Features
What to expect: Built in 1903, the historic National stands in the center of Moscow, opposite the Kremlin and at the foot of the road to St Petersburg. Doormen guide guests to the calm, secluded marble lobby, hung with oil paintings, where a rich, red carpet leads to the reception desk. Corporate guests, politicians and celebrities check in to the quiet ticking of an antique grandfather clock. Amenity highlights: A hotel since it was built in 1903, the sumptuous National has corridors hung with oil paintings and stained glass windows on staircase landings (even the cleaning staff wear period uniforms). Guests swim in the white-tiled indoor pool or lounge in the jetted tub overlooking the rooftops of Moscow. In the beauty studio, staff use Guerlain products for a wide range of treatments. Insider tip: The first hotel in Moscow to install elevators, the National has retained its historic lifts. Grilles over the elevator doors are decorated with original, flamboyant Art Nouveau floral motifs. The main staircase is also original, adorned with neo-Rococo gold flowers. Guests can take the lift to the first floor, where the leader of the Communist revolution, Vladimir Lenin, once lived in room 107.
Moskovsky - Overlooking the Kremlin and Red Square, Moskovsy's spectacular views are enhanced by its haute cuisine European menu with Russian specialties. Serving lunch and dinner, the softly lit restaurant is decorated in white and gold with ceiling frescoes, fireplace, and a piano player in the evenings. Breakfast room - Blue satin wallpaper and pale blue tablecloths with a white stripe, delicate monogrammed china, and views of the Kremlin all enhance the National's buffet breakfast. Alexandrovsky bar - This glassed-in winter garden filled with large potted plants and strewn with black and white garden chairs serves snacks, soups, and light meals until 5 AM.
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