The basics.- Take some money: USD, EUR, GBP, even CAD. Bettter yet, get some Hrivnas (UAH) before you get to the Ukraine, because the currency exchange people do not accept many other currencies and cash machines may not accept your bank card. The last resort is getting cash advances on your credit card, but there are always additional charges with credit cards, and you have to find a bank that is open, and even so, they might not accept your credit card.
Second, your greatest expense, other than sex, will be cab rides and cover charges. You will pay cover charges that regular Ukrainians would never even think of paying and the taxis will also rob you blind, without any shame or remorse. Judging by the length of the rides I took the rate I paid varied by up to 700%. As soon as you get into the open at the airport you will be hounded by taxi drivers who will ask for 200 UAH for a ride into town. The price at the counter where is says taxi is 130-150 UAH, depending on how stupid you look, and the real price, the price any Ukrainian would pay is not more than 100. Your best strategy is to let them know that you know that foreigner prices are higher and play their game. I talked to the guys who wanted 200 and were still following me even after I laughed in their faces, I went up to the counter and they wanted 140, I shouted out the price and held a mini-auction, and settled for 120. I could have gone lower but I was tired. Really it does not matter, what is a few bucks to me, but I just hate being ripped off just because I am a foreigner. My strategy is not only to ask for the price, but also ask them the distance, which after a few days I knew already; I then checked their clearly displayed initial and per/Km charges. At least I got an idea of how much they were willing to lie to me before deciding whether to tell them to fuck off.
Third, forget the hotels and go for an apartment. I had a hotel with a great location that was so shitty that on my second day I got an apartment. I had already paid for the hotel so I ended up paying for 2 places for a couple of days but it was worth it. The apartment was just down the street and it was clean, spacious and private. Foe the 2 days I had left on the hotel I used it during the day, to take a nap and have free breakfast (if you call that breakfast) but at night I went back to the apartment. Not only was the hotel crappy, but my first night I brought in a girl and they bouncer made a big deal out of it, and in the morning they were knocking on my door at 7:00 a.m. That is even tough I had paid for 2 persons! I figured that way there would be no troubles, but I was wrong. On top of it the people at the front counter were rude and spoke no English, and the bouncer was equally rude, saying god knows what to the girl instead of talking to me. High class hotels so allow girls in, but they are usually just their regular hotel girls, and that is why you pay so much. Anyway, I rented a place from
http://www.kievrent.net/ and it was great. The girl I dealt with (Yana) was not only beautiful but spoke very good English and made sure I had everything I wanted, according to MY schedule. (I am just talking about the apartment, nothing more here).
Finally, get a cell phone. Whether you are there for business or pleasure, pleasure with pros or not, a cell phone will greatly simplify your life, allow you to make dates and ask for directions. You do not want to be the only person in Kyiv without a phone and you do not want to want ot have to run back to the hotel every time you want to make a call or expect one. If you are staying for 5 days or more, you might as well buy one. If you have a global one or come form Europe you just need a simm card with an Ukrainian number and enough Hrivnas to cover your calls.
Okay, the girls