We arrived in the city at 8AM and made a "cold call" to their office. They invited us to stop by
and guided us through pictures of a number of apartments in different areas of the city; within 45 minutes
they had dropped us off at an apartment, showed us how to use the appliances, and handed us the keys. The office is open 24 hours, and the agents speak any number of languages fluently; their number is pasted next to the phone in the apartment, and you can call at any time free of charge. They provided maps and guidance about the city, advised us on transportation out -- provided much more service than I have received even at 4 star hotels.

Oh yes, and the apartment was great: a huge place, with comfortable beds, full kitchen, washing machine and ironing board, closets -- actually much more than we needed for a short stay. We opted for a place that was in the center of kiev, but 25 minutes walk to independence square and most other tourist sites. It was... more