Apartments in lviv - Part 2

Kiev has block after block of 9-story apartment buildings like these.

Renting a Regular Apartment in Kiev (Cont.)

Most apartments are in plain old soviet style apartment blocks. The entrance way and stairwell will be dark, graffiti covered and may smell like old cabbage soup. But the inside of your apartment is what counts, and some are quite suitable. Try to find one with a washing machine-dryer combination, a microwave, and of course, a decent stove and oven (if you cook.) Ask about (and test while you are there) the availability of hot water. Check if the water pressure is high enough for water to come out of the shower. (The shower will probably be a handhold shower head at the end of a hose.) If your several floors up, you'll want to make sure the elevator works.

Location is important if you don't have a car. The best location is near a Metro (subway). Or, at least, within a few bus stops of one.

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Be prepared for "sanitary Thursdays" or whichever day of the week is designated for your building. It is the day that anyone needing to work on their plumbing has the right to shut off water to the whole building. This happens surprisingly often, so be sure to wash your dishes the night before your sanitary day. And keep some 5-liter bottles of water around for flushing toilets, washing hands, etc during those times. There are public wells all over the city where you can draw water when it's not available in your apartment.

Because of problems with tenants making phone calls and not paying the bill, many apartment owners have their telephone service block long-distance calls. These are calls that begin with an 8 (for cities in Ukraine, but outside of Kiev, and also for any cell phones) or 9 (for international calls.) See Telephone Calls in Ukraine for ways to get around this.

Westernized Apartments in Kiev

If this sounds a little too primitive for you, there are also nice upgraded "western-style" apartments available in Kiev. These, of course, are more expensive, but still cost less than staying in a hotel for longer periods. And of course they're much more comfortable than a hotel. And having a kitchen lets you prepare some of your own meals and snacks, saving on restaurant bills.

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