The Waldorf Astoria brand has been growing very nicely in recent years, opening properties in all kinds of major cities. Waldorf Astoria has started accepting reservations for one of its newest hotels, and it’s likely the most controversial one that’s in the pipeline.
In this post:
Waldorf Astoria Minsk opening March 2026
The Waldorf Astoria Minsk, Belarus, is expected to open on March 3, 2026, and is now accepting reservation. For those not familiar, Belarus is a country that’s closely aligned with Russia, and which has been growing increasingly isolated from European Union countries in recent years, given Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (though the country’s “leader” has also been trying to mend relations with the West).
The hotel will be located on the Svislach River, along Yanka Kupala Street, on a site previously occupied by the BelExpo exhibition center.
The Waldorf Astoria will feature 192 guest rooms and suites, and all kinds of amenities, including a full-service spa, a casino and nightclub, a fitness center and pool, and more. As far as dining goes, the hotel will have Marmo Steakhouse (the signature restaurant), Peacock Alley (the brand standard Waldorf Astoria bar), and Zolo (the breakfast restaurant).
Below you can find some renderings of the new property. They’re quite low quality, but better than nothing.
When it comes to the cost of staying here, I currently see rates starting at just over $400 per night if paying with cash, or 60,000 Hilton Honors points per night if paying with points.
This is an interesting addition to the Hilton portfolio
When it opens, the Waldorf Astoria will almost certainly be the most luxurious address in Minsk, as there’s currently no hotel of this caliber. Hilton has a significant presence in Belarus, as this will be the brand’s fifth property in the country. However, Hilton isn’t the only international hotel chain with properties in Belarus — for example, there’s also the Marriott Minsk, which looks excellent (well, for a “plain” Marriott).
In recent years we’ve seen many international hotel groups fully pull out of Russia. That doesn’t apply to Belarus in the same way, though it is interesting to note how Hilton is one of the hotel groups that continues to operate in Russia, and I can’t help but wonder if that contributed to the branding decision here.
What I find most noteworthy is that this hotel is now open for reservations and will welcome its first guests in a matter of months, but I haven’t really seen an official announcement about these plans. I suspect that’s intentional, as Hilton probably doesn’t want to highlight in the West that it’s expanding in Belarus.
I’m still curious about the background of this project. My guess is that the hotel was initially supposed to be branded as something else, but the partner pulled out of the project in light of circumstances. For example, I see some webpages about Grand Hotel Minsk that suggest this hotel was supposed to be a Viceroy, which I find to be an even stranger branding choice.
Bottom line
The Waldorf Astoria Minsk is expected to open in March 2026, and is now accepting reservations. This should be Belarus’ most luxurious hotel. The property looks great, though I can’t say that returning to Minsk is near the top of my travel list at the moment…
What do you make of the Waldorf Astoria Minsk?
You'd have to call in a bomb threat on my flight to get me to to land in Belarus
China is similiar, they have a dictator for life, its written into their constitution.
Yet everyone here is fine with tons of American hotels built and being built in China.
Shame on you all for prejudice.
I do not comment here, but now is a great time.
0. Originally from Belarus. Immigrated to the US 2 years ago.
1. I agree with the most comments that Belarus is one of the worst dictatorships on Earth.
2. However, I have to emphasize: that hotel has nothing related to the government. The land was given (sold?) by “the president” of Belarus to Kopaonik Property Investment. The Crown Prince of Abu...
I do not comment here, but now is a great time.
0. Originally from Belarus. Immigrated to the US 2 years ago.
1. I agree with the most comments that Belarus is one of the worst dictatorships on Earth.
2. However, I have to emphasize: that hotel has nothing related to the government. The land was given (sold?) by “the president” of Belarus to Kopaonik Property Investment. The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi's company. They decided how and for what to use it.
3. So, with all my hate to the regime (he has been in power since I was an embryo), there is literally nothing between Hilton and Belarusian government. The regime can’t dictate (at least) to their wallet what to build and under what brand operate. I can assume, considering company’s worldwide portfolio, Hilton was also unable to reject them.
4. Sanctions don’t work here. It is an UAE’s company operates the property. In case of Russia, where hotels had to rebrand, the were Russian companies, and many of them were under direct sanctions.
Isn't Belarus under sanctions for the Russia-Ukrainian drama?
Shame on Hilton for allowing its premier brand to be expanded in an anti-American, authoritarian state. Today Belarus sent dozens of weather balloons into Lithuania, violating its airspace and shutting all air traffic. Shame on Ben for his vapid ignorance of world affairs.
Glad to see good things coming to the eastern bloc. its about time!
United States Imports from Belarus was US$21.21 Million during 2024, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. If we're going to buy stuff from them, our business executives should have a place to stay during negotiations. So, what's the problem? Hilton also has hotels in Israel, recently in the news for its abuse of Greta Thunberg.
Just one more reason to abandon Hilton! Putin kissass.
Not hard to figure out: this deal was a long time in the making, and surely has a huge open/hidden interest from the Belorussian side of things. Whoever in the ruling elite made this corrupt little gem of a deal ensured that the opening would occur lest the other Hilton properties begin to experience... some problems.
No doubt the orange baboon corruption family and fascist Nazi supporters are getting millions out of this. It seems like American companies can't grow without paying tribute to dear leader and his camp followers, many people are saying.
"Many people are saying":
This sounds like my AI saying that "experts agree" on something when it finally admitted that an anonymous poster in a blog forum said that experts said whatever it was I was looking up at the time.
"No doubt..."
Sooooo if there's "No doubt..." (your own words) where's your receipts?
Put up or shut up, TravelinPenis.
Go do your Free Palestine crap
Just go the whole hog and open one in Pyongyang, FFS.
An article on a WA in Belarus.... What next from you, one in Moscow?
John you aré just gross
A regime just as wretched, corrupt, and disgraceful as its Russian patron, threatening the world with its brand of authoritarian corruption.
I visited Minsk right after they introduced an easy visa on arrival in 2017. Certainly a different kind of place but safe and very interesting. Super clean, lonely wide boulevards, big city parks and a great Soviet feel. Can't imagine much has changed since then. If I went back I wouldn't do the Waldorf but rather the same scrappy apartment as the first time.
OMAAT’s pro-Russia readership will love this.
Seriously. The authoritarian Belarus government is a puppet of Russia. They are sponsoring illegal immigrants and aiding smugglers with crossing them into Poland. Russia deploys nuclear weapons there.
I thought it was because HNA Group still held a controlling interest in Hilton Worldwide, but apparently that hasn’t been the case for years.
I show 4 Hilton properties in Minsk. They range in points cost from 20,000 for the Hampton to 60,000 for the Waldorf. Unfortunately the DoS says it is not safe to visit Belarus.
You "show" 4 Hilton properties? Who do you show them to? Are you some kind of hotel agent, realtor, or?
I think he means he sees four properties showing up online.
There was a second Marriott in Minsk, a Renaissance, that became independent, presumably because of sanctions. Just like the Marriott properties in Russia. I'm a little surprised that Hilton can open a property in Minsk given the sanctions as presumably the number of non-sanctioned investors or banks is few and far between. Then again, somehow Marriott has continued to operate properties in Venezuela, which is even more complicated than Belarus.