I try to keep a few links on my site to make your trip a little easier. If you would like to recommend a driver, interpreter or apartment owner list them here or send me a PM and I will make sure they are listed. You will need to say why you recommend them.
This will be a good link. The only place I can recommend is Boryspil Hotel, walking distance from Kiev Airport. Their prices are reasonable except if you make reservations, as if with many hotels. Then, they add 20 - 25%.
Someone once talked me into another place. He told me it was in the middle of Kiev where I can interact with the locals in the city. There was no check out desk, the phone did not work, there was no hot water.... otherwise it was a good room. I walked a mile one way and a mile another way. I found no place to eat. I did find an ATM and a lady who spoke English who was kind enough to lend me her phone.
I only spent one night there. I was on my way to Zaporozhye. The room included taxi in the morning to the train station. I wondered if he would show up and he did. Nice guy, the taxi driver. I am a bigger guy than him and I could have carried my baggage much easier than he did. He insisted. He finally let me when we were almost there.
I stayed at the woman's house with her son. She was also living with her mother. She said she will pay for the apartment and have her mother stay there. I never did see the apartment. More than likely, she kept the money and had her mother stay with her friend. Her mother came a few times with her friend.
If you are traveling by train, bus or from IEV airport and transferring to KBP airport, there are better and less expensive hotels near the train station. There is a shuttle to KBP every half hour for 30 Hyrivna ($4) 24 hours a day. It drops off the opposite side of the tracks from the McDonalds. Across the street from the drop off is a Supermarket and up the hill about 4 blocks there is a very good hotel at the corner with the stop sign. It was modernized for the 2012 Euro Tournament. I forgot the name but the signage is good and the desk is manned all night. I have stayed at the Borispol Hotel and would use my suggestion or sit in the airport before using Borispol again.
If is anyone is interested in an English speaking taxi driver that doesn't inflate the price like the taxi drivers waiting at the airport, I can give the number on a PM. I found him just by chance calling a taxi company phone number I jotted down from a passing taxi.
Hi Les, how is married life?? I will have to check out your site. I do have some contacts in some of cities in case help is needed. You can never have enough contacts. I would be interested in your taxi number in Kiev, Rodan.
I have used Bus Station in Kiev, south of centre), there is bus from KBP to bus station every half hour or so( except for late night), this station is next to metro Lybidska ( blue line)which will take you to the centre and get off at metro Khreschatyk. I use bus station sometimes to go directly to another city...I find it easier than arranging train station transfers if my flight times are not useable. I have also stayed at Borispol Hotel, it is right next door to new terminal D and a short ways from terminal B which is domestic terminal.