Russian Hotel Rates Tick Up, But Growth Slows Compared to Last Year

If you’re planning a trip within Russia this summer, expect to pay a bit more for a hotel room — but not as much as you might think. According to Ilya Umansky, president of the Russian Union of Travel Industry, the average nightly rate across the country now sits at 11,285 rubles. That’s a 3.5 percent increase over last year.

Umansky explained that pricing naturally rises during high-demand periods. However, he noted that this year’s jump is actually smaller than the overall inflation rate. “Last year, we saw a 12 percent spike. This year, the growth is slowing,” he said.

Breaking it down by hotel category, budget properties (zero to two stars) average 8,204 rubles per night. Three-star hotels come in at 9,158 rubles, while four- and five-star accommodations run about 14,582 rubles.

Interestingly, some popular destinations are bucking the trend. In Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Krasnodar region, and several other areas including Arkhangelsk, Kaliningrad, Kaluga, and Murmansk, average hotel prices have actually dropped.

In separate news, a State Duma deputy named Nikolai Novichkov has proposed giving Russians an extra week of paid vacation by counting both working and non-working days within the annual leave period. The idea aims to give employees more time to actually rest and travel.