The Russia Journal

Although you often hear about Moscow's five-star hotels, information about budget options in the city tends to be scarce. In fact, Moscow lacks medium-range accommodation. But for student- and budget travelers, there's always the Travellers Guest House, open since 1993.

Just like the ubiquitous hostels of Europe, the Travellers Guest House provides clean, simple accommodations at budget prices. For the first-time visitor to Moscow, the hostel also provides information about the city and transportation. LifeStyle sat down with Natalya Sakharova, manager of the Travellers Guest House, to learn more about the hostel and its history.


Can you tell us something about the history of the Travellers Guest House?

The Travellers Guest House was founded in 1993 as Moscow's first private hostel, to provide low-priced accommodation to travelers. [It's] part of the Infinity and Star Travel Agency organization. Today, the hostel is in the same location as when it was established, on the 10th floor of 50 Bolshaya Pereyaslavskaya Ul., 15 minutes from Prospekt Mira metro.

During the financial crisis in 1998, there was a big drop in the number of guests, as people were afraid to come to Moscow. And during the fall of 1998, we had some weeks where there were only three guests staying at the hostel. Of course, things are very different now, and we have many guests staying with us.


In addition to foreign guests, do you often have guests from the Russian regions?

We have many guests from the United States, Europe, Japan, other Asian countries and a few from Latin America. Hostels tend to be not popular with Russians, although we do get students from the regions who come to Moscow to interview for the Work & Travel program in the United States staying with us. (The Work & Travel program is organized by the International Organization Council Exchanges and the Star Student Travel Agency Network, of which the Travellers Guest House is a part). The hostel's location, near the Leningrad, Kazan and Yaroslav train stations, makes it convenient for those international guests who are usually either combining a visit to Moscow with a trip to St. Petersburg, or who are in Moscow at the beginning or the end of their journey on the Trans-Siberian or Trans-Mongolian railway.


What type of accommodation do you offer at the Travellers Guest House?

There are a number of different options: dormitory rooms with four to five beds per room ($18 per bed), single rooms with shared bath ($36), double rooms with shared bath ($48 for two people), and private rooms with bath ($54) for either one or two people. All prices include VAT of 20 percent. We also offer discounts to people who have the following cards: ISIC, GO25, IYHF, RYHA and Hostels of Europe.


What other facilities does the Travellers Guest House offer its guests?

There is a common room with a TV and VCR, and we have satellite TV so guests can watch CNN and BBC World. There are kitchen facilities for guests who chose to prepare their own meals, as well as a cafe on the ground floor. There is a left luggage room, and guests can come in at any hour, unlike at some other hostels. We offer laundry service at 80 rubles for 3 kg, and use of the Internet is one ruble per minute. We offer our guests tours of Moscow and/or the Golden Ring towns, in cooperation with Patriarshy Dom Tours. Airport pickup and transfer can be organized for $40. Also, we can arrange an invitation letter for those who need a visa to visit Russia.


Any future plans for the Travellers Guest House?

We will start offering special two- to four-day packages through the STA student travel network, which has offices in many locations worldwide.


What advice would you give a first-time visitor to Russia?

Keep your passport and visa with you at all times - it's the law here and our police enforce it. Also, do visit Red Square, and don't forget that Moscow has some of the world's best nightlife.