The Best Little Hotels in Moscow

If, the last time you

visited a Moscow

hotel, the noise from

the disco kept you

awake all night, or

the receptionist hadn’t

quite caught on to

the idea of service

with a smile, this

month’s Practical

Traveler suggests

an alternative:

small hotels.

There are a growing number of hotels in the capital that have all the amenities you would expect from any good large hotel, but where the staff greets you by name, and everything is a bit more flexible and relaxed. In many cases, such hotels are well-guarded secrets of the frequent traveler set. And not all hotels investigated by the Practical Traveler passed muster: the hotels had to have less than 125 rooms, offer excellent service and, of course, have that special, personal touch.

For traditional elegance, it’s difficult to beat two hotels located within the Garden Ring – the Savoy and Tverskaya. The former is located five minutes walk from Red Square in a Victorian-style, five-story building. Opened in 1912, the hotel (formerly the Berlin) was completely renovated in 1989 – one of the first post-perestroika hotel renovations. The Russian-owned Savoy offers all the conveniences of a top-notch Western hotel – business center, visa support, meeting rooms, CNN International, etc. – without losing the friendly atmosphere of a small hotel. For the price (the Savoy is the most expensive on our list), the rooms are smaller than expected, but all the comforts are there. The corridors are lined with artwork by well-known Russian artists, and, if you find something you want to take home, an art consultancy with the Culture Ministry can be arranged upon request.

The restaurant – where the likes of Richard Gere and soccer star Diego Maradonna have dined – is one of the hotel’s main attractions. A fountain – reflected in the mirrored ceiling – bubbles in the center of the room. The menu consists of European cooking, with some traditional Russian specialties thrown in. Try the filet of wild duck with Rocquefort sauce or the Russian-style buckwheat pancakes with red caviar. And those are just appetizers ... Dinner for two, including wine and dessert, will set you back about $190. Security seems tight, and hotel management boasts that there has never been an incident of theft in the hotel’s history.

Unlike the Savoy, the Tverskaya – the largest of our small hotels – opened quite recently, in 1995. For guests walking off the chaos of Tverskaya street at rush hour, the cool, art-nouveau lobby offers a welcome rest.

The Tverskaya is an eight-story building near Belorusskaya metro station, set up atrium-style, with glass elevators rising from the lobby. The Tverskaya caters mainly to business travelers – it ís easy to plug in your modem, and all of the spacious rooms contain desks. In addition, all rooms are wheelchair-accessible. The hotel’s style is conservative and traditional – from the starched doormen to the serious navy uniforms at the reception desk. The restaurant offers international cooking, with something to appeal to just about every taste. Main courses run from $15 to $30. The hotel is currently working on a 40-room addition – to be completed by next March. Hopefully, this growth will not move the Tverskaya out of the category of “small hotel” or spoil its friendly atmosphere.

If you’re looking for something a little less formal, try the Presnya (formerly part of the Marco Polo chain), located 2 km from Red Square, on a quiet street around the corner from Patriarch’s Ponds, where Bulgakov’s novel Master and Margarita begins. It’s not flashy, but the hotel features a homey atmosphere and friendly staff. Each room is different, and the management makes every attempt to accommodate guests’ individual needs. The restaurant offers Russian and European cooking, with main dishes costing around $30. The Russian management is quietly remodelling the hotel floor by floor, and the process is expected to last a year and a half. As a result, as this issue is going to press, the sauna and massage rooms are closed for remodelling and other minor inconveniences may arise.

For a totally different experience, visit the Art-Sport Hotel, run by former soccer player and manager, Dieter Fitz, and overlooking the stadium of the Red Army soccer team. In keeping with its German ownership, the hotel operates on the principles of “punctuality and exactness” and strives to create a “mini German oasis in Moscow,” said Marketing Manager Tatyana Koning.

In case you hadn’t guessed, the hotel’s emphasis is on ... sports and art. Work out in their fitness center, play tennis on their courts, run in the adjoining stadium or, for the less active, relax in the sauna or massage room. As for the art, the hotel, like the Savoy, doubles as a gallery. The halls and rooms are filled with paintings by Russian artists – all for sale (pick up a catalogue in the lobby). The rooms are very clean and modern, without having much character. But, if you’re looking for security, this is the place to stay. They have a triple security system, complete with a gate guarded by the Red Army. Perks include 24-hour room service and a very reasonably priced German beer garden. All personnel speak English, German and Russian.

For those who place a premium on quiet and privacy, Club 27 – located on peaceful Malaya Nikitskaya street, not far from the Garden Ring – is the place to go. With only 48 rooms and tight security, guests have the feeling of being away from it all. What is more, this hotel won’t accept anyone “off the street.” They require advance reservations by fax. As its name suggests, this little hotel is exclusive, with the atmosphere of a Victorian club. It features an elegant restaurant specializing in Central European cooking (dinner for two should run about $120) and a small business center with fax and computer.

Another quiet alternative – and a great deal – is the Royal Zenith, situated on the Moscow river amongst the prestigious dachas of Serebryany bor (“Silver forest”). Royal Zenith offers an oasis-like experience just 20 minutes from downtown Moscow. Have grilled shashlik and a Heinekin on the fenced patio or revel in the clean forest air after a long day stuck in Moscow traffic. The rooms are nicely decorated, with jacuzzis in the bathrooms and satellite TV, and it’s easy to hook up your modem.

The staff is very professional and the food – a selection of Russian and general European cooking – is superb. A meal in the restaurant, which is open 24 hours, will run about $80 for two. Plus the accommodations at Royal Zenith come at very reasonable prices: just $158 a night for a single and $188 for a double. Guests receive free shuttle service to the city center and to and from the airport.

And finally, for Moscow’s [former] best-kept secret – there is the tiny East West hotel on Tverskoy boulevard. A fenced-in patio separates the hotel from the street, security is tight (you have to buzz to enter) and, if it weren’t for the small, easily-overlooked sign on the side of the building, you would walk right on by without pausing. The hotel values its privacy and anonymity. They don’t advertise – they get all their guests by word of mouth, and they cater almost exclusively to business people, with very few tourists. East West’s tiny restaurant serves traditional Russian cuisine at extremely reasonable prices (about $40 for two, without drinks). The feel is somewhere between a first-class hotel and a bed and breakfast. East West has just about all the services you would expect – sauna, satellite TV, laundry, parking and a small meeting room – but it is also located in a historic building that smells a bit like grandma’s house. The deluxe rooms (of which there are three) contain one-of-a-kind antique furniture, while the standard rooms are a bit on the small side, but clean and comfortable nonetheless. The one drawback is: no plastic accepted here – they only take cash. Reservations should be made in advance by fax.

Small, European-style hotels such as these are a welcome appearance. And, if the strong occupancy rates reported by those reviewed are any indication, we can expect more to appear in the months ahead (watch this space for updates ...).

– Anna Hoare

(All photos courtesy of hotel pictured.)