Moscow Travel Guide

Since the fall of Communism in the beginning of the 1990s, the new Russia has seen Moscow transformed to an extent unimaginable in any other Russian city, even St Petersburg. One manifestation of this is the abundance and variety of new (or newly refurbished) top-class hotels. Nearly all major hotel groups offer something in Moscow. However, the gap between the top hotels (there are 19 listed here compared to a paltry 3 in St Petersburg) and the budget ones can often seem gulf-like.

City Centre

In some rooms at the Hotel Baltschug Kempinski you'll be treated to stunning views over Red Square. Although built in 1898, it was thoroughly re-modernized by new German management during the 1990s.

The Metropol Inter-Continental is a high-class affair and possibly one of the finest hotels Moscow has to offer: art-nouveau elegance combined with modern amenities to luxurious effect, but expect to pay accordingly. A similarly-styled effort is the city-owned Le Royal Meridien National, again a luxurious hotel dating back to pre-revolutionary times.

The Marriott Moscow Royal Aurora is one of a trio of Marriot establishments in the city, the others being the Marriott Moscow Grand and the Marriott Tverskaia. They're all well-appointed, though the Royal is the most lavish of all. It's near the Bol'shoi Theatre and is a favorite with VIP visitors.

Yet another renovated, refurbished hotel of the pre-Communist times is the Savoy Hotel Moscow, which was a languishing sub-standard Soviet hotel until extensive (and impressive) renovation at the end of the 1980s.

There are clutch of Soviet hotels remaining in the city centre at which western hoteliers have yet to throw big money. For Party members during Communist times the Moskva was the hotel of choice. The decor here remains the same to this day. It's exceedingly cheap given the centrality of location. The Rossija is also well-located in the Kitai-Gorod, a hulking monster of a building but again, pleasingly cheap. The same applies to the Intourist hotel located near Red Square which is slightly more expensive, but slightly less pleasant, than the rest of this trio.

The Budapest is in a slightly higher price category, but is reasonably deserving of the steeper prices it demands, while the East-West Hotel is more expensive but also attractive.

North

Located some way up Tverskaia Ulitsa (Tverskaia Street), the Marriott Grand hotel is a brand new hotel with high-tech facilities, such as a modem in your bedroom. Further up the same stretch of road lies the Sheraton Palace, a modern hotel known for the quality of its restaurants as well as the final Marriott hotel (the Moscow Marriott Tverskaya Hotel, which is a little quieter than its counterparts though no less well-equipped.

The Moscow Marriott Tverskaya Hotel sits opposite the Olympic Sports Complex. Both were erected especially for the 1980 Moscow Olympics, but have since been renovated.

One particularly curious hotel is the Marco Polo Presnja Hotel, just over 2 kilometres northwest of the city centre in grounds owned by the Patriarch (the most senior figurehead of the Orthodox Church). This is a relatively inexpensive luxury option.

Finally, the Novotel Sheremetyevo 2 Moscow Airport is still closer to Sheremetevo Airport. In fact, it's located right on the hotel complex! A free shuttle bus slightly mitigates the distance to the hotel.

The Kosmos has an almighty 3500 beds. It's quite a distance from town but is situated opposite a metro station. The area has a generous ensemble of restaurants as well as a reputation for prostitution.

The Sovietskaia combines Soviet styling with updated amenities and a famous pre-revolutionary restaurant, the Novyi Yar, adjacent to it.

The Traveller's Guest House is the premier option for backpackers on their way through Moscow, while Nasledie (Heritage Hostel) targets a similar market but lies a bit further away from the city centre.

West

The Golden Ring Hotel offers reasonably priced rooms not far from the end of the famous Ulitsa Arbat to the west of the Kremlin.

The Radisson SAS Slavjanskaya is a multi-purpose complex including some corporate offices, a shopping mall, a cinema and a 410-room hotel.

Cheapish rooms and excellent service distinguish the Katerina-City Hotel, a Scandinavian-run hotel some way to the south-east of the city centre.

The Arbat hotel is located next to one of the 'Seven Sisters' buildings which dominate Moscow's skyline. This particular one towers up at the end of Ulitsa Arbat. Rooms are in the upper-medium price range. A much cheaper option in a similar area is afforded by the Belgrad but rooms are significantly less appealing.

The Ukraina is actually located inside one of the huge Gothic monsters that forms part of the 'Seven Sisters' and is accordingly Soviet in ambiance. Modern touches include a business centre. The Mir is another Soviet effort, this time located next to the White House.

South

The Danilovskaia offers a taste of Holy Russia, being situated on the grounds of a monastery, while a corporate atmosphere reigns at Gazprom Hotel, in a building owned by the conglomerate of the same name. The Hotel Orlenok and Sevastopol' are two other moderate options in the south of the city.2008-08-02T07:29:22.000 245