and it's about 75 feet down on the right side.
No charges at all for me at check-out--but I didn't eat anything in the hotel.
Have a great trip!

barman2891

my favorite Sushi place is in the building next to the hotel... called SushiYa.. its a chain restaurant, but this particular one makes them the best most of the time.. good prices... apart from the sushis, they have the usual japanese/chinese "kind of" food

kyushuman

Yes, that's the name of it. I lived in Japan for 5 years, and it's not bad food--even the sushi. Especially considering you're nowhere near an ocean! Service was quick and friendly; it's not a "hole-in-the-wall" sushi place or anything; it's brightly lit, with pop music on in the background, but was a great place to go during a blizzard (it snowed THE WHOLE TIME that I was in Kiev--from Friday night to Monday afternoon--it never stopped--and while the locals weren't enjoying it, I thought it was gorgeous).
Don't forget to bring good shoes to walk on verrrrry slippery pavement if it snows--nobody really clears sidewalks quickly; there is still salt residue on my boots from my trip there 3 weeks ago!

barman2891

yes, Sushi is good there... i actually eat there a couple of times per week at least... there are lots of locations around the city, mostly in the Downtown (one across the street from cinema theater "Ukraine", one across the street from Mandarin Plaza, one almost on the Victory Square)

bru2cefan

Many many thanks to Zoobenny,Zik013 and kyushuman.Really appreciate your help.
Can I ask about the taxis from the airport please?
We have been looking at various options inc a minibus at 80 euros.....a meet and greet taxi(well 2 of them)at $35 each..........and even the public minibus which is peanuts into the city........
But to be fair some of the guys will have been travelling for hours by the time we arrive..so we def want to get taxis..........the 200UAH(I think this is the funny money) seems to be pretty good value............How did you go about this please?
I remember in Prague there were a load of Mercedes outside the Holiday Inn that cost 3 times the price of the Taxi firm I rang and got to collect me a few times......if looks could kill
We`re looking for Ukranian bars and restaurants predominantly,though I`m sure the Irish bars will be frequented.
Two of the guys are looking at the Chernobyl trip,which I think is a little extreme
Some of us hope to go and watch Dinamo Kiev on the Saturday........
Two or three of the youngsters will be probably looking for nightclubs/late bars.
Did any of you drink in the Intercontinental?Just wondered what sort of prices for drinks?
Any advices greatly appreciated..........thanks for reading
AJH (excited)

barman2891

Taxis are NOT a problem... especially if 200 (26$) is ok with you, 150 is a more reasonable rate.. but with foreigners, the drivers may want even more... when you land in the airport, right after you cleared customs and enter the general waiting area... you are met by thousands of these taxi drivers waiting to rip you off if nobody speaks Ukrainian or Russian from you party, talk to them in English... or better off prepare a piece of paper, saying InterContinental Hotel, 200 hryvnas (and 2 cars if you need). Getting a taxi in minutes (if not seconds, wont be a problem). Just make sure you dont go over 200, thats too much.. 150-170 should be the going rate, but seeing as you are foreigners, they may try to go way more... so 200 should be ok and very quick. You wont necessarily get a good car (most probably Daewoo Lanos), if you want good car, add some more money to you offer and ask what car they have...

The most famous Irish bars in the city are both in a walking distance from you hotel... O'Briens Pub is literally 3 minutes away, just turn left when you exit the hotel, walk 1 minute to the street lights, cross the street, and walk down another 1 minute.. and you are there.. also on that street there are more pubs/restaurants... the other Irish pub, the Golden Gate, is about 10-15 minutes walking and is right near the Golden Gate (the ancient gates in the city) down the very long Volodimirska street (20 hryvnas by taxi easy, well 25-30 for you guys )

Dynamo Kyiv stadium, the "Dynamo" stadium is 15-20 minutes walking from the hotel (25 hryvnas by taxi) via the Independence and Europe squares. Tickets are easy to get any time right till the start of the game (even after it starts). Just make sure you dont overpay for them, they are playing Vorskla, shouldnt be many people

The night clubs are PLENTY and are of different kind really: the dancing ones, the relaxing ones, the picking up the ladies ones , and so on...

gentle giant

...seems as if we are not the only ones staying on PB this weekend.

since we are bringing our children as well (1, 2, and 4 years) does anyone have any good advice about what to do in Kiev with children? We wrote an e-mail to the concierge but haven't gotten an answer yet.

Last time I have been there was in 1997 so my information might be outdated...

bru2cefan

Wow what a weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I`m not in the Hotel league that many of you seem in,so I thought that the IC in Kiev was absolutely magnificent!
We got to Airport via Wizzair.who were very cheap and cheerful........
As predicted we were mobbed by taxi drivers.....I went to a taxi desk near the cashpoint(ATM) and requested a minibus for 6 of us,and thanks to yoi guys I brought the price down from 650UAH to 400UAH,which I felt was reasonable for a fairly new VW People Carrier.
Hotel was very efficient booking us in............
So straight out on the town(after a couple of cheeky beers from the mini bar)
Started off with the obligatory Irish Bar(O Briens).and then into town for a few beers.Prices were excellent(both in Irish bar and in town)
On the way back 3 of us were arrested by Police who said they were not happy we were not carrying the Customs document from the Airport,and one of us had a driving licence ID but no passport(we had asked at reception and they were adamant Passport not necessary!).
We could be terrorists etc......
We said we could show all documents at the Hotel 300 metres away,but they werent having any of it............We would have to go to the Police Station and spend the night there as the Police on duty would be asleep!!!
However...............
Whilst not asking for a bribe directly,there happened to be a Taxi parked right by us........and our friendly Police Officer decided we must pay 200UAH(circa $24/£16)to the Taxi driver and he would take us straight to the Hotel.
The Hotel front desk said we should have rung them,but the Police wouldnt let us.
Could have been worse.

Next day we toured around town and later went to the Dinamo Kiev football match which was most enjoyable(and very cold).
Another great evening and meal at the Arena Club..........Happy Days
Sunday more sightseeing and another great night out!!!
Monday departure day and my Bro went to get the bill for his room as he`d had a couple of drinks in the 11th floor bar,and had purchased some movies.
On his bill there was an extra 500UAH per night(circa £40/$60 per night) which I didnt understand.
I went down to reception and asked for the bills for the other three rooms.All that were on were odd drinks they`d had,and so only one room had this extra charge.
I didnt so much ask what it was ,as say its wrong and I shouldnt be paying anything as it was all on Pointsbreaks.
The receptionist simply said "Fine" and took the charge off......
So that was a relief!!!!!!
Thanks again to everyone for their advices..............we had a ball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rockhopper24

Planning to go to Kiev in april. How is the treatment of IC Platinum members? Any extra's?

kyushuman

Last February, I got a decent room (with a view of St. Paul's out the window!) but not a suite or anything. Since the minibar and WiFi were already free, I'm not sure what else you'd want--no breakfast, though it was my birthday when I was there and they showed up with a gorgeous birthday cake for me! It was amazingly delicious, and huge for just me... though of course I managed to eat it over the 2 following days.

SeamasterLux

Good evening,

I booked the IC Kiev with my company's corporate code (though it's quite bad in my opinion compared to others posted here).
Will stay there in April during a week end (2 nights) and got 220 EUR / night with breakfast and wifi incl. for 2 in a Deluxe room.

Since I'm an IC Amb, I'll request an upgrade. Do you think it's necessary to do it before I arrive?

In any case, I will post my review and compare it with the Hyatt Regency Kiev I've stayed at this month (really sweet, I was in a Regency Suite, but horribly pricey)