Mt. Elbrus

[Gleb]

I do not recommed to stay in MinVody town itself.
MinVody is just a traffic junction. It has a boulevard with girls strolling along it but that is all and it may impress you only after you spend a couple of weeks in the mountains. In spite of its name - Mineralnye Vody (Mineral Water in English) there are no mineral springs and it is not a resort. Hotel in the city (nearby the railway terminal) is good only to stay for one night if you have problems with your flight. There is a hotel at the airport but it is very, very basic.

There are some other towns nearby. Piatigorsk, Essentuki, Zheleznovodsk and Kislovodsk. All these towns are real resorts with mineral water springs, parks, pedestrian zones and other stuff.

Two of them may be recommended: Piatigorsk (30 minutes drive by car from airport, 25 km) and Kislovodsk (1 hour from airport, 55 km).
Kislovodsk is better for sure - it is ONLY a resort with a huge park. Piatigorsk is a big city with both resort areas and ordinary streets of an industrial city.

Accommodations in Piatigorsk: There is an Inturist hotel (more expensive but they have better rooms and they speak some English) and "Piatigorsk" hotel nearby - cheaper but without fancy reception desk. There are other hotel of course but these two have more convenient location: near the central market, resort zone and a place from where shuttle minibuses go to/from airport and elsewhere.

Accommodation in Kislovodsk: There are some luxury hotels right in the middle of pedestrian zone on the boulevard. People an the railway terminal offer homestay for very reasonable prices and very centrally located. If you still stick to a hotel I can recommend a hotel right opposite the central market main entrance (I do not remember its name). If you choose Kislovodsk and drive by car, ask to take you to the railway terminal and leave your luggage there in a luggage room. That terminal is in the centre and you can start your walks from there.

Transportations:
All cities there are connected by railway and you can travel by local train. Railway station in MinVody is about 15 minutes drive by public bas from airport.
There are cheap shuttle minibuses between all cities and airport.
And finally there are taxis. The cost from airport to Kislovodsk by taxi is 500-600 Rubles but hardly you can have this price at the airport. They will ask 2 times more and you must bargain like mad to get a better price.

[Babeth]

Hello, thank you for all these useful details. Do you know if there is a minibus from Piatigorsk to the airport everyday? and do you have an idea of the price? we prefer sleep in Piatigorsk than in MineVody on our way back.
Thank you

[xara]

Minibuses (for 10-15 people) go between MinVody airport and Piatigorsk almost every 15 minutes.
From Piatigorsk they normaly go from railway and bus terminals and mostly from local market near hotel "Intourist". That hotel is recommended to stay because it seems to be a good location and reasonable service but mostly becuse only there staff speaks some English.