Review: Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya (Ambassador Suite + Junior Suite)

Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya is one of Moscow’s ‘Seven Sisters’ (towers built during the 1940s and 50s in the Stalinist neoclassical style combining several architectural trends: Baroque, Gothic, elements of Russian Orthodox and American skyscrapers of the 1930s).

The Leningradskaya hotel opened in 1954. It was later refurbished and reflagged as the present Hilton hotel, which opened in 2008.

View of the hotel from Komsomolskaya Square (where the nearest metro station and railway stations are located):

Stepping into the hotel, we were immediately captured by the ornate architectural design inside the lobby.

The Front Office Manager who checked us in was incredibly friendly. We were welcomed as Diamond members and were informed that our two standard rooms had been upgraded to an Ambassador Suite and a Junior Suite. He also informed us when evening cocktails/breakfast would be served in the Executive Lounge and Janus restaurant.

We were then escorted to the private lift to the Ambassador Suite which is located to the right as you enter the hotel (opposite the front desk).

Designed with a 1950s-style interior, the King Ambassador Suite (90 sq m) consisted of an entrance foyer, living room, study, bedroom, bathroom and lavatory.

Living room:

Looking into the living room from the study:

Study:

Welcome gift:

Entrance foyer:

The Ambassador Suite was situated on the sixth floor and overlooked Komsomolskaya Square (where the Leningradsky, Yaroslavsky and Kazansky railway stations are located). Even though the square was busy with lots of road/rail traffic, it was very quiet in the suite thanks to the window glazing. We enjoyed amazing views of the square from the living room and bedroom.

Bedroom:

Bathroom:

The junior suite was very spacious (52 sq m) and well-appointed.

Bathroom:

Because of the layout of the hotel, there were four entrances to the Executive Lounge (situated on the sixth floor).

Evening cocktails were served from 6pm to 8:30pm (weekdays)/8pm (weekends). There was a good range of hot food and snacks available. There was enough food to have dinner there.

As the lounge was not very big, the seating area filled up very quickly and at around 7pm there were guests waiting at the entrance for a free table.

There are 2 PCs and a printer.

It is not possible to check-in or check-out in the Executive Lounge.

As Diamond members, we were able to have complimentary breakfast in the Executive Lounge or Janus restaurant on the first floor.

There was a good breakfast buffet selection in the Executive Lounge (including smoked salmon), which is available from 7 to 10:30am.

There was a more extensive range of food in Janus restaurant (served from 6:30am to 10:30am) – eggs were available made-to-order, as well as chicken shashlik and also smoked salmon. The staff in Janus restaurant were very friendly and proactive in taking coffee/tea orders.

In keeping with the historical décor of the hotel, there were marble columns and chandeliers in Janus restaurant.

The gym, indoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and spa are located in the basement. The fitness centre staff were friendly. The swimming pool is small, so it would be difficult to swim if there are more than a few swimmers.

The gym is open 24 hours and the other fitness centre facilities are open from 7am to 11pm.

The hotel is just 5 minutes by foot from Leningradsky, Yaroslavsky and Kazansky railway stations (which is particularly convenient if you are taking the train to/from St Petersburg, Siberia, Estonia, Finland etc) and Komsomolskaya metro station (on lines 1 and 5, just a few stops from the city centre on line 1).

We really enjoyed our stay at Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya. Service was excellent, the only small hiccup being check-out. We went to the front desk at noon and there was only one member of staff serving the 2 people in front of us. We were served 10 minutes later, and by the time we left the front desk, there were 5 people queueing behind us.