Europe

And the Hotel Moskva became the Four Seasons Hotel Moscow

In just over a month, one of the icons of the Moscow hotel scene will welcome its first guests under its new identity. The emblematic Moscow - or Moskva - hotel, whose contract was initialled by Stalin in his day, is to be rebranded under the Four Seasons banner, providing the hotel group with a prime showcase just a stone's throw from Red Square.

By The Editor -

Published on 21/08/2014

Distinguishable by its atypical asymmetrical façade, the prestigious Moscow hotel is preparing to write a new page in its rich history. A page already inscribed with the Four Seasons coat of arms, which intends to restore all its lustre to the emblematic establishment on Manezhnaya Square. Since it was built in 1930, the Hotel Moskva has welcomed the political and cultural elite of the Soviet Union, followed by international stars. And those in charge of the new Four Seasons Hotel Moscow intend to continue the tradition: "In the space of a few months, the Four Seasons Hotel Moscow will become the hub of the Russian cultural scene of today", warns Max Musto. The hotel's General Manager even notes: "The excitement around us is palpable".

To make its return to the limelight, Four Seasons has focused on integrating modern comforts into a rehabilitated historic setting. The hotel's famous façade, which in its day was the subject of a Cornelian dilemma for architect Alexei Shchusev anxious to please Stalin, has been reproduced down to the smallest detail. The columns, the mosaic in the swimming pool and the rose window cut around the grand chandelier in the ballroom will also be there to remind older guests of the Hotel Moscow's heyday. But behind this famous façade - which now appears on vodka bottles... - guests will soon be able to discover all the modern comforts of an establishment brought up to international hotel standards by the interior design firm Richmond International. Almost two months before it opens to the public, the Four Seasons Hotel Moscow is already boasting "the most beautiful rooms in the city", with 180 rooms and suites, ranging from 48 to 520 m² for the Pozharsky Royal Suite. The business side of the hotel includes a business centre open non-stop 24 hours a day, and MICE facilities covering 1,406 m² of modular space for events for 20 to 500 people. The new establishment, which is already open for bookings, becomes the second representative of the Four Seasons group in Russia, after the Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace St. Petersburg.