Moscow and St. Petersburg can boast of a wide range of accommodations suitable for almost any travel budget, but it is admittedly that few foreign tourists venture travelling outside Russia's two major cities.

The options in Moscow and St. Petersburg range from five-star luxury palaces and Western-style business plazas to Soviet hold-overs with walls that have ears and hostels with b&bs for a money-conscious traveller. Spectacular views of the city centers, and rooms that guarantee only a short walk to the main streets are the two advantages of Moscow and St. Petersburg centrally located hotels, many of which have recently undergone renovations and extensive remodelings to keep them in line with the expectations of foreign visitors. The prices are comparable with those of major European cities.

In the regions, most sizeable cities will provide a tourist with one or more late-Soviet-era hotels, spruced up to varying degrees, and with a few smaller, and usually shabbier, alternatives.

In the Golden Ring - a number of historical towns surrounding Moscow - you can expect a better selection of places for staying, but there are quite a few entertainments to be found. In more far-away areas standards tend to be lower.

Most hotels can provide a person with letters of invitation and offer visa registration even if you are not staying with them during all the time you are in Russia, although regional establishments tend to be less flexible.

While Russia does not exactly cater to foreign visitors with small budgets (look at the markups on museum tickets and long-distance trains tickets, and on the hotel-rooms in the regions), there are some compromises to be found, even in Moscow. As it is known, contacts are the best way to get a deal, but patience and luck can often do just as well.

The easiest way to get a cheap accommodation is stay at a university dormitory, but usually it is available only to students paying for Russian lessons at an institute. If you are looking for inexpensive accommodations without any study obligations then renting a small apartment or a room with a family is your best bet.