Visiting Victoria

Visitors to Minsk’s hosting of the Ice Hockey World Championship will be accommodated at the four star Victoria and Victoria 2, at the President Hotel, at the Minsk and Planeta hotels, at the Bon Hotel and at the Renaissance, with 33 other hotels and nine hostels also offering beds

The Victoria and Victoria 2 hotels welcome guests in Pobediteley Avenue, not far from the Minsk-Arena Cultural-and-Sports Complex. The Svisloch River and the picturesque Pobedy Park are situated on the opposite side of the avenue where everyone can take a break from the bustle of the city and enjoy the tranquil environment. Victoria 2 opened its doors several weeks ago — on April 3rd and during the world event, it will host teams from Latvia, Germany, Switzerland, Finland and the USA. Victoria Hotel will accommodate players from Russia and Kazakhstan.
“Healthy sleep and food are the key for the players. We will do our best to ensure these,” notes the Marketing and Sales Department Head, Irina Dmukhovskaya. Team members will be able to communicate with their fans and media representatives in conference halls and take a rest or enjoy a massage in the spa-centre. TV sets have been installed in the lobby-bar and hall, enabling anyone to watch the competitions. In addition, Victoria 2 has a 20m swimming pool (unique for a four star hotel), ample parking and perfect driveways. Its proximity to Minsk-Arena is another evident advantage.
Both hotels have souvenir shops, offering Belarusian flax and wood produce. In early May, souvenirs with the championship’s logos will be on sale there. “Our guests usually love the Orsha Linen Mill’s products, and the handmade souvenirs,” explains Ms. Dmukhovskaya.
In mid-April, a large multi-functional business centre — Victoria Olymp — opened. It is here that the Championship’ Directorate members will stay. Local restaurants and hotels will offer Belarusian and Western European cuisine. Conference halls and rooms for talks are available in the building as well.
In April, two small hotels also opened in the city — Monastyrskaya and Na Zamkovoy, which house 48 and 26 guests respectively. Monastyrskaya (translated as ‘monastery’) did not receive its name accidentally. During the 17th-19th century, a Bernardine Monastery existed on the site. Designers decided to preserve the 18th century interiors and, as Inna Varenko — Na Zamkovoy and Monastyrskaya Sales Department Head — says, “We believe that our hotel will enjoy popularity among tourists — especially those coming from Europe. It is situated in the historical centre of the city and is surrounded by numerous architectural monuments. Belarus has quite a few business hotels, but ours is unique. Its rooms are equipped in former monastic cells and have wooden floors and window shutters. The atmosphere of the past reigns here, and only the modern sanitary facilities remind us of the time we actually live in.”
Many hotels are being opened these days — especially for the forthcoming championship. Speaking of whether they’ll enjoy demand, Ms. Dmukhovskaya notes, “Our city is expanding, and tourist flows are growing. New hotels are definitely needed. Moreover, guests should be attracted by perfect service and competitive prices — which we are doing now. Our employees attentively service each visitor and we even keep ‘a guest history’, with information about our visitors’ preferences. We also offer discount programmes — as part of the red, silver and gold cards. A platinum card shall soon be introduced. The Victoria Hotel has been running for just seven years but already has many return guests. Some have returned more than fifty times!”
It’s obviously important to ensure that guests, for the championship and beyond, enjoy Belarusian hospitality.

By Yulia Bukel