9 Best Hotels in Ulitsa Tverskaya, Moscow

These accommodations are cozy, stylish, and quirky all at the same time, designed with plenty of color and contemporary flair. You get a sense of what's in store from the moment you walk through the door—shiny metallic panels clash with bright, oddly shaped armchairs in the lobby bar, and the enormous golden apple next to the front desk turns out to be a comfortable sofa. Each of the hotel's seven floors is painted a different color, and in a reference to the Chekhov play, some rooms have huge propeller-like iron seagulls hanging from the ceiling.

If you seek historical splendor, assiduous service, and plenty of plush comforts, this 1903 landmark, the city's most elegant hotel, is for you. Downstairs, a great marble staircase, prodigious portraits and landscapes in gilded frames, and a Viennese-style café with a spectacular panoramic view strike a note of refined grandeur. Upstairs, rooms are furnished with polished-oak furniture upholstered in silk, sumptuous beds, and all sorts of technologically advanced gadgetry. For some capitalistic indulgence, you can stay in a two-room suite where Lenin lived for a time in 1918.

These distinctive new lodgings on the site of the demolished Soviet Minsk hotel pamper guests in contemporary luxury, accented by an enthusiastically helpful staff. Acres of marble and glass swath the sophisticated surroundings—rather gaudily in the sprawling lobby but with especially pleasing effect in the lavish bathrooms. The Tverskaya shops, several metro stations, and the Kremlin are within walking distance.

Once you step inside, past the renovated turn-of-the-20th-century facade, you'll likely feel very much at home—if home is the United States and if you've ever stayed at any of this ubiquitous chain's other business-oriented hotels. You'll even find eggs Benedict on the breakfast buffet. The Western-style rooms are spacious, and some overlook a peaceful courtyard. A round central staircase ascends from the lobby's sunny atrium. Service is pleasant and Red Square is half a mile (1 km) away.

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.

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.

What many travelers consider to be the city's finest luxury hotel—and with these rates, it ought to be—does its best to dazzle guests with sumptuously and traditionally furnished guest quarters that evoke tsarist Russia, as do the views of the onion domes of St. Basil's. A decadent spa with swimming pool, lavish lounges, and a stunning rooftop terrace are among the many, many amenities. Even if it's all too rich for your blood, it's worth a stop just to check out the gold and marble foyer.

The European business community loves this place, thanks to amenities that include a chauffeur-driven fleet of cars, though most rooms are small and crammed with chain-standard furnishings. Spacious comfort is assured those who can spring for the duplexes on the Towers Floor, a hotel-within-a-hotel with its own reception and lounge. The location at the far upper end of ulitsa Tverskaya is excellent, and the soundproof windows keep things quiet.

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.