Minsk hotels intro

Accommodation is usually the biggest budget-buster in this otherwise dirt-cheap city. Prices can be truly out-of-whack; people often end up paying an arm and a leg for a room that hasn't been renovated since Brezhnev's time. Part of the problem is the state's near monopoly on the industry. Another part is the discriminatory pricing system where foreigners are charged twice as much as Belarusians and CIS residents for the same shabby, cigarette-burned hovel. Luckily things are changing, and if you shop around a bit, you can usually find a reasonable deal on a decent room, sometimes even one with up-to-date furnishings. The cheaper places tend to be out of the centre. Thankfully taxis in Minsk are also fairly cheap.
Prices we've listed here are in US dollars, but in almost all cases, hotels only accept payment in Belarusian roubles (or credit cards). Another local nuance you should be aware of is the prevalence of prostitutes, especially in the larger hotels. Don't be surprised if you get a phone call late at night offering you 'company'.