Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
105
Nighttime Companionship
This guide includes no brothels or hotels that charge by the hour, but Russia's lax
attitude toward prostitution can be noticeable even in otherwise good-quality
hotels. This attitude has fed the demand for prostitutes by foreign businessmen,
which in turn means that many hotels, eager to cater to this demographic, dou-
ble as trysting locales and quietly ignore the sexual commerce in their lobby
bars. The ordinary tourist is usually unaffected by this, but foreign men traveling
alone may be surprised by a late-night phone call to their rooms offering “female
company” for the night. If you make it clear you're not interested—it can't hurt to
mention it to the reception desk the next morning—the solicitation will stop.
sunrise. Frequented by well-off Russians and foreigners, it's a good place to start for a
night on the town. Try the hookahs in the lounge and then ask the wait staff where to
head next. The surrounding streets have an ever-changing cafe scene (get a courtyard-
facing room) and aren't far from Tverskaya's buzz. When you get home, you can vanish
into the comfortably firm mattresses or thaw frosty feet on the heated bathroom floors.
Angular oak furnishings, Philippe Starck bath fixtures and apple-themed carpets com-
plete this funky experience.
11 Malaya Dmitrovka.
&
495/980-7000.
Fax 495/627-5551. www.goldenapple.ru/en. 92 units. 13,000
rubles double. AE, MC, V. Metro: Pushkinskaya. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; concierge; health club; Jacuzzi;
sauna; spa; room service. In room: A/C, satellite TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi.
Sretenka
The lush winter garden cafe is reason enough to stay in this hotel, or
at least stop in for a drink. New but in the style of the 17th-century mansions that once
lined this neighborhood, the two-story hotel is somewhat overpriced for its location,
though online discounts are easy to find. The Sretenka offers a more intimate Russian
experience than the chains, and has all the modern amenities, unlike its Soviet-era coun-
terparts. Adjacent Ulitsa Sretenka has plenty of shops and restaurants less frequented by
the tourist crowds, and the neighboring lanes are full of old churches and architectural
finds from past centuries—though no major tourist sights. The hotel is located between
two metro stations, a good 10-minute walk to either one. Rooms are tastefully arranged
with a combination of modern Scandinavian design and a few antiques. Russian and
foreign executives are regulars at the Sretenka; tour groups are rare because it's so small.
15 Ulitsa Sretenka.
&
495/933-5544.
www.hotel-sretenskaya.ru. 38 units. 8,000 rubles double; from
10,000 rubles suite; weekend discounts available. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Sukharevskaya or Turgenevskaya.
Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; concierge; health club; Jacuzzi; small indoor pool; room service; sauna.
In room:
A/C, TV w/satellite, fridge, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi fees variable.
MODERATE
Galina's Flat
This is the most modest listing in this topic and provides the
most intimate way of seeing Russian life. As the name lays out, Galina is a woman rent-
ing out rooms in her apartment, with six beds available in a historic neighborhood
around Chistiye Prudy, or Clean Ponds. The downsides: It's cramped, in a fifth-floor
walkup and Galina smokes. Galina's place is a favorite with travelers of all ages looking
for personal sightseeing advice, late-night chats over tea, and a decidedly different view
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