I stayed here as part of a group earlier this year and found the hotel absolutely fine for our needs.

Check in was very straightforward, the foyer area is large and spacious. There was a wee coffee shop which was great.

The rooms were clean and comfortable, although perhaps a bit dated in decor. I agree with the previous comments about the breakfast items - but still managed to find something to eat!

We had a drink in the bar each evening and the staff there were very friendly. There wasn't much English going on but we managed fine!

It's about a thirty minute walk into the centre of Minsk and we did it several times once we had our bearings. We also managed to get tickets for the Ballet at the conference centre which was AMAZING. Do check out what is on there. The tickets cost 7000 rubles which was the equivalent of about £1.80.....also visited the War Museum which was really interesting - although there were no signs in English, many of the displays spoke volumes.

I would certainly stay here again I had reason to be in Minsk.

Stayed at this hotel for 2 nights whilst in Minsk to see a sporting event. Firstly the positives, the hotel itself is in a fairly good location. No more than a 10min walk from the city centre and within walking distance of the dinamo stadium (if you are there for a sporting event like we were). First impressions were pretty good. Nice looking lobby area, friendly staff, and check in was dealt with quickly enough. Being a foreign visitor you need to leave you passport with them for them to validate your visa. This was no problem though. We were told it would take 30mins, so we went up to the room to freshen up and get ready to go out for the evening. Came back down 20mins later and our passports were ready and waiting for us. A great service, in comparison to past experiences with hotels in Moscow. The hotel has a couple of decent bars, and a Casino, though the bar in the Casino was quite expensive in comparison to the other hotel bars. Now for the negatives, the rooms were clean and perfectly suitable for what we needed but for the price we paid were VERY basic. In the UK i'd expect to pay no more than £50 for a room of that standard yet we paid A LOT more than that. This may be because we were there whilst England were in town playing football, as such, prices were inflated, but nevertheless, it seemed very overpriced. Secondly, the breakfast was to say the least awful. Most the items on offer in the breakfast buffet are the last things I want to eat at 8am!! Having said that, it's a very different culture compared to what we're used to, so I wouldn't be suprised if the breakfast is 'the norm' amongst other hotels in the City. All in all though an enjoyable stay and would have no problem staying at the same hotel again.

On my previous visits I've stayed in Hotel Minsk but this time it was booked up and I was forced to stay at Planeta. When I say forced the people in Minsk booking it were trying to find me anywhere else but in the end this was the only one that had availability. I was a bit worried but needn't had been. The hotel is little further out from the centre but its still walkable (about 10 mins). Its next to Victory Park and the views from my room were nice. The park offered the benefits of being able to jog around it or go outdoor drinking (a popular activity in Minsk) during the summer. The room I was given was good. All the essentials (bed, bathroom, tv and mini bar), clean and the decor was good. I guess I got a renovated room. I was always late down to breakfast so there often wasn't much left but then I only run on coffee and fruit in the morning and the guy/girl was happy to knock up a ok cup of freshly ground coffee. I ate in the restaurant twice and found the service efficient and the food to be good. I nipped into both bars and found them pretty quiet. Internet in the lobby was good. My slight grumble is the European water in the mini bar was very pricey (more expensive than vodka - but hey ho when in Belarus do what the Belarussians do, cheers !). But there was a shop where it was possible to buy water at about 1/8th of the minibar price.

It will be a tough choice when I come back to Minsk, Hotel Planeta or Minsk

The Planeta makes a good base for any trip to Minsk. However, make sure you request a renovated room -- a big upgrade in decor and comfort. Breakfast buffet offers huge selection. The attitude of the front desk is unfriendly at best. Fortunately, the business center is very good, and the person who staffs it is helpful and nice. Ate dinner there just one night, and we were caught be surprise by the disco ball, directly above the heads of some diners, and bad music that began before we had finished eating. Felt very safe, and it was nice to be able to walk to many places from the hotel. Not luxury here, but basic comforts and clean.