[erickk]

We have been told not to worry about booking our hotels--our facilitator will do it. Well we leave on Wednesday and we have not heard any word yet that it has been done--just "don't worry it will get done". I have heard on a different board that hotels in Moscow are booked up and they have had to get apartments.

I'm not so laid back that 5 days before we leave I am comfortable leaving my travel arrangements up to someone else. For those who made their own travel arrangements--did you do it through someone your agency suggested or did you just go online and do it yourself. Also, we want to put the hotels on a credit card so we aren't hauling so much cash.

Suggestions? We have a lot to get done in the next couple of days and I would be happier if the hotel was taken care of NOW--not when we are just about ready to get on the airplane. Thanks.

We had planned on staying at the Ukraine in Moscow and Sibir in Novosibirsk--the Ukraine is a known and the Sibir has been recommended.

Thanks again. I was just uncertain if I booked on line if we would have any problems once we get there.

[proudmommyof 2]

We booked online for all of our trips, and never had a problem with using cc (except for our first trip-we forgot to notify card company we'd be leaving the country and they froze the card for suspicious purchases-that's another story).


Some hotels, which I didn't know until someone on this forum told us, give adoption discounts. Some of the Marriotts give 100 or 200 dollars off of the room. If you do this, use the promotional code A23 for adoption.

Good luck! I'd want it sorted out as well.

[mjkkbbr]

We are leaving in 3 days and don't even have our final court date set and don't know when we will even be in Moscow. I am very frustrated!!!

We want to stay in one of the lesser expensive hotels as well.

[aphorista]

I would make sure you know where you are staying. We have court on 03/20 and had difficulty finding reasonable accomodations in Moscow as one of the biggest conventions will be going on from the 22-25. If your stay in Moscow is during that time, I would have a confirmation number and, price so there are no surprises. We were able to book on line through priceline last weekend. Good luck and happy travels!

[Katie63011]

We booked at the Ukraina online and had no problems. It was much less than the price our facilitor was offering (if you get my drift). We also used credit cards. I booked it through Expedia.

[emjay]

If it's a busy time in Russia, your agency may still be trying to find you a room. I think it's perfectly reasonable to ask if they have one for you yet, and whether or not you should be looking into a backup option. Last summer we learned 2 days before leaving that there wasn't a room for us. We didn't blame the agency...they had exhausted all contacts to try to find us a room at a good rate. We went online and found a room - it was pricey, but we had a room.

Best of luck and have a great trip!

[SingleMama2B]

I Personally would call the facilitator (even if you have to call them in Russia). You should know before you get on the plane! My facilitator's office had always booked the families at the Rossiya (no longer operating due to future demolision), but I did NOT want to stay there. I made my OWN reservations and had to call them (in Russia) to tell them where I would be staying, and to confirm that they did NOT make the Rossiya reservations......

UNLESS.... your in-country fees include your accommodations which they make for you!?

[kcgirlinfl]

We booked our stay at the Ukraina online, and paid with a credit card. We didn't have any problems with our reservation once we arrived. I felt better knowing it was all taken care of in advance.

Good luck!

[mschweber]

Our facilitators took care of everything. For Rostov we were told before we got there where we were staying and what it would cost. Since we could not be sure when we would arrive in Moscow until after the court date the agency facilitator in Moscow took care of it while we where in Rostov. By that time we had had nothing but good experiences with the agency so we just told him to book us where ever he recommended and it worked out fine. A couple whose 10 days were waived, so that they got to Moscow sooner than us also had no problem going this route.

[cathvash]

I had totally forgotten about this... My experience with facilitator-hotel bookings was not so good... The first trip, they tried to book me in a $675.00/night room in Moscow! I am convinced that the facilitators make deals with hotels - they bring us and get a booking fee of some sort.

On the second trip, I made my own arrangements. When they picked me up at the airport, they said that they had called the hotel I booked, and had been told my room had been canceled - but not to worry - they would take me to another hotel they knew... I told them my hotel better not be cancelled - I had pre-paid and confirmed reservations! Sure enough, when we got to my hotel, there was no problem at all with my reservation (except the facilitator didn't get a dime!)

I don't think this is reflective of everyone's experience, but it made me a little more skeptical, and I will definitely be making my own reservations from now on..!

[mschweber]

Originally Posted by cathvash

I had totally forgotten about this... My experience with facilitator-hotel bookings was not so good... The first trip, they tried to book me in a $675.00/night room in Moscow! I am convinced that the facilitators make deals with hotels - they bring us and get a booking fee of some sort.

On the second trip, I made my own arrangements. When they picked me up at the airport, they said that they had called the hotel I booked, and had been told my room had been canceled - but not to worry - they would take me to another hotel they knew... I told them my hotel better not be cancelled - I had pre-paid and confirmed reservations! Sure enough, when we got to my hotel, there was no problem at all with my reservation (except the facilitator didn't get a dime!)

I don't think this is reflective of everyone's experience, but it made me a little more skeptical, and I will definitely be making my own reservations from now on..!

Maybe we were too trusting of our agency's people but it all worked out fine. I forget the exact rate but we paid under $100 per night in the region and under $200 per night in Moscow, which is what we were looking to do.

[LilyMoon]

Our facilitator booked us in the hotel in the region but we booked our own hotel in Moscow (Marriott Grand). We used our credit cards to pay for both hotels without a problem. If you have specific hotels you would like to stay in, you could let your agency know and they can contact your facilitator.

Have a great trip!
LilyMoon

[mschweber]

BTW, while we did not make our own arrangements we still were able to use our credit card with no problem in both hotels.

[Beaglepup]

We didn't make our own arrangements for either trip. We didn't even know where we were staying until we were picked up at the airport. It worked out, but I was nervous.

We stayed at the Belgrad on the first trip and people were saying everything was booked up, but he had no trouble getting us in.

Stayed at the Ukraina the second trip and the facilitator used a travel agency which came to our room once a week so we could pay for our stay as we went along. It was around $171 a night in May/June for a non air conditioned room. I was skeptical that the facilitator was getting a kick back out of it, but it sounds about what others paid. We used a credit card both times.

I decided to just trust that it would all work out. NOT my personality, but luckily for us, it was perfect!

Good luck!

[chanibelle]

This is crazy! Kudos to those of you who booked things yourself. Do they know that we talk to one another about these things, b/c sometimes I swear they don't lol