By Vasily Kharitonov
The 11-storey President Hotel occupies the former site of the Oktyabrskaya Hotel, having been built from January 2011 onwards. Funding came from Hotel Minsk, while a Turkish company was the general contractor; Turkish Eximbank provided 85 percent of the loan and Belarusbank JSC Savings Bank the remaining 15 percent.
The new hotel can accommodate twice as many guests as the former facility and is an ideal place to relax and hold official and business events, having excellent facilities for hosting foreign delegations at the highest state level, alongside international organisations and businessmen visiting Belarus.
The hotel’s congress hall can seat 600 while its five conference rooms have a total of 136 seats and its two VIP rooms can accommodate 105 guests. Each is equipped with multimedia stereo and conference systems, simultaneous interpretation and video conferencing facilities. The hotel’s three restaurants can seat 460 people in total, supplemented by five bars and four banqueting halls. It also has a fitness and spa centre, in addition to a nightclub and an underground parking area.
“It’s a good, respectable hotel,” emphasised Mr. Lukashenko, urging that the finishing touches be completed as soon as possible. His entry in the Distinguished Guests Book reads: ‘In the heart of Minsk, there has emerged a unique, five-star hotel combining European comfort with the traditions of Belarusian hospitality and cosiness. It provides the perfect place for guests to enjoy a comfortable stay, holding important business meetings and negotiations. I’m sure that the staff will make every effort to ensure that the President Hotel lives up to its name, becoming a capital landmark and earning international recognition. May the hotel become a relaxed home for guests, who will happily return again and again’.
