Holiday accommodation to choose from in Russia.

Moscow offers a variety of holiday accommodation for travellers of all ages. There are hotels, hostels, homestays, shared apartments and rental apartments. Hotels close to Red Square are very expensive. They do offer a high level of service but if you are travelling on a budget then they are not affordable.

Andrey and I normally stay in hostels but we have noticed that they too have become very expensive. The cheaper hostels don’t offer private rooms and dorms are crowded. When I recently browsed for hostels in Moscow I was surprised to see that many of the dorms don’t offer bedding. It is not always practical to carry a set of bedding with you, especially when you have travelled across the globe.

What alternatives are there?

Holiday accommodation through Airbnb.

When we visited Moscow in 2012, we decided to rent through Airbnb. They have a large variety of holiday accommodation to choose from and competitive prices.

How does Airbnb work? Airbnb is an established name in the tourist industry and assist home owners in renting rooms to travellers. Many people around the world make rooms in their homes or apartments available to travellers. They do it for financial reasons and also to meet people from all over the world. When you rent a room, you also have access to all the facilities in the apartment for example the washing machine and kitchen.

We rented a room in an ultra-modern apartment from a very friendly woman. The apartment was super clean and comfortable with very fast Wi-Fi and a kitchen that was to die for. We have decided to rent from her again when we visit Moscow.

Risks by renting holiday accommodation through Airbnb.

There are always risks involved when renting a room in the house of a stranger. It is important to read the comments of previous travellers. If a listing doesn’t have any comments or recommendations, then I would think twice before renting the room. However, keep in mind that some people don’t post recommendations and this could have a negative impact on the status of the owner.

It is possible that personalities clash and that you simply don’t get along with the person that you are renting from. That is life and it happens. The best option is to is to find other accommodation.

Photos can be misleading. Unfortunately many people take advantage of this and never update photos. When you subsequently arrive at your holiday accommodation, the apartment disappoints. This happened to us when we rented a room in an apartment in Moscow, when we just arrived. The apartment was not clean and the room wasn’t dusted in a long time. Fortunately we only stayed there for 2 nights only.

It is fun to plan a vacation and to find the appropriate holiday accommodation that suit your travel style and most importantly – your budget!