How to choose a hotel in Moscow. As a Moscow tour guide I have to answer a lot of questions from my tourists. Many of them relate to the choice of Moscow hotels. I have written this short review to help my clients to find a hotel in Moscow. My selection of the hotels is suitable only for those who comes to Moscow as a traveler and is going to look at the city sights. It means that the recommended hotels are located near the city center – the Kremlin, Red Square, st.Basil Cathedral and the main museums. Budget hotels are not very near the main sightseeings. But they stand next to an underground station and it makes very easy to get to the center.
I recommend the hotels of several categories: luxury hotels, mid-range and budget hotels. Also I advise a hostel. I add the references for booking all mentioned hotels.
Luxurious hotels for travelers. How to choose a hotel in Moscow
Number one of the prestigious hotels in Moscow is “Metropol hotel”.
If I hadn’t lived in Moscow, I would have monitored the opportunity to stay in Metropol. Why not in other hotels like for example “National” or “Ararat-Hayat”, or “Kempinski”?
Because “Metropol” is Moscow history. “Metropol” is art nouveau. The building of the hotel was built in 1903 not to barely squeeze a maximum of finance from a square meter, but as the highest harmony of the external and internal.
“Metropol” is an excellent example of function and esthetic. It is a worthy home for worthy guests. “Metropol” is the best Russian artists of art nouveau traditions. And “Metropol” is you! 😉
The location of the “Metropol” is absolutely unbeatable. A main road nearby but the bulding stands close to a green square. Behind the north wall is pedestrian Nikolskaya street which was a fan-zone during the Moscow World Cup in 2018. The Kremlin, Red Square, the Bolshoi Theater – everything is at hand. The best restaurants in the city – “Country that doesn’t exist”, “Bolshoi”, “Doctor Zhivago” are within the distance of five-minute walk.
Price – 235-320 €.
Room reservation in the “Metropol” hotel.
Besides Metropol
If you would like to stay at a modern hotel look at the “Courtyard by Marriott Moscow City Center”. It stands in the very quiet center. From “Courtyard” to Red Square is 10 minutes of walk.
Costs 176 – 235 €.
“Courtyard by Marriott Moscow City Center”.
The third Moscow luxurious hotel which I recommend is “Radisson Collection”. Its location is not as central as the “Metropol”. But guests like the position of the hotel because of the window view. “Awesome, wonderful, excellent location” – I read such definitions in their reviews.
If you choose “Radisson Collection” you will have an opportunity to stay at one of the famous so called seven sisters – Stalin skyscrapers. But remember that the building of the hotel was globally restored and very little remained of the historical soviet decoration. But luxury has benefited from this. 😉
Would you like to get from the Radisson Collection to the center by public transport? You are welcome! On the opposite side of Kutuzovsky Prospekt there is a bus stop. T2 and T27 buses will take you to Red Square and the Bolshoi Theater.
Price per room is 249-391 €
Room selection in “Radisson Collection Hotel Moscow”.
I can not help recommending “Savoy” hotel. To my surprise guests rate the “Savoy” above the “Metropol”. Probably because it is a little cheaper – from 210 € to 305 € for a representative room. It means that the expectations are slightly lower. The location of the “Savoy” seems to be better than the “Metropol”. It is 200 meters further from the center, but it stands at a quiet lane.
Room reservation in hotel “Savoy”.
Mid-Range Travel Hotels in Moscow
The most recommended mid-budget Moscow hotels are located in the south-western sector. Many of them stands near the famous Arbat street which is mentioned in all Moscow guide-books. It is easy to walk to Red Square from them. Also there is a metro station nearby.
First I name the “Arbat House” hotel. It is located in a quiet center surrounded by the historical buildings. It is five minutes of walk to Arbat street, ten minutes – to the Kremlin and fifteen to Red Square. I love this hotel with the beautiful stained-glass windows on the ground floor.
Price – 89 – 103 €
Choose a room in “Arbat House” hotel.
Hotel “Arbat” fits into the same price range of 90 – 105 € per night for two. If we compare the distance of the “Arbat” hotel and “Arbat House” hotel to the center, the latter is located closer to Red Square. But! Guests rate “Arbat” hotel higher than “Arbat House” hotel. The famous pedestrian Arbat street is much closer to “Arbat” hotel. On Arbat street you will find the best selection of different cafes and restaurants in Moscow.
Book the “Arbat” hotel near Arbat street.
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“Boutique Hotel Stoleshnikov” is located north of Red Square. It is a little more expensive than both Arbat hotels. A twin or a double room costs from from 112 to 134 €. Single rooms are cheaper – from 94 to 107 € . But Stoleshnikov lane (the street on which “Boutique Hotel Stoleshnikov” is located) is much closer to the center. If you go to the left, you will get to the main Moscow street (Tverskaya street). If you go to the right, you will find Petrovka street where you will find the Bolshoi Theatre.
Choose accommodation Stoleshnikov Boutique Hotel.
Hotel “Peter I” enjoys a good reputation. The location is good, but its price standard is closer to luxurious hotels. “Peter I” hotel often holds promotions, especially in low seasons. Therefore I name it among the mid-rate hotels.
View special offers at the Peter I hotel.
Budget hotels for travelers. How to choose a hotel in Moscow
When I am asked about a budget hotel in Moscow, I don’t doubt to point to “ABCD” hotel. 🙂 Do not look for this hotel on the booking sites! It does not exist at all! This is the Moscow nickname of the “Izmailovo” hotel complex – “Alfa”, “Beta”, “Vega”, “Gamma”, “Delta”.
Why “Izmailovo”? Because of the location! You can’t walk to the center from Izmailovo. But the “Partizanskaya” metro station is very near. “Partizanskaya” belongs to the blue line № 3. You take five stops (13 minutes) on it and find yourself on Red Square. After six stops you reach the Kremlin. Victory Park, Arbat street are also on this line. Jumping to the green line you will get to the Tretyakov Art Gallery, Kolomensky, Tsaritsyno. Changing to the red line and you will see the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the Novodevichy Convent and the famous cemetery.
Next to the “Izmailovo” complex there is a large public park together with a museum of the former Royal Summer Estate. The church of the XVIIth century preserved there. Also next door of the “Izmailovo” hotel complex there is so-called “Vernissage” – souvenirs flea-market. At the “Vernissage” you will also find a museum of Russian vodka.
“Alfa”
Out of all complex I recommend “Izmailovo Alpha”. Room rate from 56 to 98 €. Guests give “Alfa” 8.6 points out of 10. The “Alpha” building is closest to the “Partizanskaya” metro station.
In “Izmailovo Vega” the range of double rooms is from from 62 to 106 €. Reviews are higher than that of “Alpha”. Metro station is about 300 meters from the “Vega”.
The cost of a accomodation in “Delta” varies from 51 to 68 € for a double room. “Gamma” is even cheaper, from 46 to 63 € per a double room.
“Cheers” Hotel and other budget hotels in Moscow
If the budget is limited but you still would like to stay somewhere more central than the “Izmailovo” hotels take a look at the “Cheers Hotel”. If you risk to pay beforehand you can buy a double room for 37 €. A room with free cancellation costs 39 €. Breakfast is not included for that price.
I add a link to hotels located within a radius of one kilometer from the Kremlin. The choice is small. There are only 8 hotels. But the criteria of choice are strict – close to the center, good reviews, cost is no more than 49 € per night for two persons.
Choose central budget hotels in Moscow.
Hostel in Moscow
Finally I recommend the hostel “Nereus”. It is located opposite the Borovitskaya and Vodovzvodny towers of the Kremlin. My clients American students stayed there and spoke highly of it.
Beds at “Nereus” hostel near Kremlin.
See that for travelers I do not suggest to choose a hotel in Zamoskvorechye (Beyond the Moscow-river) district. That area seems to be close to the city centre. But the Moscow-river separates it from the main beauties of Moscow. Once again I mention that the most advantageous corner of the hotels for travelers is from Arbat street to the southwest from the Kremlin to Rozhdestvenskaya in the north.
Map of Moscow hotels for travelers. How to choose a hotel in Moscow
There is a map of the mentioned hotels, some Moscow sights, restaurants and metro stations.
Dear readers! If you know some other good Moscow hotels for travelers please name them in the comments to the article. Together we will gather a great collection of nice places to stay at in Moscow and help tourists to find the best hotels.
If we have helped you to find a hotel in Moscow next think of tours. Get Your Guide service offers the best excursions in Russian capital.
