Park Hyatt Moscow REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
 

Have any of you heard that Hyatt has just announced the upcoming november opening of a new Park Hyatt Hotel in Moscow?

Great news?!

http://moscow.park.hyatt.com for further information!

Muerz

The address looks familiar -- is this the old Hotel Budapest (or was it Bucharest)? Any Muscovites on the board know the property from the address?

Bumping this up in the hope that someone has stayed at this property.

It was my first choice for a series of upcoming busiess trips (I'm GP Diamond) but a colleague has told me that the Kempinski is much better.

Any views?

I just returned from 5 FFN nights. Very nice hotel with a GREAT location. It's one block from the Bolshoi and 3 blocks from Red Square/Kremlin. Very modern -- chrome and glass lobby with 10 story atrium. My room was very large with a full kitchin. As a Diamond there was no special amenity, but I did get a full breakfast --either continental or American. The bill I signed each AM was for either $15 or $20 for the breakfast. The continental was a very nice spread. A heads up: the business center was open at all hours -- but the internet rate was $.50 a minute!! Having the hotel car pick you up at the airport was $60+ for the "small" car. The hotel and every guide book suggest that a car service be used -- Moscow's airport and the pick up area fits the stereotype for Eastern Europe -- I would certainly use the service again, even at those prices. The only complaint I had about my room was that the windows did not open and as it was still relatively cold outside the air conditioning was not working -- so the room was always to warm for me at night. I had to pull the divet out of the sheets every night to be comfortable. The Armenian restuarant was OK, not great. The all day, The Gallery, was fine for breakfast, but I did not eat there otherwise -- I wanted to do the Easter Brunch (@$72) but they were sold out! The other significant problem to me was that the hotel did not change money or cash travelers checks -- this apparently is not unusual for Moscow, but it sure surprised me. Money machines are available. I gave them a $100 bill -- which they gave to the bellman who ran outside to a money changer and came back with the money! I eventually found the American Express office (the map the hotel gives out is out of date and has an ad for AE with an "old" address -- they have moved miles away from that location) and the adjacent bank that would cash TC -- the hotel also said that a bank near the Marriott Grand also would cash TC -- but gee what a challenge that I did not need. I certainly would not mind staying there again, but it is not up to some of the great Park Hyatts -- Tokyo, etc.

ararat park hyatt moscow - recent experiences?
 

I have an upcoming stay at the Moscow PH. Any recent experiences at this hotel would be appreciated. (There was a short thread on this around the summer of 2003, I think, but I can no longer find it). Am interested in best location in hotel for a view, whether good security, size of rooms, and any other helpful info. (I am using the hotel limo service from airport, and I assume that because its a PH, diamond status may not necessarily get an upgrade.) Thanks in advance.

I will be staying at the PH Moscow in August. Are they assistang you with a sponsorship letter for VISA purposes? Also, how much is the their limo transfer from the airport to hotel. We are arriving at DME? Thanks. I hear the hotel is one of the best in Moscow at the moment.

Any hotel suggestions for St. petersburg???

I've stayed at Ararat Park Hyatt many times. It is definately one of the nicest hotels in Moscow, many would say the nicest. Located across from the famous Metropol and adjacent to the Bolshoy Ballet. Rooms are quite large, and very nice. I doubt you will be disappointed with this hotel. Within easy walking distance to at least 3 or 4 Metro stations. I would suggest that the only view rooms would be those facing West, and overlooking the Bolshoy Teatr. I would say that you will need to be at levels 6-9 to get the best view. Security is very good. Key access to levels 3-9 elevators. Sushi Restaurant on 1st floor is quite good. and one of the best views of downtown Moscow/Red Square is from the 10th floor Conservatory Bar. The breakfast is not bad and there is a fitness center on I think the 5th floor??
All and all it is a great hotel. Has recently been added to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts for 2004. I've stayed there a few times when Hotel was full, and did not get upgraded, but more often than not, I have been upgraded.
Regarding the queston on Saint Peterburg. I have stayed at a few hotels. The most bally-hooed hotel and my reputation the top hotel is the Kempinski Grand Europe Hotel located on the Nevsky Prospekt. It is quite nice. I think the Asoria is getting rave reviews lately. Also, the Radisson SAS is quite nice. I can not imagine you will go wrong with any of them.
btw, regarding transportation costs from airport to Park Hyatt, I think I pay about 1000 Roubles from SVO to the Hotel with a private driver. Not sure what it maybe from DME.

I was there for 5 nights on last year's FFN promo. Great hotel. Was put (upgraded??) into a huge room with a full kitchen! Excellent location. The hotel's car service is expensive, but a VERY good idea if you don't speak Russian and/or read Cyrrlic (sp?) -- even at that the airport was chaos in the arriving pickup zone. Get tickets for the Bolshoi on the internet before you arrival -- they have an English web page -- very inexpensive tickets: top price was $12!
If you do get tickets on internet you pick them up, not at the regular box office, but in another ticket office across the square to the left of the main theater -- it took me nearly a day to figure this out not speaking Russian. Security seemed fine. Do not bring travlers checks -- virtually no one, including the hotel(!) will cash them. There are lots of ATMs that you can use. BTW if you want to do the Sunday brunch make reservations in advance. Enjoy. email me if you have more specific questions -- it was my only trip there, but I might be able to help.

Thanks for such helpful replies.
In response to SethLevy's inquiry:
Yes, the hotel will provide a letter of confirmation and voucher. After you have reservations, simply email hotel at the address shown on Hyatt website, give your reservation number and dates of travel, and request these forms. You should receive an email within 24 hrs. with a form to be filled out. I sent reply email with info (but not the form) together with US fax number, and received documents the next day. Remember that it takes 3 weeks to get visa from embassy here (unless you use an expedited visa service, then 3 days). From SVO, I am paying $90 (one-way) for small mercedes (you have a choice of large or small mercedes). This was arranged thru the diamond 800 number when I made hotel reservation, but I intend to reconfirm by email before I travel.

I have stayed at the Ararat Park Hyatt in Moscow many times, as well as several other hotels in Moscow. In my opinion, as of today the Park Hyatt is the nicest hotel in Moscow. You will not be dissapointed. It is very modern.The rooms are very nice. The location is great. 5 minute walk to Red Square. I'll be there again in a few weeks.
I would recommend you ask for a room facing west overlooking the Bolshoi Theatr. If you have any other specific questions regarding this hotel let me know. I will try to be helpful. Also, the virtual tour of this hotel on the Hyatt site previews this hotel quite well.

Exciting night at Park Hyatt Moscow
 

Well, I woke up around 1:50 a.m. (jet lag still giving me a problem even tho I have been in this part of world for a week) and heard extremely loud shouting and yelling from lobby area. Then a gunshot. Thinking the worst, I go to balcony (the hotel has an atrium) and look down to lobby bar area where four persons (at least 3 of whom were guests) holding one other person on floor and pummeling him with fists and kicking him. Seems there had been an argument in the lobby bar. The shot did not injure anyone; however, the person on floor (who fired shot) obviously did not feel good the next day. I am sure this is an extremely unusual event. Hadn't been awaken with gunshots in my hotel since Central America in the late 1980s. Notwithstanding my exciting night, I would recommend this hotel as the only place to stay in Moscow. It is heads and shoulders above the rest, has a great staff, is Armenian-owned and thus off-limits to the Chechian groups who occasionally set off bombs etc in other parts of city, and has a super location.

Hmmmmm, the great reccommendation ALMOST makes me want to go there. :D

Visa support and transport
 

A great report.

I will be visiting Moscow a little later in the year and I would be grateful if you would let me know:

1. Does the Park Hyatt offer visa support? Do they charge?
2. Do they provide transport from the airport, and if so at what cost?

Many thanks

yes, they will help with the visa stating that you are guest, etc. I don't remember the details as it was a couple of years ago. I strongly suggest the airport pick up by the hotel car, although it was quite expensive, about $50. But unless you have been to Moscow before and can read cyrillic you don't want to tackle the bus/tram system OR the rip-off taxi drivers. I also thought the hotel and its location were great.

and exactly which of the above was your diamond amenity? :)