Since Russian visas seem to be a frequent issue here, this may help someone.

http://www.redtape.ru/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=5

From the site above - answers to the "Where to stay cheap" question we all love.


http://www.cheap-moscow.com/ (Uncle Pasha's budget hotels, hostels & homestays - from $10 per night!)
http://www.hotels-moscow.ru/ (nice mix of hotels from $34 - Moscow)
http://www.hotels-moscow.ru/eng/spb/index.html (nice mix of hotels - St. Petersburg)
http://www.hotels.msk.ru/ (Hotels Reservation Centre)
http://www.hotelsrussia.com/ (online reservation center - Russia)
http://www.tourintel.ru/index.html (online reservation center - Russia/CIS/Baltic States)
http://www.all-hotels.ru/index.en.html (online reservation center - Russia /CIS/Baltic States)
http://www.waytorussia.net/Services/Accommodation.html (WayToRussia - a variety of options here!)
http://flatmates.ru/eng/ (Flatmates.ru - flatmate matching service c/o WayToRussia)
http://www.hostelz.com/ (reviews, photos & on-line booking for hostels worldwide)
http://www.uaapartments.com/ (Ukraine Apartments - from $29)
http://cityrealtyrussia.com/ (Moscow & St. Petersburg - quality apartments)
http://www.nevsky88.com/ (Moscow & St. Petersburg - quality apartments)

Thanks, Russ. You've got me wanting to travel again!

We are thinking about skiing at Lake Tahoe instead of Russia this time though...

Good choice! Big California fan here. Actually we got Heavenly Tickets for $18.50 this year. The trick is to pay for a showing of a Warren Miller film and in exchange you get extremely reduced lift tickets.

Thanks for the tip. Another benefit of being a professional student (both of us have valid university IDs) is deeply discounted lift tickets. I used to pay $90 A SEASON at one mountain 5 years ago.

We are on a fairly tight budget after taking so much time off this year, but as it works out, we both have most of December off. Frequent flyer miles to get out there, hotels are dirt cheap in Reno. Probably driving to San Diego (Russian friends there) and possibly Las Vegas as well.