Development of the Project 658 Hotel class nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine, designed to carry the D-2 launch system and R-13 missiles, was approved on August 26, 1956. Work on the design began in September 1956, and the technical project was completed in the first quarter of 1957.

The duties of the chief designer of the project 658 were originally assigned to the chief engineer of OKB-18, P.Z. Golosovskogo. In February 1958 project management was transferred to I.V. Mihaylov, who in October 1958 had replaced S.N. Kovalev. The deputy of the chief designer was from outset I.D. Spasskiy.

The Hotel design was based on the Project 627 November class, the first nuclear Soviet submarines, modified by adding the missile compartment from the Golf class submarines. Additionally, the Hotels had small horizontal hydroplanes for better maneuverability, and more reliable electrohydraulic command control surfaces for high-speed underwater operations with reduced noise. The D-2 launch system on the Hotels placed three R-13 missiles in vertical containers directly behind the sail. The submarine had to be surfaced to launch, but all three missiles could be fired within 12 minutes of surfacing.

The first Hotel submarine, the infamous K-19, was laid down on October 17, 1958. The last of the eight Hotel submarines was launched November 12, 1960. All of them were built at the shipyard in Severodvinsk, Russia. The eight Hotels were K-16, K-19, K-33, K-40, K-55, K-145, K-149 (Ukrainsky Komsomolets), and K-178.

Beginning in March 1958, the Hotels were equipped with the new D-4 launch system, which could launch missiles from a depth of 16 meters. The modified submarines received the NATO reporting name Hotel II. The installation of the D-4 launching system required some structural changes of the submarine; before launch, the launch tube had to be flooded. The chief designer of the modification was S.N. Kovalev. The first upgrade under the project 658M was completed on December 30, 1963. Between 1963 and 1967 all Hotel I submarines but one (K-145) were re-equipped with the D-4 launch system.

From 1969 to 1970 K-145 was modified by Project 701 to test the R-29 missiles, receiving the NATO reporting name Hotel III. It was lengthened to 130 meters and its displacement increased to 5500 tons surfaced and 6400 tons submerged. The maximum speed was reduced up to 18 knots on the surface and 22 knots submerged. Four launching racks for R-29 missiles were placed in a compartment. In 1976 K-145 returned to service.

General Characteristics

• Armament: four 533mm (21-inch) torpedo tubes forward, four 400mm (16-inch) torpedo tubes aft
  • Hotel I: D-2 launch system with three R-13 missiles
  • Hotel II: D-4 launch system with three R-21 missiles
• Power Plant: two pressurized water reactors, 190 MW each
• Propulsion: two steam turbines, 17,500 hp each
• Length: 114 meters
• Beam: 9.2 meters
• Draft: 7.31 meters
• Displacement: 4080 m³ surfaced, 5000 m³ submerged
• Depth: 240 meters design, 300 meters maximum
• Speed: 18 knots surfaced, 26 knots submerged
• Complement: 104 men
• Endurance: 50 days