It's finally here: The Four Seasons Hotel Moscow has opened its doors, and we say it's a must-see for top travelers to the city.
Originally built in the 1930s by architect Alexei Shchusev, the Hotel Moskva hosted many of the key figures in the Soviet Union. Today, interior designers Richmond International have combined classic and contemporary: The exterior façade has been replicated, including the distinctive asymmetry between the two wings that surround a new glass-topped atrium. A birch motif is woven throughout the interior décor, and echoes of the past are seen in decorative details such as the column capitals and scalloped rosette surrounding the main ballroom’s chandelier, and the handcrafted mosaic tiles in the glass-enclosed pool area.
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| The Four Seasons Hotel Moscow |
Four Seasons Hotel Moscow is located on Manezhnaya Square and steps from Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Bolshoi Theatre and the GUM shopping complex.
Good to know: To welcome its first guests, Four Seasons Hotel Moscow is offering a Stay Longer – Third Night Free package, as well as a special Bed and Breakfast rate.
Top Rooms
The Hotel’s 180 rooms and suites are naturally lit through floor-to-ceiling windows, and many have step-out balconies. In addition to the new (and customizable) Four Seasons Bed (want it extra firm? Just ask!), other features include iHome docking stations, media hub with international socket options, high-speed internet access and an iPad in each room for easy access to in-room dining, Spa appointments and more. Marble bathrooms include separate showers, with amenities by Roberto Cavalli.
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| Grand Premier Suite Bedroom |
VIPs will want to stay in the massive seventh floor Pozharsky Royal Suite. And when we say "massive," we mean it covers 5,600 square feet and opens on to an expansive terrace with views of Manezhnaya Square and Alexandrovsky Garden. If that room's not available, opt for the slightly smaller Minin Presidential Suite at 5,000 square feet.
For business travelers, in-room perks include large working desks, in-room Nespresso machines, and high definition TVs that swivel to show a mirror on the opposite side when not in use. Along with the 24-hour business center, guests also have access to the Hotel’s fleet of BMW 7 Series house cars, each equipped with complimentary Wi-Fi and iPad.
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| Bedroom & Living Room |
Visiting kids will get a matryoshka – Russia’s beloved wooden dolls – in blue or pink that they can also paint themselves. (Good to know: As a family-friendly hotel, Four Seasons Hotel Moscow also welcomes small pets.)
Food and Beverage Concepts
The signature dining experience at Four Seasons Hotel Moscow is Quadrum, an Italian restaurant on the second floor facing Manezhnaya Square. The restaurant has a changing seasonal menu of regional pasta, carne and pesci using both local and imported ingredients. (Be sure to try the Russian spin on an Italian classic, the caviale artisan spaghetti imported from Naples and served with a choice of salmon or osetra caviar and chives.)
The second floor Bystro serves breakfasts and a dinner menu offering modern Russian cuisine with a Nordic touch.
At street level, the Moskovsky Bar serves classic and signature cocktails using premium brands like Beluga vodka and Derevensky Samogon spirits (and, of course, Stolichnaya, whose bottles depict the Hotel’s famous façade). There's also a long list of single malts for fans of Irish, American, Canadian and Japanese whiskys and whiskeys. A menu of zakuski – Russian small plates – accompanies the imbibing.
On either side of the double-height main lobby, the Silk Lounge serves light meals and is a good place for casual business meetings or a glass of wine with friends by the fire. Be sure to come by for the Silk Afternoon Tea, and full-size cakes are also available for special events.
Coming Soon: The Spa at Four Seasons
Secluded above busy Manezhnaya Square, the Amnis Spa at Four Seasons covers almost 30,000 square feet. The mosaic-tiled indoor pool is naturally lit from above by a rectangular glass roof that has been treated with anti-frosting technology so that the sky is visible all year long.
Available for bookings in early 2015, the Amnis Spa’s 14 treatment rooms – including three double suites – will offer "a modern interpretation of the traditional Russian banya experience," we hear.
The Spa complex also includes a hair salon and nail bar; the Amnis Café for healthy poolside fare, and a 24/7 fitness center stocked with Life Fitness equipment.
MICE Market
Set apart from the busy ground floor, two ballrooms and five smaller meeting rooms on the second and third floors provide 15,123 square feet of options for groups from 20 to 500. The Tchaikovsky Ballroom covers 5,700 square feet in addition to an adjacent pre-function area and step-out balcony above Manezhnaya Square, with partial views of Red Square and the Kremlin. Reached via a marble staircase or dedicated elevator and a private entrance at street level, this space is ideal for hosting social functions, as well as providing direct access for those who do not wish to enter through the main lobby.
The seventh floor terrace, with its views of Manezhnaya Square and the Kremlin, is a good spot for cocktail parties or pop-up lounges.
Good to know: The hotel is offering a special Great Group Value package for events confirmed through May 10, 2015.
Four Seasons in Russia
Four Seasons Hotel Moscow joins the newly opened Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace St. Petersburg, a restoration of a 19th-century palace adjacent to St. Isaac’s Cathedral and just steps from the Winter Palace. Paired together, the two properties are a good pick for a multi-city tour.