Hotel Review: Lotte Hotel, Moscow

Located on Novinskiy Boulevard on Moscow’s Golden Ring, the 5 star Lotte Hotel, part of the South Korean Lotte chain, was opened in September 2010. The hotel offers 300 spacious rooms and suites, and has an impressive lobby, with highly decorative marble floors and a grand sweeping staircase. It is so grand that locals come here just to pose and have their photos taken. The hotel is conveniently located close to the Arbat district, and within a 15-minute walk from the main city sights. The Smolensky metro station is just a few minutes away.

Who For?

Hotel Lotte is first and foremost a business hotel, with six top-end conference halls and numerous meeting rooms. Leisure visitors can expect the same level of efficient service, however, and the hotel staff’s attention to detail is superb: nothing is too much trouble, and the concierge is particularly helpful and friendly. Hotel Lotte is recognised as one of the Leading Hotels of the World, and in 2015 was rated as having the best buffet breakfast in Europe. They must be doing something right.

Accommodation

There are 300 light and airy standard rooms and suites, and, if you’re really going to push the boat out, also the largest Royal Suite in Moscow. All the rooms are spacious and kitted out with comfortable beds and tasteful furnishings. The bathrooms are large, with walk-in shower rooms and separate toilet cubicles. The Molton Brown toiletries are an added perk.

Facilities

The Mandara Spa is a 1500 sqm oasis of peace and tranquility, with a jacuzzi, silk bath, sauna, and hammam. It’s one of the most in-demand spas in the city, so if you want to have a massage, facial or other treatment, you’ll need to book well in advance. Thankfully no appointment is necessary for the general spa facilities, and hotel guests can make use of them for free.

If you want to work out, the fitness club is equipped with the latest machines and trainers on hand to help you get the most out of your work out. You can treat yourself in the beauty salon too.

Food and Drink

You can start your day with what may be the best buffet breakfast in Europe. There’s a vast selection of fresh fruit, salads and pastries, as well as cooked breakfast and dishes designed to appeal to the hotel’s East Asian guests. The freshly squeezed fruit juices and smoothies are particularly good, as is the choice of teas and filter coffees.

Later in the day, you can dine at Menu, a stylish restaurant serving European dishes, or indulge yourself at Megu, whose menu offers a blend of Japanese and contemporary continental cuisine. You can drink late into the night while listening to music in The Lounge, and there is also an outdoor terrace serving drinks and sophisticated cuisine with a scenic view.

What’s Nearby?

A few minutes’ walk away is the lively, 15th century but now pedestrianised Arbat Street. It is famed for its cafes and restaurants, artists, musicians and other street performers. Ther Kremlin is a few minutes away as is Gorky Park and Moscow’s prestigious Pushkin Museum, also worth a visit, is just off Arbat. Other nearby attractions include the Vakhtangov Theatre, and the interesting Stalinist-Gothic architecture of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, one of Stalin’s so-called Seven Sisters.

Foodies should take note that White Rabbit – regularly rated as one of the top 50 restaurants in the world – is just across the street from the hotel, and with the current, favourable exchange rate, you can have an unforgettable gastronomic experience without breaking the bank.

Wi-Fi

Free, high speed internet is available throughout the hotel.

Rates

Booking.com

Value for Money

Room rates are competitive for central Moscow, especially if you are staying at the weekend. Booking 14 nights in advance entitles you to a 20% discount, and other deals let you pay for for three nights but stay for four. Breakfast is so extensive that you can most likely skip lunch altogether, saving you time and money when you’re out and about sightseeing.

Getting There

Hotel Lotte is a five-minute walk from the Smolenskiy metro station, which is just a couple of stops from Red Square and other major sites. It has easy access to Moscow’s main railway stations by road and metro, and the Garden Ring location means you can get quickly out to Moscow’s international airports.

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