Where to Stay in Moscow - Moscow and St. Petersburg - page 106

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of Moscow from the impersonal hotel lobbies found elsewhere. Reserve well in advance
for the popular summer season. She's good about responding quickly to e-mail messages.
8 Ulitsa Chaplygina, apt 35. & 495/921-6038. [e-mail]. 6 units. 660 rubles for a bed in a
dormitory-style room; 1,150 rubles for a double room. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Chistiye Prudy. Amenities:
Bath, kitchen; TV w/cable.

Polesye (Belarusian Embassy Hotel) An unexpected treasure in this neighborhood of
crooked lanes and embassies, this renovated mansion enjoys a convenient yet quiet loca-
tion and relatively reasonable prices. The building, built in 1780 by architect Matvei
Kazakov, pioneer of Moscow Classicism, is among the perks the otherwise impoverished
Belarusian government enjoys for its loyalty to Russia as other ex-Soviet republics have
distanced themselves from Moscow. The rooms are modest and bear hints of Soviet
nostalgia, with their standard-issue wallpaper and heavy dark wardrobes. Though it's
connected to the embassy, the hotel is a commercial venture and most of the guests are
businesspeople from neighboring countries. Despite the reputation of the Belarusian
KGB, past guests insist the staff is more helpful than suspicious and that the ordinary
tourist has nothing to fear.
17/6 Maroseika. & 495/777-6622. Fax [phone]. [e-mail]. 86 units. $190 double;
$240 suite (prices pegged to U.S. dollar). AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Kitai-Gorod. Amenities: Restaurant and
bar; cafes on each floor; concierge; sauna. In room: A/C, TV w/cable, fridge.
Sverchkov The Sverchkov should serve as an example to would-be Moscow hoteliers:
a two-story, 18th-century mansion converted into a small hotel-hostel, tucked in a tran-
quil courtyard on a historic lane, next to a folk-art museum and within walking distance
of Moscow's key sights. Unusually, it has three rooms set up hostel-style with space to
accommodate up to 16 people. The downside of such a small place is that it's often full
and its services are limited. The prices are rising faster than warranted, in response to
demand and the dearth of similar options in the neighborhood. Avoid the run-down
basement cafe. The restaurant upstairs is okay, but I recommend dining in the nearby
Chistiye Prudy neighborhood. Guest rooms are clean, though some need remodeling—
ask when you reserve whether the room has been renovated.
8 Sverchkov Pereulok, building 1. & 495/625-4978. Fax [phone] units. 3,800 rubles single; 800
rubles in hostel rooms. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Turgenevskaya or Kitai Gorod. Amenities: Restaurant; cafe-
bar; sauna. In room: TV w/cable, fridge.
Volga Hotel Apartment-style hotel accommodation hasn't caught on in
Moscow and it's a great shame—and it makes the Volga all the more special. From the
studios with eat-in kitchens to the five-room apartments, the prices are fair and options
are broad. There are no notable sights nearby, and it's a seven-minute walk to the Metro
(but conveniently close to the American Medical Center). It's popular among economy-
minded business travellers, but the big apartments are a great option if you're travelling
in a group without an organized tour. Furniture is new and homey, either Ikea-like Scan-
dinavian or country-style, and mattresses are mediocre but not punishing. The eager staff
can point you to markets to fill up the kitchen and help make you feel at home in this
often overwhelming city.
4 Bolshaya Spasskaya Ulitsa. & 495/783-9100. www.hotel-volga.ru. 220 units. From 4,700 for studio-
style apartment; from 8,000 rubles for 4-room apartment.. MC, V. Metro: Sukharevskaya, Krasniye
Vorota. Amenities: 2 restaurants; concierge; room service. In room: A/C, satellite TV, kitchen, hair dryer;
free Wi-Fi.

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