Ararat Park Hyatt, Moscow

Russia
Europe

The Experience

Situated in central Moscow, near the Bolshoi Theatre, Kremlin and Red Square, the Ararat is equally convenient and over-the-top. From the soaring, sun-drenched atrium to the glass-encased tenth-floor lounge—featuring stunning Moscow panoramas and nearly $40 cocktails—the Ararat wages a shock-and-awe campaign on your senses and your wallet. The hotel’s sensibilities are more modern than old-world exemplified by see-through glass elevators, a sumptuous spa and a minimalist sushi bar bedecked in beechwood and black granite that attracts newly minted millionaires and bigwig businessmen alike.

The Rooms

By Moscow standards, the quarters are downright palatial. The wifi-equipped, 375-square-foot Park King (the deluxe King adds another 100 square feet) features a feathery duvet, work space and a heated-marble-floor bathroom loaded with luxe Blaise Mautin toiletries. (For best views, request a top-floor room facing Red Square.) The ne plus ultra is the 1,900-square-foot presidential suite outfitted with crystal chandeliers, dual marble baths, four-poster bed and a formal dining room for eight. No matter your room, fresh fruit and newspapers are delivered every morning.

The Service

The front desk is friendly, fluent and eager to accommodate, but pampering is unlikely anywhere in cool Mother Russia. Room service lacks expedience (slow ice deliveries, empty food trays linger) and bellmen often vanish, but housekeeping quickly and efficiently restores your room to a spic-and-span state.

The Highlights

Though Moscow’s cultural and historic heart sit nearby, hunkering in the hotel has its benefits. The Quantum Health Club offers digital workout equipment, Roman bath, heated indoor pool (grab a coffee or juice at the poolside bar) and a full-service spa, where masseuses beat away tension with birch branches. For dinner, the divine Cafe Ararat contains marvelous marble columns and a menu specializing in Armenian cuisine. Sushi lovers should try the sleek Enoki eatery, while the Conservatory Lounge and Bar is the perfect perch for watching red-hued sunsets over Red Square.

 

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