7 peculiarities of Soviet hotels that surprise modern tourists

Soviet hotels had a number of strict rules for guests. For example, it was forbidden for an unmarried couple to share the same room, talk loudly, and even "make love."

The rooms did not have bathrooms, and the neighbors were often strangers or cockroaches with bedbugs. OBOZREVATEL talks about the peculiarities of hotels and boarding houses in the USSR that confuse modern tourists.

• Lack of rooms

One could often see on hotel desks that read "No room available". Employees explained that all the beds were booked because they were waiting for a team of athletes or artists. In reality, however, there were plenty of rooms available.

It was just that you had to pay the administrator separately for checking in. The only legal way to check in was by having a business trip certificate and an early reservation.

• Strangers in the room

Even if the client did check into the room, they could not relax and enjoy the vacation for which they had paid money. In the best junior suites or suites, administrators could check in a stranger without warning. In addition, the rooms often had cockroaches and bedbugs.

• The ban on making love

Before being checked in, spouses were forced to show a marriage certificate. If there was no stamp in the passport, the lovers were separated and placed in different rooms. Moreover, after 11 p.m., there were guards on the floors who would go through the rooms and make sure that no women stayed overnight with men.

• No noise allowed

It was forbidden to make noise and have fun in hotels. Due to the lack of soundproofing, even a normal loud conversation in the room was reprimanded. If guests broke the rules, they were instantly kicked out regardless of the time of day.

• Shabby furniture

The interior of even the most famous Soviet hotels was terrible. The room was equipped with shabby cabinets, worn carpets, old cabinets, and metal spring beds. None of the guests dared to make a comment about any of these features as the administrator had the right to kick off a person at will.

• Comfort

There was always something broken in the room: a toilet, a sink, or a lamp above the bed. It is worth noting that shower and toilet were only in the suite, which not everyone could afford. In ordinary rooms, the restroom was shared, like in dormitories. People did not know about disposable toothpaste, toothbrush, and shampoo in travel sizes back then. There was only a bar of laundry soap near the sink.

• Buffet

The dining room did not have a wide range of dishes, and meals were not included in the room rate. Everyone bought what they could afford. Instead of morning coffee, there was chicory with milk, and instead of a buffet, they served sausages, buckwheat cutlets, soup or borscht with bread.