Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Shopping online for hotels is generally done by booking through the hotel's own
website or through an independent hotel agency. Prices can vary considerably from
site to site and it pays to shop around. Three Russian-specialty sites to try are
www.
hotels-russia.net
,
www.bnb.ru
, and
www.waytorussia.net
. Even the highest-end
locations sometimes offer deep discounts through online or traditional travel agencies
or their own websites, up to 60% off the official rate.
Neither Moscow nor St. Petersburg offers an official reservations service, and your
chances of just showing up and getting a room are slim, even in hostels. You are
strongly recommended to reserve in advance by phone or online.
Be sure to find out
before you reserve
whether your hotel or host can arrange your
visa invitation.
If not, you'll need to find a reputable travel agency to do that for you,
which could cost up to $100 more and takes at least 2 weeks.
TIPS ON DINING
Restaurants generally serve continuously from lunch through dinner, and few are open
before noon. Keep an eye out for
“business lunches,”
a good way to get a reasonably
priced meal and quick service at midday.
Top-end hotels offer elaborate, all-you-can-eat
Sunday brunches,
replete with
caviar and Russian delicacies. These hotels often offer a pleasant afternoon tea.
Try restaurants that specialize in Russian or fusion Russian-European cuisine, or
sample the cuisines from other former Soviet republics: the Caucasus Mountains
spices of Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. These cuisines have worked their way into
Russian cooking over the centuries, and they boast a much richer selection of fruits,
vegetables, and spices than Russia's cold climate can produce.
International chain restaurants, hotel restaurants, and those in the top price cate-
gories all have nonsmoking sections; elsewhere it's hit-or-miss.
TIPS ON SHOPPING
The chief challenge in finding unique souvenirs and gifts in Russia is determining
whether you can export them. See “Customs Regulations,” above, for the regulations
of Russia's Culture Ministry, which affect Orthodox icons, samovars, and many art-
works. Demand receipts when buying anything valuable, even items from open-air
markets.
Moscow and St. Petersburg have no sales tax, but be clear with the vendor about
what currency is being cited (see “Money,” above). VAT is included in the price, but
it is not refundable at the border as it is in some European countries.
Hotel gift shops are the most expensive places in town for souvenirs, and heavily
touristed areas are a close second. Better bets are small crafts shops or
outdoor mar-
kets
farther from the center of town. For Orthodox icons and other church-related
paraphernalia, the monasteries have the most authentic and attractive selection.
In general, vendors have become much more market-savvy after a decade of capi-
talism. That means the shocking bargains of black market days are long gone, but it
also means that quality is more reliable and competition has livened up the selection
of products available. Beware, as in all big cities, of con artists on the street trying to
sell a “real” silver fox hat or czarist medal hat for a suspiciously low price. Finally, avoid
purchasing vodka from street kiosks—the rock-bottom prices often conceal liquids of
dubious quality.
