While the Slavyanka Hotel is just outside the historic center of Moscow, and hence a little distance from the city's major visitor attractions, there are several unusual and appealing sights in the immediate vicinity that are worth investigating.
The large and imposing Central Armed Forces Museum, just a couple of minutes' from the Slavyanka, is a must for anyone with an interest in Soviet history, with particularly dramatic displays on the Second World War, including a stirring display on the defeat of Berlin, with swathes of captured Nazi standards and excellent photographic records. Outside, the museum has a huge collection of obsolete military hardware that's bound to appeal to children and war buffs alike.
The Theater of the Russian Army, which is directly opposite the Slavyanka, is a fine example of Stalinist neoclassicism. It hosts concerts and military displays, as well as a constant repertoire of drama and comedy, mostly in a fairly traditional vein.
More likely to be of appeal to non-Russian speakers, especially those with children, is the charming and historic Durov Animal Theater which has been delighting Muscovite children since 1912 with its inventive and humane animal shows.
The area just to the east of the Slavyanka was the main site of the Olympic Village for the Moscow Games in 1980. The impressive modernist Olympic Sports Stadium accommodates a football ground, skating rink or athletics track depending upon the event, and the adjacent buildings contain a gymnasium and an Olympic-sized pool. Nestled next to the stadium and recognizable only by a few Islamic crescents, is one of Moscow's few mosques.
