BigTimeMoscow

In the year following Airbnb's departure, it became nearly impossible to securely and quickly book private accommodations at affordable prices in Russian cities and abroad. However, by the third year without the global giant, an identical national platform - Sutochno. ru (the link in the first comment) - emerged in Russia that covers all the major cities within the country and abroad and collaborates with private accommodation owners. It features a similar interface, offers filters for price and accommodation conditions, and includes an English version.

This year, I finally tested the platform myself by renting an apartment in St. Petersburg and another in Vologda. I quickly grasped how the service works, as the interface closely resembles that of Airbnb. Booking accommodations is instant, there’s a chat option with the owner, and technical support is quite responsive. You can leave only your phone number as personal data on the site, which you use to access your account. In both instances, I paid a third of the reservation amount through the platform and settled the remainder directly with the accommodation owner. The platform is actively promoted in the media, the website becomes famous, so many apartments already have detailed guest reviews.

Additionally, the site offers a bonus system for each booking. For example, when I booked an apartment in Vologda for four days at a cost of 7,800 rubles, I received 390 bonuses that can be used for future purchases. One bonus equals one ruble. The link is in the first comment