Kharkiv Palace was a beautiful old Europe landmark hotel in the heart of the city. It had room for more than 360 guests in 171 spacious rooms and luxurious suites with a stunning view over the city, excellent meeting facilities, a spa, a pool, and excellent restaurants.
It also had a dedicated staff keeping the doors of this landmark hotel open during impossible times, showing what resilience in travel and tourism means.
Absent from tourists in Ukraine it was still a favorite hotel for weddings. The hotel website promoted newlyweds to start their new life in the lap of luxuriously!
Make your wedding night a special one featuring a luxurious room with romantic décor, champagne, breakfast in bed and more!
What the Russian army did to the Kharkiv Palace Hotel today was to destroy this option, destroying much of the hotel in two S-300 surface-to-surface bomb attacks on the city of Kharkiv. One bomb hit the hotel, injuring 21 people, including a German journalist and two boys, 14 and 16 years old.
Kharkiv, Ukraine is known as a tourist center of the country, with many attractions, such as parks, museums, and historic buildings.
Kharkiv, situated in northeastern Ukraine, boasts the expansive Freedom Square which houses the impressive Derzhprom building in a constructivist style. A visit to Shevchenko Park offers the opportunity to explore botanic gardens and a zoo. For those seeking cultural experiences, the Kharkiv State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre hosts frequent performances. Journeying southwest, one can marvel at the grand Annunciation Cathedral, featuring five domes and a bell tower. To the northeast lies Maxim Gorky Central Park, where visitors can enjoy a towering Ferris wheel and a scenic cable car ride.
World Tourism Network member Mariana Oleskiv, who is the chairperson for the State Agency for Tourism Development in Ukraine is angry saying:
“Russia aims to destroy our country, our infrastructure, and above all, our culture. Evil must be punished! Only by uniting with the entire civilized world can we stop the enemy who are shelling peaceful Ukrainian cities, so we can bring back peace to our lives.”
Mariana recalls her visit to the hotel a year ago saying:
“My heart aches for beloved and resilient Kharkiv.”
“Last year, just before the New Year, my colleagues and I traveled to Kharkiv.
Our visit was a gesture of solidarity and support, marking the beginning of our work on a forthcoming project called “Commemoration Routes”.
This was coming in light of the at that time recent successful liberation of the Kharkiv region by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Early in the morning at the Kharkiv Palace Hotel, I woke up to the sounds of explosions, and moments later, the air raid siren went off. Unfortunately, Russian missiles reach the city of Kharkiv in less than a minute.
When I went down for breakfast, I was incredibly surprised.
There was a fully set-up Swedish buffet with a wide selection of meals and drinks considering there were only 10 guests in the hotel that day.
I shared a video on my stay with many international partners in response to the question, “Does your hotel industry operate at all?” Tonight, this hotel was hit by Russia!
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