Varske of Wu Wei writes about Kyiv's hotels: “Kiev hotels are notorious for being expensive, whether good or bad. At least now there are some international chains trying to set standards for the locals. Yesterday I rang up a small hotel recommended by a work colleague, who like it so much he didn't bother with an apartment. When I asked about the level of service, she modestly said that it was a middle quality then blurted out that there was no hot water. I had completely forgotten that that might be an issue in the summer.”