Since its completion in 2008, the Hotel Belarus in Minsk has become one of the most popular hotels in the country. The building itself is a Minsk landmark. It’s one of the largest hotels in Minsk, and it’s surrounded by green parks.
Here is our first-hand review of the Hotel Belarus in Minsk.
Hotel Belarus Minsk location
The Belarus Hotel Minsk sits just across from the Sviclach River, the main river in Minsk. Although it is accessible by walking from the city center, the three nearest metro stations are within a 15-minute walk from the Hotel Belarus entrance:
- Niamiha Station (ст. м. Немига): 1.1 km
- Frunzienskaja Station (ст. м. Фрунзенская): 1.3 km
- October Station (ст. м. Октябрьская): 1.6 km
The mega Swiss hotel corporation, Minotel, owns and operates the Belarus Hotel Minsk. You will be able to spot the high-rise landmark from almost everywhere in the vicinity.
Booking procedure
Once you complete your booking at a third-party vendor, such as Booking.com, you will receive a separate email from Hotel Belarus. They’ll direct you to complete a Webpay payment before your arrival.
Don’t ignore this email. You have to complete it to avoid cancellation.
Most of the rate is non-refundable. Check the booking.com policy that may allow you to add insurance to allow cancellation. As you may expect, they’ll keep a portion of the payment if you have to cancel the booking.
If you use a foreign cards, you’ll be charged in US Dollars. The price may slightly fluctuate, depending on the exchange rate.
Surprisingly, the Belarus Hotel prices are not that high. There are 484 rooms in different categories, ranging from standard rooms to suites and apartments. You can get a standard room with two single beds for about $40 US.
Minsk is one of the cheapest destinations for accommodations in Europe.
Navigating Hotel Belarus in Minsk
You will most likely enter the Hotel Belarus from the side of the triangle that faces the Minsk skyline and the Emir casino (казино «Эмир»). Your taxi driver will know exactly where the Minsk Hotel Belarus is. Don’t worry about that.
Veering to the right is the main lobby and the hotel’s front desk. Everywhere you look in the lobby, you can feel the elegance of the Soviet architecture – cold white marble and chrome railing trimmings.
You will be able to locate the main front desk for your check in process.
In the center of the structure, elevators are available to take guests to their designated floors.
Checking into Hotel Belarus
At the main desk, they’ll greet you and ask for your passport. The receptionist was really formal, and although I cracked a joke or two, she maintained her professionalism and courtesy.
After verifying your ID, they’ll likely have a printout from your reservation to match it up with, along with the number of nights you intend to stay there.
As a side note: don’t be afraid to ask for a good room! I did and she gave me a great room on the 19th floor overlooking downtown Minsk. I was ecstatic!
As is common while staying at any hotel in Minsk, there’s a Belarusian immigration form that you must carry at all times inside your passport. Hotels apply a special stamp on the back of that form.
By Republic of Belarus law, any Belarus hotel, including Hotel Belarus Minsk, must to report overnight guests to the police.
After that, I got my card key – a magnetic fob that both opens the door and turns on the power in the room.
Hotel Belarus Room Layout
I was assigned to one of the most desirable rooms on the nineteenth floor. How modern is the typical room at the Hotel Belarus? A quote from the official page:
Spacious and bright rooms in classic European style have modern Belarusian furniture.
That’s somewhat accurate, but also a bit misleading, in my opinion. The room itself is a “modern” room. But it has a rather dull and slightly outdated style.
While this style might have been modern in the 1980s and 1990s, it is now 2018. They need to update the rooms a bit.
But it was definitely enough for what I needed and met my expectations.
While the room itself was pretty basic, I really loved the view from my balcony overlooking the Minsk skyline. As expected from a narrow building on the 19th floor, my balcony was very windy.
And in the fall and winter months, this can be too chilly to hang around for long.
However, I have to admit that the view was pretty nifty. Especially at night!
Wi-Fi
There is Wi-Fi in the room; however, it is only accessible within the room itself. I couldn’t access the Wi-Fi in the public areas, like the lobby or poolside. I had to go to the 19th floor to connect to the Internet.
While it is not the fastest connection in the world, it provided enough bandwidth to do basic Internet service (including blogging and some photo uploads).
Hotel Belarus Amenities
Swimming Pool and Waterpark
This is one of the most amazing features of the Hotel Belarus Minsk. While the pool itself is not super special for adults, the atmosphere is something you would go for.
Look around at the incredible details on the walls, which tell patriotic stories of the Republic of Belarus.
Kids will enjoy this swimming pool and water park area. There is a big slide that they can use. In order to access it, they have to climb to the top of the slide. An attendant works full time here to make sure that it is used safely.
The indoor pool is open year-round – extremely useful in the cold winter months. The big skyline above the pool allows natural light to penetrate through. As classy as it sounds, they use cheap plastic chairs and tables poolside!
The swimming pool is open from 7 AM to 11 PM. Hotel Belarus guests receive an hour free access to the swimming pool, from 7 AM to 1 PM.
Otherwise, the rate varies from BYN 6-8, depending on the time.
Wellness access
At the swimming pool check-in desk, they’ll check your hotel credentials. You can pay the entrance fee here if needed. They’ll give you a towel and a locker key for your use.
There are two massage chairs that you can use at the entrance to the swimming pool.
Beauty Salon and Spa
The Belarus Hotel operates its own beauty salon from 9 AM to 9 PM. It is behind the lobby. Walk to the back of the hotel towards the swimming pool and follow the bilingual signage for the Beauty Salon.
If you are looking for wellness, visit the Tamarind (Authentic) Thai spa, which advertises actual therapists from Thailand. They are less than a mile away from the hotel and there is an ad with the map in the elevators.
They have specials posted on their official website, which includes an early treatment and birthday specials.
Gym and fitness center
There is a small gym on the second level of the hotel which overlooks the swimming pool. However, not all guests have free access to the gym – although a 50% discount applies to the admission fee for guests.
Otherwise, the rate varies from BYN 3-4, depending on the time.
Breakfast at the Belorusskaya kuhnya Cafe
Although breakfast is available every morning on the ground level next to the cafe, not all guests get it for free. Basic rooms do not include breakfast.
These guests can purchase a breakfast ticket for roughly 16 BYN – a little over $8 USD – for an all-you-can-eat breakfast.
Typical food includes several drainaki (a traditional Belarusian potato pancake), rice, sausage links, eggs, and breakfast meats. They also serve pastries, and a more western-style breakfast, like yogurt and oatmeal.
Fresh fruit, orange juice, coffee and tea are available.
Conference Halls
If you are visiting Minsk for tourism, chances are you are not looking for a conference room or a banquet hall for hosting your big event.
But if you do need one, you can book one of the conference halls inside the Hotel Belarus. They also cater.
Ask the staff for details and clarification.
ATM and currency exchange
There is a single ATM inside the lobby, as well as a designated currency exchange desk across from the lobby. There is a gift shop that also operates as a pharmacy for basic medicine and other needs.
My favorite amenity was the luggage plastic covering machine that you can find in airports to wrap your luggage
It is a self serve, vending machine that cost BYN 5 to wrap a single piece of luggage.
Lobby Level Cafe
There are three cafes and bars at the lobby area: the Paparats-kvetka Cafe, the Belorusskaya kuhnya Cafe, and the Lobby Bar.
Belorusskaya kuhnya Cafe opens from 10 AM to 7 PM. They serve as a breakfast parlor from 7 AM to 10:30 AM.
Paparats-kvetka Cafe is open from 10 AM to midnight
Each establishment offers different atmosphere and seating style.
Meeting Rooms
There are at least three different meeting rooms you can reserve if you need one. They are on the 8th, 9th and 16th floors. Ask the front desk for reservations, tours, and details.
Second floor amenity
A business center is on the second floor. There is also another conference hall – the Gallery Room on the second floor, as well as a meeting room.
There is a travel agency if you need one.
The gym is on the second floor.
Bar on the 6th floor
The Hotel Belarus operates a small, humble bar for a late evening drink on the 6th floor. It’s open from 5 PM to 5 AM and serves several options for alcoholic drinks. A perfect place for a quiet nightcap!
Panorama Restaurant on the 22nd floor
You can dine in the panoramic restaurant! Although the interior could use a major upgrade, the view from here is spectacular. Ask for a window seat facing downtown Minsk for the best view.
There’s even a stage in the middle of the room.
The Panorama Restaurant is open from noon to midnight on Sunday through Wednesday, and noon to 2 AM, Thursday through Saturday.
Definitely check out the killer hanging Christmas lights, too!
Gift Shop and Pharmacy
Hotel Belarus Minsk has a gift shop, which opens during regular shop hours. You can buy Belarusian gifts and trinkets, as well as Minsk souvenirs and gifts.
It’s also a pharmacy – you can buy basic medicine, such as aspirin, as well as feminine hygiene products here.
Other things at Hotel Belarus Minsk
Artwork
Everywhere you look, the artwork and detail at Hotel Belarus is incredible. The paneling behind the main front desk, for example, is basically a series of pilaster white panels with Classical Belarusian folk reliefs.
Chandelier and lighting fixtures are made with care, as well as the trimmings and well-polished marble.
Mosaic tiles adorn the swimming pool and dining hall walls. You have to check them out while staying here.
My favorite is the series of rose windows that circle the swimming pool at the back of the hotel. Each panel series highlights different regions of the Republic of Belarus, and they are incredibly detailed.
Elevators and accessibility
Hotel Belarus Minsk is a tall structure and has six elevators. All of them are in the middle of the structure, connecting all three sides of rooms in the middle.
Hotel Belarus is a modern building that is easy to navigate for accessibility purposes. Ask the staff beforehand if you have questions or special needs.
At a glance
Belarus Hotel (or Hotel Belarus) – ГОСТИНИЦА «БЕЛАРУСЬ», г.Минск
official webpage Starazhowskaya Vulitsa 15, Minsk, Belarus г. Минск, ул. Сторожовская, 15 Phone: +375 17 209-71-06
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Other places to stay in Minsk
Minsk hotels are surprisingly easy to find, and there are also a lot of options for budget travelers. This capital city is one of Europe’s friendliest for backpackers and budget-conscious people!
Not interested in the Hotel Belarus? No problem. Here is a list of other Minsk hostels and hotels.
Looking for a Couchsurfing host in Minsk? Check out our Couchsurfing tips. They’ll help you create or improve your profile, write requests, and be a great guest.
Considering using Airbnb for the first time in Minsk? Sign up using our referral link to get $40 off your first stay!
Make sure to check out other exciting budget accommodations in Minsk, like the Dreamy Castle Hostel.
More reviews of accommodations around the world.
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Halef moved from Indonesia to the US nearly two decades ago to go to college here. He hasn’t looked back. He’s been to over forty countries and doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. He’s a Landscape Architect in Atlanta, GA.
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