Talk:Hotel Ukrayina

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[edit] Further development

To complete the picture, a few words about the project of further development of the hotel would probably be desirable to add. KPbIC 07:28, 5 December 2006 (UTC)

What's stopping you from doing so?--Kuban Cossack 20:32, 5 December 2006 (UTC)

First of all, you wrote a significant article, which should be appreciated.

Second, speaking of me, I don't really so much interested in the Hotel. Personally, I don't see it so significant as Lavra, or Sofia, for example. I should also say that I don't actually know hotels in my home city so well; you wrote that "Hotel Ukraine is the most famous and central hotel in Kiev", but if someone asks me for the best place to stay (regardless of money), I would actually recommend Hotel "Dnipro", which is no less central and famous, and on the top it provides unbeatable view over Dnipro river.

In relation to the above, what do you think is really so notable about Hotel Ukrayina? Location? History (Ginzburg’s skyscraper)? An ugly version of what was supposed to be a "masterpiece" of so called Stalinist architecture? Whatever it is, put it into the first paragraph. "Most famous" is just empty and subjective words. Add a sentense to validate the claim.

Last, it’s really missing from the article that the building is not treated as something valuable, something that needs to be saved for future generations. Instead, as Sergey Babushkin wrote "На месте морально устаревшей, построенной более 40 лет назад, гостиницы «Украина», которая уже не соответствует требованиям современности, предполагается строительство совершенно нового не только для Киева, но и для всей нашей страны общественного комплекса, который естественно изменит, привычный для нескольких поколений киевлян внешний вид центральной площади." [1]. I don’t know, it may be that you are only interested in the Stalinist architecture, but if you or someone is interested in architecture in general, the same attention should be given to the KyivArchUnion project as it provided for the unrealized Dobrovolsky’s project. --KPbIC 22:38, 5 December 2006 (UTC)

True as that may be there are two self criticisments, first the article is not complete by any standards, and I published it simply because it might be MUCH better if everybody could input their part rather than it be rotting away in my sandbox. And constructive remarks such as yours are much appreciated.

Now as a hotel itself, Ukrayina is AVERAGE. I stayed there twice, first back when it was Moskva in 1988 and again in 2002. And in both cases, save the excellent view onto the Maidan that it offers, its got nothing, its a three star and really as they say no matter how well kept a Khruschyovka is its still going to be a Khruschyovka...which really needs no further explanation. However the area itself is much interesting, and yes I think its saddening that Dobrovolsky's design was so mutilated and ruined. It could have been a top hotel in Kiev, but unfrotunately it never got there.

As for Dnepr, then I agree, but back when I was staying in Kiev, its prices were quite high for me. Actually my favourite Hotel is Kozatsky right on the Maidan. Small, but right in the centre of Kiev. Conditions are bout the same as Ukraina, but cheeper, and so far some of the people I met that were also staying there I still keep contact with. Very good memories I have of that place.

Now then back to the context, I fully agree with you about the article that we need to re-write the lead. Which I encourage you to do. --Kuban Cossack 14:51, 6 December 2006 (UTC)