Which is the best property in Russia. If anyone has stayed there. Could you please provide some feedback.

I've stayed at both the Marriott Grand and Royal hotels in Moscow. Both are very nice properties, excellant service and beautiful facilities. They are better than any standard Marriott hotel in the US - more on the scale of a JW Marriott.

Comparing between the two in terms of atmosphere, the Grand feels larger. It has a wide and open lobby area that makes the hotel seem busier and more active. A large and lavish breakfast buffet every day. The cafe is also opened for lunch and dinner with standard western food. Also available is a Russian restaurant and an upscale western dining outlet for dinners. Glass elevators offer nice lobby views on the way up to guest floors. The Royal feels smaller and more intimate. Darker wood tones in both the lobby and guest rooms. Less choice of food outlets. Guest rooms, though, feel more comfortable - softer beds and richer dark wood furnishings. I haven't eaten in the Royal so can't comment about the food though I'm sure it rates highly. Piano and harp players accompany diners during lunch and dinner. Sunday brunch, in both hotels draw a large local expat following. Both offer nice health club facilities, tour and transportation desks, and gift shops. Staff are fluent English speakers.

In terms of location, the Grand is directly on Tverskaya, the main shopping street, about 15 blocks (30 minute walk from Red Square). The Royal is in on a more quiet street about 4 blocks from the Bolshoi and 8 from Red Square.

You can't go wrong with either hotel. If I were in Moscow on business I would choose the Grand because of it's more business like atmosphere and direct walk out onto busy Tverskaya. If I were on vacation I would go for the Royals' more "romantic", relaxed, intimate feel.

[This message has been edited by edsh (edited 05-29-2001).]

Greetings,

Forgive the reviving of an old thread but the info on the Grand and Royal was great but I need updated info if anyone has it. This is what I'm understanding as of now:

Grand-Good for business, busy type hotel, off of Tverskaya.
Royal-More intimate and cosy, better for romance.
Renaissance-Not too good, older, more dated and out of the way.

Now the website lists a fourth one called the 'Tverskaya' which is not the same as the Grand which is also on Tverskaya Street. What can anyone add about this hotel.

Also I am wanting a suite and the prices for a regular room vs a suite right now are as follows:

Grand-$259 and $380
Royal-$289 and $420
Tverskaya-$195 and $235
(Renaissance-$179 and $435)

As you can see there is a big gap between the 'Tverskaya' suite at 235 and the next lowest 'Grand' suite at 380. I consider the Grand and Royal to be about the same price range with the 'R' pushing it and the 'Tverskaya' to be a good deal IF the room is a good suite. Also the 'Tverskaya' and the 'Renaissance' have the best standard room rates that I could find. Can or does the Tverskaya rooms match up to the rooms of the Grand and Royal?

So I guess the big question is if I'm there on leisure with my girlfriend what would be your recommendation and can anyone clarify the suites for me. On some of the websites you see pictures of 'VIP' suites but the room rates show only a 'suite'. I'd hate to pay extra for a larger bathroom and nothing else.

Finally in case anyone has any info on the St. Petersburg Baltic I'd love to hear about it. They have a special for members at $260 with free breakfast and an upgrade to a suite and I want to stay 2 nights and 3 days there as well.

Any updated info on this would be most appreciated. Thanks!

there is indeed another mariott property - Tverskaya, which as you can imagine is located right on Tverskaya street, 200 meters away from Grand. it is rated as 4-star as comparable to 5-star royal and grand. btw there's also a sheraton right across the street from grand/tverskaya. Renaissance is indeed out of the way with ca. 10 minutes walking distance from nearest subway station and way off from the centre.

I had no idea they were that close together. It isn't that money is an issue but one of the reasons I do have money is because I don't pay more for something I can get for less

Having said that I seem to recall that my search showed one post where someone said to avoid that Marriott or maybe I am thinking of the Renaissance.

Anyway I'll post this and hope that more than a few people read this post and can contribute. All things being equal and with no further information I would lean towards taking the suite at the 4 star Tverskaya for $235. My biggest fear is that the suite there won't be as nice as a normal room at the Grand or Royal. This is where a knowledgeable poster could really clarify a few things.

Still looking for info on the Marriott Baltic in SPB as well.

Thanks!

Bump.

Damn low readership, chances for someone to have stayed in Marriott in Russia seems to be approaching lottery winning levels

KGB --

I am not sure of the type of room that you are willing to pay for, but most who have looked at the prices for regular rooms have concluded that paying for those rooms in Marriott Rewards points is a much better deal, as the hotels are only listed as Category 4 properties.

You can buy points from Marriott, and if you have AMEX Membership Rewards, you can still tranfer in points on a 1:1 basis before the end of the year.

I think that the same goes for Diners club, as well.

Finally, I would love to have some new reviews of these properties, esp. the new Renaissance in St. Pete!

Have stayed at Marriott Grand on Tverskaya several times. Have not stayed at Marriott Royal/Aurora near Bolshoi. Altthough I have walked past it many times. In terms of location, Royal is a bit closer, but Grand is only maybe 15 minutes walk time differece. Have not stayed at Marriott Tverskaya. I think the rap on Marriott Tverskaya is that is not quite up to snuff compared to the other Marriott properties in Moscow, however, I have had friends stay there and they seemed to be fine with it.
Have not stayed at the Renaissance in St. Petersburg yet. I beleive this is a new property and was recently opened. I may be wrong on this.
I think if it is open, it is the only Marriott property in St.Petersburg. Other quite nice hotels in St.Petersburg are Aurora, Kempinski. Also, the Nevsky Palace is quite nice as is the Radisson SAS.

I've stayed at all three. All are fine hotels and all are completely safe. I think the Aurora/Royal is the best for what I look for in a hotel -- location and a good gym. It's also located on the more quiet of the streets. Tverskaya is a very busy and noisy street. All three are close to Metro stops, stores, restaurants, and bars. The Tverskaya has the smallest gym, but you can walk to the Grand and use their gym. Another interesting feature of the Tverskaya is that they have a free laptop in the inner atrium area from which you can access the internet and check email. Cost wasn't an issue because all of my trips have been business-related. I've heard the Sheraton is good, but I haven't stayed there.

Right on!

Thanks for the feedback. It's only after reading reviews and advice from many different members that a picture starts to emerge.

Right now it's looking more like we'll spend 3 nights and 4 days in SPB at the Baltic Renaissance using the special they have going to get upgraded for the suite. This will be around the 16th-19th of August. When done I'll head back to Tver and then maybe spend one night in Moscow before heading home on the 22nd.

I haven't made up my mind yet on which Marriott to stay in Moscow but I will give a report of the Baltic in SPB when I get back. I'll take a few notes to help me remember and walk around a bit since info from Russia can be scarce at times.

I'm leaning towards at least trying the Tverskaya suite for $235 since it may only be 1 night now and when there I'll definately ask to see the rooms/suites in the Grand at least before I go to at least compare.

Oh, yes you are correct if my info is also correct in that the SPB Marriott is fairly new. The special now through the end of August for Rewards Members is to upgrade the standard room to a suite but the regular room rate is still steep at $260 a pop but I think I'll spring for it anyway

I am a Director at my company and make a decent wage but I do not travel on business really, maybe once a year. All of my Marriott stays and my Elite status on Continental is on my own dime as I fly a lot from Houston to SLC to be with my family. I only have maybe 15k points in Marriott right now so room rewards aren't an option but if I'm going to spring for a room might as well make most my stays in one place and earn the points. I should pop up about 10k points between the Moscow and SPB visits.

Again thanks for taking the time to post, I'll check back often but will at least post what I find when I get back.

I thought I would add a quick 'why I am in the Marriott forum' when I am pretty new to this area...

I gave Marriott about 25k in business last year when me and my staff stayed at a hotel for training. I don't know if this is ok or not but I became very good friends with the hotel's staff as we held a banquet there and weekly brunches so now if they have any rooms available they give me the 'friends and family' rate of $49 which I think is a great rate for this hotel. It is in the SLC area but not the posh 'Marriott' but one of the nicer sub member hotels that usually go for 119 a night.

They hooked me up with the Marriott Rewards and I had great service so I'm going to give them some business and see how it goes.

I mention this in case anyone wondered how a non business traveler is in a business type forum and in case anyone needs some help in SLC with great rates I can help at this hotel if interested just email me.

Thanks again.

Has any one stayed at the Renaissance St. Petersburg Baltic Hotel, any comments?

will make my first visit to russia on august 27

4 days in st petes

5 days in moscow

1) renaissance in st petes
2 weekend days @ $208 - minus $208 for the Renaissance buy 1 get 1 free coupon

2 week days @ $260 , paid for with a co workers marriotts points
i now owe him 38,000 marriot points or future considerations

2) moscow grand hotel
2 week days @ $460 paid for with some one else marriott points
i now owe him 28,000 marriott points or future considerations

3) Moscow renaissance
2 weekend days @ $169 minus $100 bonus bucks

5) unsure of where i will stay on my last day
saw the meridien country club for $138 on expedia, but $163 on the meredien website

i guess they dont have a low price guarantee


the weekends are affordable
(damn my mom would kill me if she heard me say $169 a nite was affordable,
she was kinda upset with me when i didnt want to stay at the econo lodge during the last family reunion)
especially with the bonus bucks

but the weekdays are a bear!!

buy 2 days get 1 free (must arrive on a weekend)
code is XE3 for Europe

also buy 3 get 1 free

stay 5 get 25% off best rate

buy 4 get 2 free

20% off 2 nights


and a few others

Thanks for the pointer's

I am planning very similar trips end of sept St petersberg and then to Moscow

I was not able to find the $208 for the week end days for st petersberg Renaissance - did you find it on the marriott web site?

Also any suggestions on who may get Renaissance buy 1 get 1 free coupon(s) - will MArriott elites get these coupons?