Opening date is getting closer and closer: The former Hotel Moskva, set to reopen as the Four Seasons Hotel Moscow, is now accepting reservations as of October 30.
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| Hotel Exterior |
What can those first guests expect? The hotel will be close to Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Kremlin and the Bolshoi Theatre. It will have 180 rooms and suites, all with the new customizable Four Seasons bed. (We've tried it. It's nice. Very nice.)
First Look: Moscow's Hotel Nikol'skaya Kempinski
We hear the original exterior façade has been replicated, including the distinctive asymmetry between the two wings that surround a new glass-topped atrium. Other historic elements include the column capitals and scalloped rosette surrounding the main ballroom’s chandelier, and handcrafted mosaic tiles in the glass-enclosed pool area.
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| Grand Premier Room |
This is a place for space: Rooms will range from 517 square feet for a Deluxe Room to 5,600 square feet for the seventh-floor Pozharsky Royal Suite. This suite has a huge terrace with views of Manezhnaya Square and Alexandrovsky Garden. There's also the Minin Presidential Suite (a downright minuscule 5,000 square feet compared to the Pozarsky!). Five two-bedroom Grand Premier Suites are located in the building’s coveted corner positions facing Red Square.
All rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, and many have step-out balconies. Cool touches: The rooms' high-def TVs swivel to show a mirror on the opposite side when not in use. Tech elements will include iHome docking stations, media hub with international socket options, Wi-Fi and an iPad in each room that lets guests look up hotel features and services and book in-room dining and Spa appointments. (Even nicer: The in-room dining is 24-hours, and includes a 15-Minute Room Service menu for last-minute orders.)
Dining In, Dining Out
Chef David Hemmerle has returned to the city’s "burgeoning" restaurant scene to lead the culinary team. (He has previously worked at the Cristal Room Baccarat managed the restaurant Carre Blanc.) Hemmerle will oversee all restaurants and lounges, as well as in-room dining and banquet menus at the Hotel.
For dining outside of one's room, the hotel will have two signature restaurants. Quadrum serves Italian fare on the Hotel’s second floor facing Manezhnaya Square. We hear the restaurant will have a changing seasonal menu of regional pasta, meats and fish as well as a high-end wine list. For breakfast, guests can head to the second story Bystro, and in the evening try a dinner menu featuring Russian Nordic cuisine.
For socializing and imbibing, there's the street-level Moskovsky Bar, which will serve cocktails as well several types of champagnes and wines. The less-formal Silk Lounge flanks either side of the lobby level, with two large fireplaces where friends can gather for afternoon tea and pastries or a drink. The Amnis Café will offer light lunches and pre-and-post Spa refreshments by the pool on the fifth floor.
The Spa at Four Seasons
Ah, yes. The spa. On the Hotel’s fifth floor, the Amnis Spa at Four Seasons will cover more than 28,000 square feet with a mosaic-tiled indoor pool at the center, naturally lit from above by a rectangular glass roof. Massages, facials and body treatments inspired by Russian traditions (as well as international therapies) will be available. Bonus: The Spa’s 14 treatment rooms include three double suites for couples. The Spa will also have a hair salon and nail bar as well as a fitness center.
Meetings and Events
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 for groups up to 500.
The Tchaikovsky Ballroom covers 5,700-square-feet, as well as an adjacent pre-function area and step-out balcony above Manezhnaya Square, with partial views of Red Square and the Kremlin. We hear the ballroom has Corinthian columns and crystal chandeliers, as well as drop-down screens and projectors. The ballroom can be reached via a marble staircase or dedicated elevator and a private entrance at street level for security.
The Seventh floor terrace, with views of Manezhnaya Square and the Kremlin, is a good option for cocktail parties or pop-up lounges.