Russian winters are as notorious as they come, but the new Four Seasons Hotel Moscow has made a timely arrival as the capital's latest luxury refuge.
Muscovites and travellers alike can now shelter from the cold at the new hotel, which has opened in place of the former Hotel Moskva, overlooking Manezhnaya Square and just steps from the capital’s main tourist sites; Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Kremlin and the Bolshoi Theatre.
The 180-room property boasts five restaurants and lounges, including Quadrum, the signature Italian eatery and new nightspot, Moskovsky Bar.
Five two-bedroom Grand Premier Suites serve as some of the foremost accommodation options, with commanding views from the hotel’s corners.
The hotel’s truly premier rooms, however, are the palatial seventh floor Pozharsky Royal Suite, spanning 520 square metres, opening onto an expansive terrace with views of Manezhnaya Square and Alexandrovsky Garden. Almost as impressive is the stately Minin Presidential Suite at 468 square metres.
Look closer: the iconic buildings of Red Square are in full view
“After years of meticulous planning, the old Hotel Moskva is now reborn as Four Seasons Hotel Moscow with fashion forward style and modern comforts on Manezhnaya Square,” said GM Max Musto. “It is our mission to write the next exciting chapter in the storied history of this building, and this city.”
Originally built in the 1930s, Hotel Moskva was an integral character in the Soviet saga, hosting power players throughout World War Two and the subsequent Cold War.
Now, in the 21st century, the experience is a much warmer affair, owing to a contemporary update from interior designers Richmond International and a new glass-topped atrium.
The hotel also arrives in time for performances of Petr Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker at the Bolshoi Theatre, and ice-skating in Gorky Park, according to chief concierge Gleb Kryuchkov, and a special opening package currently gives guests a third night free.