17 Best Hotels in Moscow, Russia

A serene and lovely setting inside the walls of the Danilovsky (St. Daniel) Monastery provides a backdrop of fountains, religious-themed paintings, and domes for these simple, tidy guest quarters with crisp new linens, lacquered-wood furnishings, and polished parquet floors. Three deluxe suites, complete with stone dining tables and canopied beds, are vast. The restaurant sources many of its recipes from old religious texts, though its real forte is baked goods, multitudes of which are continually extracted from tall ovens to provide guests their daily bread. The monastery is the official residence of Patriarch Kirill I of Moscow and All Russia, and the church holds conferences here and also sponsors concerts and exhibitions. Though far from the center, the hotel is just a five-minute walk from a metro station.

Fresh decor, with cream-colored walls, button leather sofas, and good, firm beds, make up for the rather small rooms here, while soundproof windows ward off incessant street noise from the narrow, traffic-jammed ulitsa Brestskaya. The surrounding buildings remain shabby, making the views less than desirable. Breakfast is hearty and tasty, and the intimate nook of a restaurant serves a large selection of reasonably priced Russian and European fare.

Rooms in this former guesthouse for the Georgian embassy are a mix of the basic and the updated, with brown wall-to-wall carpeting and cramped bathrooms, but also plasma TVs and large beds. Some nice quirks remain: a marble staircase with a cherub statue; a mystifying ceramic piece by much-maligned artist Zurab Tsereteli, who is famous for his statue of Peter the Great that stands at a bend in the Moscow River; and a small portrait of Ramzan Kadyrov, the controversial president of Chechnya, hanging in the stairwell. Views from rooms are nothing special, but the surrounding area is one of the city's most charming.

This mammoth complex comprises four hotels: Alfa, Beta, Gamma, and Delta, with the last two most commonly used by foreigners and, though the Soviet past is much in evidence, offering well-maintained rooms with modern furnishings. A two-minute walk from the lively Izmailovsky flea market, this is a convenient place for the serious souvenir shopper. It's also adjacent to a metro station, close to Izmailovo Royal Estate, and near Izmailovsky Park, one of the biggest in the city; otherwise this is a trek from most tourist sights. Staff members treat guests reciprocally, so be convivial if you want good service.

This 12-story hotel's big advantage is its conference facilities and central location on Lesnaya ulitsa, near Belorussky station and just steps away from Tverskaya ulitsa. Rooms are spacious, with walls stylishly decorated in beige, ivory, and terra-cotta. All standard rooms have Wi-Fi and tea and coffeemakers. The hotel offers guests "a pillow menu" from which to choose various types and sizes of pillows. The restaurant isn't much, but there is a wealth of eating options on its street in both directions.

Years of heavy tourist traffic have dulled the shine on the French-furnished interiors here—the 26-floor complex was built by the French for the 1980 Olympics—but the rooms are adequate and clean, and some have been recently renovated. The spacious, two-story lobby is decorated with a sculpture that resembles a model of a molecule, typical of the Soviet-era decor throughout. Major sights are a distance away, but the metro is nearby and if a convention or trade show brings you to town, the All-Russian Exhibition Center is across the street.

Accommodations are bare bones, with linoleum floors, plain furnishings, and low beds, but the price is right, and as a bonus, a sense of elegance prevails in this estate-like setting on the grounds of the sprawling park of the same name. While you'd be hard-pressed to find a better rate for this level of hotel in Moscow, you can expect a few perks, too, including a friendly welcome for kids and a playground, and a convenient location two stops south of the center on the metro's green line.

Quarters are small but much more comfortable and attractive than you might expect in this bargain-priced, dorm-like setting near the prestigious Moscow State University. A few flourishes include views from some units that extend all the way to the golden domes of the Kremlin and an in-house restaurant and bar. The hotel is managed by the Pilgrimage Center of the Moscow Patriarchate, so expect to find yourself surrounded by religious groups.

The slick and minimalist rooms that line two floors of what was once an employee club at the Krasny Oktybr chocolate factory on an island in the Moskva River still give out an industrial vibe, softened with stylish contemporary furnishings. On the ground floor there's a restaurant with a trendy eclectic menu and prints of prerevolution advertising posters on its walls. The metro is a 10-minute walk away, and the Kremlin and other sights are just a bit farther.

A haven of calm in an art noveau landmark amid bustling ulitsa Tverskaya, this hotel offers the standard chain amenities and more—a small, peaceful lobby, four-story atrium, and understated guest rooms done in a palette of ivory, rose, and olive with dark-wood furnishings. A sunny guests-only lounge offers coffee and tea in the morning and drinks at the end of the day, and the in-house restaurant, Gratzi, serves Italian fare.

If you're looking for privacy and quiet in the very heart of the city, these spacious, clean, and functional guest rooms in a 19th-century mansion are the place for you. Almost all include miniature mobile kitchens with electric burners, dishes, and refrigerators, and on the ground floor is a fairly good Italian café.

Functional and efficient, if a bit unimaginative, rooms here come with all the usual amenities, and some of them have rather interesting shapes (the building itself is cylindrical). The 18-story tower stands next to the Meyerhold complex, which includes a theatrical center, offices, and retail space.

In this refreshingly homey place, hallways are lined with Oriental rugs and the plainly furnished guest rooms are large and some have tremendous views of the tower and onion-domed church of Novospassky Monastery to the east. The staff strives to make guests feel at home, and there's an affordable full-service restaurant in a neighboring mixed-use building, where a basement-level spa is also open to hotel guests.

This 1955, Soviet-era tower is a Moscow landmark, offering old-fashioned accommodations that, though upgraded, still evoke Stalinist Russia, as may the service and amenities. Guest rooms vary in size, so it makes sense to ask to see a few before checking in. Request one on a higher floor if any are available, so you can enjoy the views of central Moscow.

The first capsule hotel in Russia is made up of compact, windlowless capsules, much like train compartments, each with one to three beds, limited storage space, and shared facilities (though several standard rooms with bathrooms are also available). The futuristic design and tight quarters may or may not be appeal, though a convenient location and bargain price for downtown Moscow may well compensate. Note that many beds are reached by a ladder, not making this a good choice for travelers with mobility issues; nor are the little pods suited to those with claustrophobia—or a lot of luggage.

Plunge into Soviet-era grandeur at what even Russian guests consider to be a "time machine," with marble columns, comfortable sofas, Socialist realist art, grand chandeliers, and a "shabby chic" ethos in the high-ceilinged guest rooms. Public areas are extremely well maintained, while guest quarters are spotless but charmingly outdated. Service is generally gracious, but stumbles at times.

Functional rooms in the back of a monolithic government building have drab modern furnishings and cover all the shades of beige and gray, colored only by 17th-century-style lithographs, at this hotel. The main attraction is the surrounding historical neighborhood; also highly praised are the reception attendants, who greet you with cheery smiles. An upbeat attitude is also audible some nights in the restaurant, where the house band is led by one of Russia's most celebrated jazz musicians, saxophonist Igor Butman. The tree-lined Boulevard Ring is a two-minute walk away and Red Square a pleasant half-hour stroll.