For most of us, “five stars” is synonymous with perfection. However, in Ukraine, this rating often reflects only the quality of the building, not the quality of the stay itself.
The official hotel classification system in Ukraine still relies on state building codes (GSN). The system thoroughly checks the infrastructure: whether the hotel has an elevator and a restaurant, the size of the reception area, and whether it operates 24/7. However, the standards do not regulate the softness of the mattress, the availability of parking spaces, or the staff’s genuine willingness to help in unusual situations.
At the beginning of 2026, only about 220 establishments out of approximately 3,700 had an official category in Ukraine—less than 10% of the market. Among them, there were only about 40 five-star hotels. And when most of the industry operates outside the formal classification system, the premium segment focuses not on state requirements but on international service standards.
For example, in the U.S., Forbes Travel Guide evaluates hotels based on more than 900 criteria, with service accounting for about 70% of the rating. As a result, the Ukrainian market has begun to develop its own hospitality standards—often significantly exceeding the minimum requirements of government regulations.
To understand what the transformation of modern service standards looks like in practice, we analyzed the experience of the Ukrainian complex Apartel Skhidnytsya, which received the prestigious World Luxury Hotel Awards in the category of Luxury Wellness Resort 2025 in Europe. Using this case study as an example, we can see what guests actually pay for at a modern five-star resort.
One of the main shifts in the approach to leisure is the move from basic infrastructure to what hoteliers call “overservice.” This refers to the level of a boutique hotel, but on the scale of a large resort complex.
“In the premium segment, service has long ceased to be merely a set of amenities. Today, it is first and foremost about comfort that requires no extra effort from the guest—from booking dinner to organizing leisure activities or accommodating individual requests. The less a person has to control or decide on their own, and the more they feel that their needs have been taken care of in advance, the higher the actual level of service,” explains Vasily Krulko, entrepreneur and co-founder of the Apartel Resorts hotel chain.
True service begins even before arrival. If a guest’s child loves to play tennis but the property doesn’t have its own courts, the team won’t just shrug their shoulders—they’ll book a court nearby.
All guest requests are recorded in the CRM system: if you’ve ever asked for an extra pillow or four liters of water a day, they’ll be waiting for you automatically on your next visit. It is precisely these details that make guests want to return, and for resorts, this is a key indicator: if the service is consistently good, people return not because of advertising, but because of their own experience.
A beautiful photo shoot no longer gives a hotel an edge. However, a detailed 3D tour that allows guests to walk around the property and view rooms even during the selection phase can be a deciding factor for a guest.
At a Swedish buffet, you might encounter a robot delivering yogurt between tables—a small but noticeable detail that adds a sense of novelty to a premium vacation.
Gradually, technology will also streamline the check-in process. In the future, traditional check-in at the front desk is expected to be replaced by pre-check-in. The idea is that guests can submit their documents and confirm their details while still en route, thereby reducing formalities upon arrival. After arriving, they’ll simply need to pick up their key, without unnecessary waiting or paperwork.
Domestic tourism has grown significantly following the full-scale invasion. According to a study by the digital agency Inweb, 85% of Ukrainians planned to spend their summer vacation within the country in 2025. The Carpathians became the most popular destination, and 54.3% of respondents planned to travel with children. Therefore, a comfortable family vacation and appropriate infrastructure for children have already become a basic requirement.
In addition, about a third of guests travel with pets. Therefore, a pet-friendly hotel must also have a full range of amenities for pets: beds, bowls, welcome kits, and convenient walking routes.
To ensure the vacation remains comfortable for everyone, the space itself becomes crucial. While DBN standards allow a five-star hotel to have rooms starting at 16 m², the Luxury Wellness Resort 2025 standard requires a minimum of 34 m² of fully functional living space, complete with a dining table and a full-size balcony.
Family travel has also driven demand for scale—the “resort-within-a-resort” format, where guests can spend their entire vacation without leaving the premises.
This is achieved through seasonal spaces that operate in different formats: in winter—an ice rink or event venue; in the warmer months—a lounge area or concert stage. The grounds host tea ceremonies, master classes in floristry and pottery, themed tastings, concerts, and other events.
Having a SPA is no longer a competitive advantage today—even lower-category hotels have them. Therefore, the focus is not on the number of zones, but on the guest experience.
Thus, a parmeister appears in the SPA zone, transforming the sauna into a ritual with gongs, and instead of standard wellness programs, a full-fledged biohacking center operates. This is the first complex in Ukraine to implement such an approach, at a time when the market was barely familiar with the term. It involves restoring physical and mental well-being through a combination of natural factors and preventive medicine.
The contrast with formal requirements is telling, since according to DBN, having a nurse on staff is sufficient to obtain 5-star status. Everything else is a matter of the hotel’s own approach to service.
A high level of service is inextricably linked to safety—and to the guest’s sense of that safety. For example, if a guest doubts the cleanliness of a plate in the restaurant, staff can take it to the dishwashing area and demonstrate the entire dishwashing process, including their plate. Such transparency builds trust, as neglecting hygiene can lead to viral outbreaks—as has already happened at popular resorts.
Even technical details affect comfort. For example, using quiet electric equipment instead of gas-powered lawn mowers so the noise doesn’t wake guests in the morning.
Such details may seem insignificant, but they are precisely what shape the overall sense of relaxation. People come to the mountains for peace and quiet, so even technical solutions on the premises begin to influence the quality of the experience.
And finally, privacy. In the premium segment, this is one of the key principles. The resort team has deliberately refrained from publishing photos and videos from actual events where guests are present. If footage from events does appear on social media, it features only people invited specifically for the shoot. “Today, a real guest’s privacy is valued higher than any reach.”
“In many hotels, quality service has long since gone far beyond the formal five-star standard and actually already corresponds to a six- or even seven-star level. It would be interesting if Ukraine were to become the country that introduces such an additional rating. And if the market offers an opportunity to compete for a hypothetical sixth star, we will definitely be among those ready to prove it,” says Ruslan Kachan, CEO of Apartel Skhidnytsya.
As a result, today’s guest pays not so much for square footage or a formal star rating, but for the feeling of a well-planned vacation. A hotel’s ability to anticipate guests’ needs and create a relaxing experience is increasingly referred to as the “sixth star”—a standard that does not exist in official documents but which guests clearly feel during their stay.
On the night of January 1, a major fire broke out at Le Constellation bar during New Year’s celebrations in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana (canton of Valais). According to updated data from the authorities, about 40 people died and another 119 were injured, many with severe burns.
As reported by representatives of the Valais cantonal police at a briefing on January 2, 113 of the 119 victims have already been officially identified. Among them are 71 Swiss citizens, 14 French citizens, 11 Italian citizens, 4 Serbian citizens, and one citizen each from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, and Portugal. The nationality of 14 other victims is still being determined.
A detailed breakdown of the nationalities of the victims has not yet been officially published, as identification is still ongoing. However, the Italian Golf Federation has reported the death of 16-year-old athlete Emanuele Galepini; Reuters has named him as the first confirmed Italian citizen among the victims.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ukraine has not yet received confirmation of the presence of Ukrainian citizens among the dead or injured; the Ukrainian Embassy in Switzerland is in contact with local authorities and law enforcement agencies.
The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing; among the versions discussed by the media with reference to the investigation is the use of sparklers/spark candles during service in the crowded establishment.
As part of its expansion into foreign markets, the Ukrainian bakery chain Lviv Croissants has opened a new location in Poland in the popular ski resort town of Zakopane, according to a Facebook post by its press service.
“We have our own atmosphere here: a cozy space with mountain accents, over 40 comfortable seats, and a menu that we have supplemented with new items specifically for this mood. And it is here that self-service kiosks have appeared for the first time in our Polish chain,” the company said in a post.
Lviv Croissants has expanded its menu with new items at the new location. In addition to traditional croissants with various fillings, salads, and drinks, the must-try items in Zakopane are the local mountain croissant with cheese and cranberries, as well as the Petit Déjeuner breakfast basket.
The opening of the new location in Poland was facilitated by the company’s first establishment in the country, which operates in Krakow.
Lviv Croissants is a Ukrainian international restaurant franchise chain founded in 2015. It specializes in making croissants. The brand entered the European market in September 2022. According to the company’s website, the brand entered the European market in September 2022. Currently, the chain has 178 establishments throughout Ukraine, 11 in Poland, and one each in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. In April 2025, the Lviv Croissants chain opened its first establishment in South Korea, entered the Norwegian market in November, and launched its second establishment in Washington State, USA, in December.
The beneficiaries of the enterprise are PP “Firma ”Infobud,” which owns 50% of the shares, Yevhen and Andriy Halytskyi (20% each), and Yuriy Zagrodskyi (10%).
Vietnam has significantly expanded its visa-free regime, adding 12 European countries to the list of countries whose citizens can stay in the country for up to 45 days without a visa. This is valid from August 15, 2025, to August 14, 2028, and covers EU countries such as Belgium, Poland, the Czech Republic, and others that have joined the existing list, which includes France, Japan, the UK, and others.
This has signaled a revival in the resort real estate market: tourists with long visa-free periods and high incomes have become actively interested in buying villas, apartments, and condo hotels, especially in tourist areas. The Vietnam Association of Real Estate Agents (VARS) notes an increase in demand and a steady recovery in the sector.
The foreign population in the country is small but diverse:
Real estate purchase prices (per square meter):
Rental prices (per month):
Forest fires have engulfed Montenegro, coming close to resort areas and populated areas.
Among those affected is the Cana area, where the flames came within 50 meters of a hotel, forcing families to evacuate their homes in Gornji Rogami. Media reports indicate power outages in several towns.
Serbia quickly sent a Ka-32 helicopter from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and a team of seven people, including six air crew members and one emergency service representative. The aircraft arrived in less than two hours and began fighting the fire north of Podgorica.
Fires in Montenegro remain active, with the region battling the threat of the flames spreading.
According to MONSTAT, in 2024, tourists from Serbia accounted for 23.5% of all foreign overnight stays, making them the largest group of visitors to Montenegro.
According to other data, in 2024, Serbian tourists accounted for 859,932 overnight stays (about 860,000) from January to September, confirming their status as Montenegro’s leading tourist audience.
The project of the Dunaya resort in Odesa region provides for attracting private investments of $2.5 billion, replenishing the hotel rooms with 20,000 rooms and creating 25,000 jobs, Fazil Askerov, the chairman of the board of the Odesa region tourism association, has said.
“This is the Dunaya resort town. The state company Dunaya. A year-round resort with a gambling zone. It will be located on the spit (part of the spit is a dam) between Sasyk Lake and the Black Sea. More than 500 hectares, the embankment is over 10 km. More than 80 hotels, the smallest with 150 rooms, and the largest with 1,000 rooms,” he said on Facebook.
The project provides for the opening of the first hotels in 2022, Askerov said. According to the plan, the resort will receive the first million tourists in 2025, and by 2030 their number will reach 6 million annually.
“After the quarantine is over, we will definitely hold a public presentation of the project for the general public,” he wrote.
He added that the project was created on the initiative of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, the project’s architect was Serhiy Husev’s team, and one of the ideological authors was the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada’s Committee on Economic Development, Dmytro Natalukha. In addition, according to him, Mikheil Saakashvili presented the project at the parliamentary hearings in 2016.
