Hotel Turist in Chișinău was built around 1971 under the design of architect Roman Bekesevich. The building was conceived to support socialist state tourism initiatives within the Moldavian SSR, offering lodging and basic services to visitors under a regime of centralized planning. It was constructed as a mid-tier tourist hotel, suitable for foreign guests and domestic travelers associated with unions or party functions.
The structure features a linear and compact massing, with uniform horizontal fenestration and a functional layout characteristic of Soviet hospitality infrastructure from the Brezhnev era. Its design emphasizes function, simplicity and economy, with a restrained facade and minimal decorative elements. A decorative sgraffito panel titled "Moldova" is located on the side of the hotel, contributing a regional cultural motif to the utilitarian structure. During the Soviet period, the hotel was located on Prospekt Molodezhi, or Youth Avenue.
The street is now known as Bulevardul Grigore Vieru. Since independence, the hotel has been in continuous operation as a basic two-star facility. Minimal renovations have preserved much of the original architecture and spatial arrangement, while integrating modest modern updates such as WiFi and parking. Many guest rooms and common areas still retain echoes of their original Soviet furnishings and layout.
The hotel is located on Bulevardul Grigore Vieru, directly across from the Monument to the Heroes of the Leninist Komsomol. The "Moldova" sgraffito can be viewed on the side of the building. As a functioning hotel, the exterior and public interior areas are accessible.