Enjoying one of the better locations in town, this is Moscow's grandest grande dame. Built between 1897 and 1904 and restored in 1991, the building is a masterpiece of style moderne, Russia's answer to art nouveau. This hotel is unrivaled in its ability to recapture prerevolutionary charms, though Le Royal Meridien National comes close. Western business travelers will probably find their needs better suited at the new Hyatt or the Baltschug Kempinski.
Spires, colorful tile, wrought-iron railings and ceramic friezes by Mikhail Vrubel adorn the exterior. The more-subdued skylighted lobby is equally impressive, with gleaming marble, brass and crystal chandeliers, gilded statuary and an antique elevator of cast iron and stained glass.
The revamped restaurant is the most ornate of its kind in the city, a mini-Hermitage in downtown Moscow. Brilliant art-nouveau detail, newly upholstered seating, grand torcheres, a stunning
stained-glass ceiling and a balcony that Lenin orated from feed the imagination. The food, however, falls considerably short of the grandeur. Soft gold tones dominate the more refined, dinner-only restaurant, Evropeisky. An arabesque dome tops the traditional Russian restaurant, Boyarsky, which harbors Gothic arches and a gigantic stuffed bear.
A small pool (5 m by 8 m) and sauna supplement the decent exercise room. Shops and services are scattered about the ground floor, making it easy for guests to find everything they need under one roof; this hotel takes up almost an entire block, and in Moscow that is significant. The period ballroom seats 300, and 10 meeting rooms and a high-tech business center further serve professional interests.
The guest rooms eschew trends, showing stern but attractive Russian floral wallpapers, regional print fabrics and spreads, and wooden tables with a pre-World War II look. 
Sofas or paired armchairs grace the sitting areas with small breakfast tables and quality art. Maintenance is far from perfect, but rooms are consistently clean and tidy. TVs, phones with data ports and voice mail add convenience. Mostly revamped baths have new tile and marble accents, hair dryers, heated towel rails, phones, magnifying mirrors and robes. A few of the older baths still have unappealing green or orange tile and pseudo-marble counters. Upper floors not only afford some of the best views in Moscow, but are also the quietest. Smoke-free rooms are available, and room service is nonstop.
Service is not as officious as the Baltschug Kempinski or Hyatt, but this hotel, used as a setting for Dr. Zhivago, best evokes Old Russia. Even though this hotel might seem to look chic in a very outdated, Soviet style, considering its location, safety, price policy and history, it remains a good choice.
