Brand-name hotel with a relatively tranquil location in eastern Moscow
Guest rooms that are at once glamorous and comfortable
All rooms include LCD TVs, laptop safes, tea/coffeemakers, minibars
Butchery Grill and Bar on-site with a meat-centric menu
Airport shuttle service (surcharge applies)
Free Wi-Fi throughout, plus public computer for guests' use
Breakfast service available (for a fee)
24-hour front desk with multilingual staff
Not in walking distance to iconic sites
No business center or fitness facilities
This upscale 47-room property from the multinational Mercure brand strives to create -- or, at least, imitate -- a hip boutique hotel feel. Located in the Basmanny district, which has long been a favorite area among foreigners, the hotel cultivates an international aura both through its public spaces (including a Western-style eatery) and its modern room decor. The downside is that the hotel is short on features and not in walking distance of the city’s top sites. The Mercure Arbat Moscow, a larger (and pricier) four-pearl alternative, benefits from a more popular location; moreover, it has a fitness center with a sauna and a self-service business center -- two amenities that the Baumanskaya outpost lacks. But it is more traditional in terms of aesthetics and less intimate in terms of atmosphere.
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Scene
An upscale boutique option with an international feel for tourists and business travelers
Opened as a hotel in 2014, this handsome building is topped with gables and adorned with Art Nouveau accents -- most notably the curving metal canopy above the front door. Behind it lies a sophisticated little lobby done in updated earth tones (think moss, pumpkin and plum) and a Western-style bar and grill with exposed brick walls that calls to mind a sprawling loft in NYC. The latter is arguably the hotel's chicest space, complete with raw-wood ceilings, exposed brick walls, leather seating, and industrial lights. Oriental rugs, potted plants, decorative books and the mandatory chalkboard menus add warmth. Those features, combined with a trusted brand name, comfortable contemporary accommodations and the general tenor of the neighborhood, mean that it attracts mostly foreign guests in the 30-plus age group: some of them tourists, others management-level business types.
Location
In the Basmanny district, a foreigner-friendly part of eastern Moscow
Sitting on a busy though rather barren commercial stretch in Moscow’s Basmanny district, the Mercure Moscow Baumanskaya promises a comparatively quiet location close to public transit but away from the bustle of the tourist center. The Baumanskaya metro station is a mere four minutes on foot from the hotel --- and two subway stops from Red Square, where the city’s key sights are concentrated. This part of eastern Moscow has been historically welcoming to foreigners (its old German quarter, Nemetskaya Sloboda, dates back to the 16th century); and it remains so today, which helps explain the plethora of ex-pats as well as the presence of chain restaurants like Dominos Pizza and TGI Fridays.- Four-minute walk to the Baumanskaya metro station
Rooms
Glamorous contemporary accommodations with a Baroque twist
Whereas the on-site restaurant here aims for a low-lit loft-y look, guest rooms turn up the wattage and go for glam. Their bright white walls, furnishings, and bedding are enlivened by vibrant, multi-hued striped carpets. Silver and crystalline accents along with neo-Baroque elements, like a tufted tangerine armchair and striking photo-frame headboard, inject a further dose of style. All standard rooms feature air-conditioning, LCD TVs with satellite channels, laptop safes, tea/coffeemakers, minibars, free bottled water and free Wi-Fi. Cribs are available for guests traveling with children. Aside from adding extra square footage, the generously sized Privilege Rooms replace the armchair with a matching couch and upgrade the coffeemaker to a Nespresso machine; these rooms also have twin TVs which are used, rather oddly, to separate the sleeping and seating areas. Bathrooms in both categories boast pretty mosaic tiles in bronze tones, funky pedestal sinks, plus walk-in showers with rainfall showerheads.
Features
Lacking in fitness and business amenities, but offering a meaty menu at the on-site restaurant
The Mercure Moscow Baumanskaya contains neither a fitness center nor a business center; however, its attractive little lobby does have a relaxing lounge area where guests can peruse a free morning paper on the extra-long sofa or use the free computer station to plot their day’s activities. A bigger draw is the hotel restaurant -- the Butchery Grill and Bar -- which is accessed either through the lobby or from the street. As its name suggests, The Butchery caters to carnivores with a menu heavy on steaks, chops, chicken wings and such. Soups, salads and even apple pie round out the offerings; the decent wine list is an add bonus. Note that breakfast is served in the restaurant each morning for an additional fee. Other hotel features include a 24-hour front desk with multilingual staff and express check-in option, an airport shuttle (available at extra cost), plus free Wi-Fi throughout.
