Past glories

Opened in 1954, the Leningradskaya Hotel was the last and smallest of the Stalinist neoclassical skyscrapers, designed to be the most luxurious hotel in Soviet Russia. Its striking exterior was matched by the monumental bronze sculpture and Socialist Realist murals inside. Taken over and completely refitted by Hilton in 2008, the Leningradskays is now an international standard luxury hotel with all modern conveniences for business and leisure travellers, which still retains much of its historic atmosphere and the idiosyncratic aesthetic – extraordinarily ornate yet extremely functional – that it shares with other grand Stalinist projects like the Moscow metro system. »»»

Standing just opposite the Bolshoi Theatre, this spectacular hotel was built at the turn of the last century with the help of some of Moscow's most celebrated artists and craftsmen. An Art Nouveau masterpiece, the hotel was also the first headquarters of the Bolshevik government in Moscow. In 1991, it was reopened as a five-star luxury hotel. George Bernard Shaw, John F Kennedy and Michael Jackson are among a long list of distinguished former guests, and many of the guest rooms still contain original antique furniture and fittings. While the Metropol may not have all the modern facilities of its more expensive 5-star rivals, for historic atmosphere in Moscow it's unbeatable. »»»

A Luxury Collection Hotel, the National Hotel comes second only to the Metropol in terms of historic significance and fin-de-siecle elegance, while also offering a superior range of modern 5-star services and facilities. Located right opposite the Kremlin walls, the National dates back to 1902, and was among Moscow's most successful hotels before the October Revolution. In the aftermath, the hotel was used for lodgings by Bolshevik leaders including Lenin, Trotsky and Dzerzhinsky. It then became the First House of Soviets, used to house visiting party delegates and foreign dignitaries. Pablo Neruda, Paul Robeson and John Steinbeck were among those who stayed here in the post-war era. »»»

With its riverside location and 206 m central spire, the Hotel Ukraina (now the Radisson Royal Hotel) is arguably the most impressive of Moscow's Stalinist skyscrapers, and for nearly 20 years it was the tallest hotel in the world. In the 1990s, the Hotel Ukraina was one of Moscow's most popular standard hotels, with many foreign visitors enjoying the opportunity to stay in this Soviet landmark. Unfortunately, the renovation program that began in 2007 (before the hotel became a Radisson property) destroyed most of the hotel's historic interiors. What has survived, however, is the hotel's enormous collection of Soviet-era art, while Radisson have worked hard to turn the property into a state-of-the-art luxury hotel. »»»