Where to Stay in Moscow - Moscow and St. Petersburg - page 107

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4 THE ARBAT DISTRICT

EXPENSIVE
Radisson SAS Slavyanskaya This pioneering U.S.-Russian joint venture set the
standard when it opened in 1991 and remains a gleaming oasis in an otherwise dingy
neighborhood. Bill Clinton stayed here on a visit when he was president. Its reputation
suffered through several management disputes and the murder of its American cofounder
in 1996, but the Slavyanskaya's shadiest days appear to have passed. Rooms are large and
light and are frequently updated. The hotel's gallery of designer boutiques is still a prime
spot for ogling Russia's nouveau riche and the prices they pay for underwear. The hotel
has a full-size movie theater that shows American and other films in English, and the
stone-paved hotel pool is a blissful escape from city grit. Across the street is a seven-story
shopping mall to satisfy any last-minute or luxury need.
2 Europe Sq. & 800/333-3333 or 495/941-8020. Fax [phone]. www.radissonsas.com. 410 units. From
15,900 rubles double; from 21,000 rubles suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Kievskaya. Amenities: 4 restaurants;
bar; lounge; concierge; executive-level rooms; health club; Jacuzzi; indoor pool; room service; sauna;
smoke-free rooms. In room: A/C, TV w/satellite and pay movies, fridge, hair dryer, minibar, free Wi-Fi.

Zolotoye Koltso (Golden Ring) The entrance alone earns this hotel its “golden”
epithet, with its blinding awnings and lobby fixtures (the name really refers to a ring of
historic and religious cities north of Moscow). It's one of Moscow's few executive-level
hotels that's not part of a chain. The Golden Ring caters more to discriminating Russian
clients and their often opulent tastes than to the ordinary tourist. Still, it has a range of
room styles and standards, and the decor grows calmer as the prices drop. The hotel tow-
ers over the Moscow River and Smolenskaya Square and is nearly adjacent to the Arbat
pedestrian zone. The sleepier district of once-prestigious residential blocks behind the
hotel is perfect for a quiet tour of “real-life” Moscow. Guest rooms are spacious and fully
equipped; suites include bidets. Look out for online discounts or group tours that stay
here. Many of the rooms enjoy broad views of the city and/or the river.
5 Smolenskaya Ploshchad. & 495/725-0100. Fax [phone]. www.hotel-goldenring.ru. 293 units. From
15,300 rubles double; from 16,500 rubles suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Teatralnaya, Kuznetsky Most, or Luby-
anka. Amenities: 4 restaurants; 2 bars; concierge; executive-level rooms; health club; Jacuzzi; room service;
sauna; smoke-free rooms; spa. In room: A/C, TV w/satellite, fridge, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi 720 rubles/day.
MODERATE
Arbat This 1960s hotel is a rare example of good quality, relatively good price,
and location concentrated in one place. On a calm street near the commerce of the Arbat
and the Garden Ring, the hotel's only downside is the renovation noise as rooms are
gradually upgraded. Ask for a room away from the construction. Until the upgrade is
finished, the hotel offers a range of room standards and prices, from a spare unrenovated
room with a single bed to suites with new leather couches and bidets. Visiting delega-
tions, foreign and Russian, often stay here, taking up many rooms, but it's large enough
that it almost always has space available for individual visitors. Rates include breakfast
and VAT; it's definitely worth seeking out discounts.
12 Plotnikov Pereulok. & 499/271-2801. Fax [phone]. [e-mail]. 84
units. 10,000 rubles double; from 12,000 suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 330 rubles per day. Metro: Smolen-
skaya. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; concierge; executive-level rooms; room service; smoke-free rooms;
free Wi-Fi in lobby. In room: A/C, TV w/satellite, fridge.

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