Where to Stay in Moscow - Moscow and St. Petersburg - page 109

109 concierge; executive-level rooms; health club; Jacuzzi; indoor heated pool; room service; 2 saunas;

smoke-free rooms; spa; free Wi-Fi for 20 min. In room: A/C, TV w/satellite, fridge, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi
1,000 rubles/day.
President Hotel The elegant red-brick complex looks at first like a government
building, an impression fueled by the rigorous security screening at the entrance. That's
no accident, since the President Hotel was designed at the Communist leadership's
request in 1982 for international negotiations and party meetings. It continues to host
high-profile international conferences and was frequented by Al Gore when he was the
U.S. Vice President. Its guests reflect whatever conference is underway: oil executives,
political scientists, environmental groups. It can be hard for individual tourists to get
“approved” for space, so check well in advance if you're interested. The hotel is rather
removed from the top tourist sites, but it is near Gorky Park and the Central House of
Artists, Moscow's chief modern art museum. Just behind the hotel, toward the Moscow
River, is an unusual collection of deposed statues of Lenin and other fallen Soviet heroes
(see the review of Art MUSEON on p. 146). Guest rooms lack color but are well-
maintained and spacious. Breakfast and VAT are included in the rate.
24 Bolshaya Yakimanka Ulitsa. & 499/271-2800. Fax [phone]. www.president-hotel.ru. 208 units.
12,000 rubles double; from 15,500 rubles suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Polyanka or Oktyabrskaya. Ameni-
ties: 2 restaurants; bar and lounge; concierge; health club w/personal trainers; room service; presidential
rooms; sauna. In room: A/C, TV w/satellite, fridge, hair dryer, Internet 300 rubles/hr.

MODERATE
Akademicheskaya This hotel lacks grandeur but offers everything else a
hotel should: efficient service, clean rooms, and (relatively) reasonable prices. Ask for an
upgraded room if they're available; the price isn't that much higher than that of an older
room, but the beds are larger and firmer, the bathrooms roomier, and the windows better
at keeping out street noise. The older rooms are still a fair value for the money. The cor-
ridors are lined with photos of renowned academics, some of whom have stayed at the
Akademicheskaya. Scientific conferences still sometimes use the hotel, and an increasing
number of tourists are discovering its value. The immediate vicinity has plenty of low-
budget commerce. Most major sights require a trip on the metro, which is just across the
street. Gorky Park is down the hill, and the stirring statue of Lenin on nearby October
Square, one of the few left standing, warrants a viewing.
1 Donskaya Ulitsa. & 495/959-8157. Fax [phone]. www.academ-hotel.ru. 280 units. 6,300 rubles
double; from 8,000 rubles suite. MC, V. Metro: Oktyabrskaya. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; concierge;
Internet in business center 100 rubles/hr.; sauna. In room: TV w/satellite, fridge.
Ozerkovskaya A welcome addition to the hotel scene south of the Mos-
cow River, the Ozerkovskaya occupies a new brick building set off from the road along
one of the canals in the picturesque Zamoskvarechye. Eager staff and cozy yet spacious
rooms make the Ozerkovskaya one of Moscow's best hotels in this category. Run by the
Central Tourism and Rest Council, whose other facilities are mostly in the countryside,
this hotel feels a bit like a country inn. Attic rooms are especially appealing, with sky-
lights in the slanted ceilings and more floor space than below. Firm, queen-size beds and
new hardwood floors add to the hotel's appeal. Its location, deep in a residential neigh-
borhood, is not exactly central, but it's certainly quiet. Tretyakov Gallery can be reached
on foot; and the Paveletskaya metro station is about a 10-minute walk away. Note the
curious neighborhood landscaping, with old tires used as planters and candy-colored
bowling balls topping fence posts. Rates include VAT and breakfast.

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