The wife and I where on a trafalger tour that stayed for one night at the Orbita. When we arrived we where given accomodation that was there business class standard. According to the information leaflets at the front desk. this standard had air conditioning and a mini fridge. The room in fact had two single beds, no fridge, no air conditioning, fans or cooling of any sort. The mattreses sat inside of a wooden frame that pushed into the back of your legs if you sat on the bed. The only floor in the hotel with air conditioning is the top 14th floor. I was lucky enough to be able to upgrade for US$115.00 to one of the rooms on the 14th floor. I quearied the false accomodation information with the front desk. The answer that the girls gave me was. We know the advertising is wrong but managment dosen't see fit to change it. The next morning we sat down to a fixed breakfast of two fried eggs and two small pork sausages. Not one person in our group touched the sausages as they wher still thawing and when the wife complained that the eggs where cold. She was promptly told by a large russian woman ( not cold you eat) We also noted this with the front counter. All the girls at the counter could do was shrug there sholders and agree that they know that they have a problem with the kitchen staff.

Was in Minsk in June 2005 with my wife for a football match (Belarus-Scotland), and the travel agent who I had to order my visa from booked us into this hotel!

Little bit way from city center, but is only something like 3 stops on the metro (with the station right out the front door!).

Nice Western-Style clean rooms (though friends one floor up didn't even have carpets), but the staff could be a little bit rude (wife got questioned when we came home by doormen!!)

This hotel is upmarket by Eastern European standards. I had a 'business single' on the 10th floor and it was nicely furnished. The hotel is easy to find, being outside the Pushkinska Metro station. The road junction outside is quite noisy - light sleepers would do well to ask for a room at the back of the hotel. Breakfast was fine, with a selection of hot and cold items. It offered good value for money, and I would certainly stay there again. Minsk itself was much better than I was expecting - very clean and with plenty of greenery. Transport is very cheap, as are food and drink.

I was visiting Minsk for business and had to take a cab one night. The dang thing broke right in front of this hotel (ORBITA) and I assumed it would be OK to walk in and ask them to call a cab for me. Well, my assumption was wrong and they nearly escorted me out the door.

I think this hotel is just not ready for a foreign traveller.