I recently stayed for a short time at the Chichikov in Kharkov. I can happily recommend the place. It was clean, smart, secure, centrally located and the staff were very friendly and helpful with excellent English spoken. The rooms were clean and smart with quality furnishings and with complimentary coffee and tea supplied. Security is obviously a priority as the the lift up to the rooms required your card key before it would move anywhere and the rooms all had a small safe. It all seemed very new and well kept and was obviously well run. There was a cash machine in the lobby, a comfortable lounge area and a small but stylish bar on the ground floor. The dining area was bright and clean and the food was well above average.
In short, it was a perfect place to stay, close to the centre of the city but in a quiet and secluded area.

Je suis American. This was my first trip overseas and I traveled to Ukraine. By myself. I know...kinda crazy, huh? It was to meet a lady (of course) but I am also 25% Ukrainian. I have many interesting stories to share but for the purposes of this posting I will focus on the hotel. The hotel is situated on a side street one block over from the main drag in Kharkov...Sumskaya Street. The side street ain't gonna remind anyone of Southern Orange County (California) but then what does? The hotel is its own enclave from the din and dinginess of a downtown and it was clean, extremely secure and very well-appointed. I booked the lowest priced room (through the internet). It was small but served its purpose especially if you are one person and do not expect to have company staying over. The rate included a complimentary breakfast, which was very good. Finally, and most importantly, the staff (including those at the front desk, the porters, wait staff and ladies in the business office) was VERY courteous (if not outright friendly), helpful and professional. In fact, they were as good as anyone working at a high-end hotel in the US. My refrigerator was missing several items (e.g., drinks) and the staff took my word for it...no quibbling about what I did or did not consume. They were simply outstanding before, during and after my stay. (I have had to call them after my return to the US about a matter or two and they have treated me like I was still a guest at the hotel.) When I return to the land of my ancestors I will stay at the Hotel Chichikov. Word of advice: Perhaps this is a given for seasoned travelers but for the uninitiated (as I was) you should consider giving the young folks working at the hotel a few extra dollars for their help on whatever matter arises; they will insist it is not necessary but they will appreciate your generosity and thoughtfulness.

P.S.: I spent a portion of my time in Kharkov at a rented apartment in an effort to save some money. That was an experience that I do not wish to repeat. If you can afford it, then stay at a good hotel (like this one) for the duration of your stay or shell out the dollars for a really really nice apartment complex that does not have darkened hallways filled with empty beer bottles and cigarettes...yikes! (The young Ukrainians hanging out in the hallway talking loudly, smoking [and perhaps drinking] well into the early morning hours was an added amenity of my apartment stay [I should have known what was coming based on the condition of the common areas]). Do yourself a favor and stay for the duration at the Hotel Chichikov or a similarly situated hotel.

I stayed at the Chichikov Hotel for 5 days in May 2007. The hotel is well located in the city center. Quite a number of places for food, coffee, etc. not far from the hotel. There is a bank machine at the end of the street (next couple of blocks).

I used the hotel as a meeting location while I was in Kharkov. It prooved to be very convenient and well suited for the purpose. I had morning meetings in the restaurant on the mezzanine floor, and afternoon meetings in the cafe downstairs.

The hotel had free wired Internet access. It wasn't very fast, but it served my needs.

Go for the cheapest room, as I have discovered that the cheapest room and the room which is supposed to be one step up are actually very similar.

The staff were great and very helpful.

Perfectly located in calm side road parallel to main city street. Close to Opera; Zoo and central University buildings in pleasant foot walk distance.

Spacy rooms with comfortable sanitary facilities. Furniture in English style. Cable for free connection into broadband internet given on request at the reception. Non-smoking rooms on separate floors. Great view over town from my room (7th floor).

Delicious breakfast buffet in exquisite in restaurant environment. Well balanced choice of Eastern and Western European food. Food in restaurant is served at its best, especially meat from the grill.

Kind and attentive young staff with adequate English language practice.

Safe environment also in near-by city quarters. For sure, worth its money. Here business travel is a pleasure.