GEJIM

Am going to Moscow next week, any reviews on Moscow Sheraton

ehe123

I was there in August. I received a very nice Platinum upgrade to a full suite, with a bottle of wine, chocolates and a nice gift (a Russian ceramic) waiting for me in the room! I was very impressed with the hotel, which is either very new or very recently renovated. The room was more typical of a Westin than the average Sheraton. No question about returning to this property...

slawecki

Stayed for a week in April. Nice hotel. Stayed on the tower floor. No upgrade for Gold in an empty hotel.

Learn the russian alphabet. Lots of words are identical to english words.

Tell the cab driver you want to go to the Sheraton, and that it is on 1st Tverskaya Yamskaya Street 19. there are 3 TYstreets.

If arriving by air, have the hotel send a car.

Use the subways, as there are few cabs in the area, and traffic is very bad.

Nevsky

I have stayed there many times. It is a nice hotel with a helpful staff. They have a great breakfast buffet.

I have been very disappointed as a Platinum member with their upgrades though. I have never gotten a suite or a tower room in spite of my many stays there. I have always gotten a very nice room on the Starwood Preferred Floor. After my last stay I did make note of the lack of upgrades and a manager said to contact her before my next stay.

If you need a driver there, I have a great driver that charges $40 (I think the hotel gets $60), let me know. He has a new Mercedes and is very nice.

For caviar and gourmet foods, Yeliseyevsky at 14 Ulitsa Tverskaya (about 3/4 mile south of the hotel, right near the Kremlin) is a great place to visit. (Remember only 226 grams can be exported or imported to the US).

The Moscow Times (www.moscowtimes.ru) and Exile (www.exile.ru) are great publications for finding out what is going on.

Take the wonderful metro (but a knowledge if Cyrillic is useful).

Occupationalhazard

Top shelf property. A bit of a hike to the Center from there, if you aren't used to walking. The Moscow Metro is very efficient. Somewhere on my computer, I have a .jpg map of the Metro (English and Russian). Email me if you want them. If you can learn the alphabet and some basic phrases before you go, you have a more enjoyable trip.

In addition to what is posted above, I recommend Zen Coffee (2 locations; I go to the one on the Kamergersky Pereolok, just off the Tverskaya at the statue Chekhov) and Yelky Pelky (Many locations, but I prefer the Mongolian Barbecue one, on the Tverskaya, near the statue of Pushkin).

If you want Western food, there are TGI Friday's everyway. Good place to go if you don't smoke, b/c there are 2 seatings in Russian restaurants: Smoking and Chain Smoking.

Regards, and have fun,

O/H

slawecki

There are three restaurants (4?) within the hotel. The one on the second floor has a delightful folk singing group.

Buy brand new travel guides, because today's Moscow is very different from yesterday's.

ehe123

I stayed at the Sheraton there last August. I would highly recommend it. I was given a Platinum upgrade to a very nice suite (without even asking, unlike some properties!). A full bottle of wine, as well as fruit and chocolates, were waiting for me. In addition, there was a small gift of Russian porcelain that was quite nice. The suite was large and nicely furnished. What more can I say?

I miss CDN

I have stayed a couple of times and find it is a nice hotel. Everything charged in $US but converted to Rubles. There is a small grocery store a block away where you can buy a six pack for the price of one minibar beer. Beware of local working girls in the lobby (not just Sheraton but all hotels in town). It is a fair walk to Red Square - 25 mins, but on a very wide boulevard, high pedestrian traffic with pricey boutiques along the way. Metro station close by (5 rubles - about 15 cents anywhere the subway goes) I prefer the Marriott Grand in Moscow as it is a newer hotel and closer to Red Square etc...(President Clinton stayed there when he was there last) Try to arrange for a ride from the airport in advance from a friend or hotel as there are alot of Taxi touts waiting for you as you leave customs. Expect 45 mins or so to get to town from Sheremetyevo and taxi fare to be about $50.

Happy trails

------------------
I miss Canadian Airlines

Nevsky

The Sheraton Palace is on Tverskaya-Yamskaya, which is the main boulevard going north from the Kremlin. It is a pleasant hotel. They have a great breakfast buffet there. As mentioned earlier there are twenty-four hour groceries nearby and an ATM (at a bank) about a block away on Tverskaya. Most ATMs have English instructions, but not all cards work. There are also lots of currency exchange kiosks with very good rates.

I never got more than an upgrade to a SPG floor even though I am platinum. Last time I mentioned that in the comment card and got an email soon thereafter telling me to send an email before my next trip. I, unfortunately, have not had a chance to go back in the last six months. I was supposed to be in Russia this week, but had to cancel my trip.

It is a really good idea to get picked up at the airport. The hotel will do it, but if you email me I can give you the name of my driver there. I think he charges around $40, which is less than the hotel. He has a nice Mercedes and is a great person. More reliable than anyone. He once waited at the airport for me six hours. The hotel person once disappeared quickly when there was some confusion over which terminal I was at. I think he will also take you around Moscow for around $10 per hour. His English is not very good, but his wife and son speak excellent English and you can call them.

The local newspaper in English, The Moscow Times,
is very good. It has good restaurant reviews. You also might want to look for a copy of Exile if you want to find out about the Nightlife in more detail than you can imagine. It is also on the Web.

Try to take a trip to St. Petersburg to see the Hermitage. It is worth the trip. Unfortunately, the Nevsky Palace is no longer a Sheraton. There are some other good hotels in St. Petersburg though. If you need a driver there, let me know.

If you go to St. Petersburg, try Pulkovo Airways. I suggest the Business Class. It is not much more and the caviar and salmon make a great meal for a one hour flight.

Two great guides to Moscow are Lonely Planet and TimeOut Moscow.

Remember, the fall can get pretty cold in Moscow.

slawecki

You should also inquire about the 5 nite 50% off rate. It was decent,and as a gold, I was upgraded to the tower room. As I recall, it had a very decent breakfast, and 4pm social hour. The cost of breakfast may be expensive (Petersburg was $25pp). Cheap Cabs out front are hard to come by. The subway is an experience. Take the subway station tour.

There is an indoor market about 3 blocks NW (toward the subway station but a block or two west of straight line). You can buy Cavier by the KG.

Tickets to events can be purchased at the box offices, at a greatly reduced rate.

The Ruble is the only currency of exchange.

There was an ATM machine in the hotel in a hall way behind a door between the elevators and the front desk.

This is not a 5* hotel (maybe for Moscow) more like a 3 1/2*.

Russian language is not necessary.

This site has a lot of information, and great maps. Also covers Petersburg.

http://www.infoservices.com/moscow/map/


my information dates from April 2001.

Nevsky

All major hotels will automatically register your Visa with the OVIR, which is the Russian agency which handles such matters. It is an automatic process with a nominal charge of around US$1.

My understanding is that it is only necessary to register with the OVIR (although hotels do it immediately for you) if you will be in a city for more than 72 hours excluding weekends and holidays. I am not sure if you have to re-register if you leave a hotel and go to an apartment.

Anyway, I have a travel agent who specializes in Russia and getting Russia visas. What is nice about the Visa he gets is that you can arrive and depart anytime within a period of approximately one month and you do not need letters or any other documentation except for a Passport. He also says that he pre-registers you with the OVIR. I have never tried that to make sure it works as I have usually stayed within the 72 hour limit or at a hotel, but his Visas have always worked perfectly. I can give you his contact information.

Allow more time in St. Petersburg if you can. It is one of my favorite cities and it takes a few days to see even the major sites (especially the Hermitage, Peterhoff and to go to the Mariinski).

Tripedia

My wife and are going to spend 14 days in Moscow this October. She is scared to death of the food, water and security. I looked and saw one Sheraton and four Marriotts. Any recommendations for "americanized" hotel in Moscow. She wants to be able to eat a hamburger with water and not be nervous. Suggestions....

yevlesh2

LOL, I just noticed the past is 7 month old. Well, since I spent the time typing, here is my answer anyway.

Not familiar with the Sheratons in Moscow, but tell your wife she has absolutely no reason to be scared. The food and water are generally safe and clean (although I don't suggest drinking tap water) . The downtown area is also very well lit, and safe as long as you use common sense. Also, don't be afraid to use public transport in Russia. Moscow's Metro is the most beautiful in the world and is also one of the most efficient.

The weather in October is a bit unpredictable. I would suggest going in the summer if you can.



[This message has been edited by yevlesh2 (edited Mar 13, 2004).]

jerry crump

yevlesh2 said exactly what I would have said. I would also try to find out hthe basis for her fears and work on that because it is a very safe place if you aren't involved with the mob.

slawecki

The place is a whole lot safer than MN, other than the traffic. Hotel security is better than any hotel in US. You leave your door ajar, and security arrives in about 5-10 min. to see if you are ok.

There are not many cabs in Moscow, which is a problem, and traffic is so bad, you can almost walk as fast as the cabs move. Learn to use the subway.

The subway is a good 10-15min walk from the Sheraton, and across 2 really nasty intersections. Consider a closer hotel. I think it is the Marriott that is much closer.

Learn the Cyrlic alphebet.

It is probably worth the cost to have a hotel car meet you at the airport.

There is a very Americanized Pizza Parlor within a block of the hotel.

Water is much safer than in many other parts of Europe.

There is a great indoor market about a block west of the hotel.

Do all the tourist stuff.

You will get better answers by posting in Russia in the Travel section.

[This message has been edited by slawecki (edited Mar 14, 2004).]