The interiors of the once-luxurious “National” Hotel now resemble the cabins of the sunken “Titanic”.

Today, the building—located at the corner of Universytets’ka and Kooperatyvna Streets—houses public housing apartments.

Only the details of the cast-iron staircase and the street art featuring Kharkiv’s first tram serve as reminders of a bygone era.

According to the advertisement, in the early 20th century the “National” Hotel offered electricity, bathtubs, first-class gourmet cuisine, a wine cellar stocked with the finest Russian and foreign wines, breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, as well as daily deliveries of provisions from the capital. A string orchestra played during lunch and dinner.

The building is currently located at Universytets’ka Street, 33. In addition to the “National” Hotel, the building has also housed the “Hermitage” and “Bellevue” hotels at various times. The latter moved to Poltavskyi Shliakh Street, 11 in the early 20th century.