Travelling to Moscow soon and looking for accomodation you can book and pay online ? I’ve got you covered ! Despite all the western sanctions on Russia right now, there are alternatives to Booking.com and other famous platforms to book (and pay) hotels online in the country.
From historical buildings next to the Red Square, Soviet hotels and a 19th century palace, I’ve listed and linked below 15 hotels and hostels for all budget in Russia’s capital, all bookable with your foreign Visa or Mastercard in 2024.
Ranked in no particular order.
All the links below send you to Zenhotels.com, this is the Cyprus branch (aka European) of Ostrovok, a popular russian booking platform and the best alternative to Booking.com and others.
Why not directly to Ostrovok then ? Because you will not be able to pay with your Visa/Mastercard on it, you can only book the hotels when a “card is not required for the booking”.
I choose to link the following places to Zenhotels so you can pay directly online from home, and don’t have to carry too much cash to pay your accomodation on arrival. I don’t know about you but hotels/hostels are usually a big part of my travel budget.
Budget accommodation
Centeral hostel
Centeral hostel is located in the Tverskoy district, 400 meters from the nearest metro station and only 7 minutes walk from the Bolshoy theatre.
t’s a big hostel with large dorms but also female only dorms but also family rooms. Fully equiped kitchen.
From 8€ for a dorm bed and 42€ for a family room.
Goroda Mira Loft Hostel
Located 10 minutes walk from Mayakovskaya metro station and Patriach’s pond, mixed and female dorms available. It has no proper kitchen though, only kettle and microwave. Lockers in the rooms.
From 6€ for a dorm bed.
All Music No1 Mayakovskaya Hostel
Located near Mayakovskaya metro station in the Tverskoy district, male and female dorms available as well as family rooms. It has a fully equiped kitchen.
From 7€ for a dorm bed and 27€ for a family room.
Arbat 42 hostel
Located on the touristy Arbat street and only 200 meters from the nearest a metro station. Mixed and female dorms available as well as private rooms. The hostel has a proper kitchen and lockers in the rooms.
From 8€ for a dorm bed and 30€ for a private room.
Strawberry Duck Moscow Hostel
Located close to Chistye Prudy and Turgenevskaya metro stations. Mixed, male and female only dorms available as well as double rooms. The hostel has a proper kitchen.
From 11€ for a dorm bed and 33€ for a double room.
Mid-range stay
Mirros Moscow Kremlin Hotel
Very central, Mirros Moscow Kremlin Hotel is located in Kitay Gorod and within walking distance to the Red Square.
Stand double room from 88€ up to 120€.
Buffet breakfast available for an extra fee and there’s a café on the spot if you don’t want to get out for a meal.
Legendary Hotel Sovietsky
Soviet history fan, you must stay there ! The Sovietksy is an historical hotel built in the 1950’s. Portaits of Soviets leaders such as Lenin and Stalin hang in the halls and corridors. Not exactly in the tourity city center but there are metro stations nearby.
Double room from 70€ with breakfast included up to 220€ for a suite.
Bar and restaurant on the spot.
The Petroff Palace Hotel
More for the experience rather than the convenient location, the Petroff Palace Boutique Hotel is a 19th century palace. Built under Catherine the 2nd, it was for when the aristocracy visited from Saint Petersburg. Very easily accesible by metro.
It’s actually affordable, starting from 90€ a night (117€ with breakfast for 2), up to 400€ for an imperial suite.
Bar, retaurant and swimming pool on site.
Villa Kadashi Boutique Hotel
Next to the Tretyakov gallery in an old manor, this small boutique hotel has 14 rooms decorated with taste.
From 80€ for a standard double room up to 120€.
Loung, café and restaurant available on the spot.
Arbat Inn Hotel
Located between Novy and Stary Arbat (the pedestrian tourity street) and close to few metro station, this small backstreet hotel has simple but nice rooms in the historical center of Moscow.
Double room from 45€ up to 130€ for a suite.
It’s mandatory to have an insurance to travel in Russia and apply for a russian visa (including the e-visa)
I recommend Attollo Assistance (24/7 assistance, medical expenses up to 35 000 €, repatriation)
Luxury hotel
Metropol Hotel
Located near the Bolshoy theater and within walking distance to the Red Sqaure, this histoical hotel has a round-the-clock room service, bar and Michelin star Savva restaurant
If you have the budget and want to feel like Count Rostov from the book “A gentleman in Moscow”, “historical suites” are available with fancy vintage furnitures.
Double room from 320€ up to 970€ for a suite.
Radisson collection hotel
Also known as Hotel Ukraina and was commissioned by Stalin, it’s the tallest hotel in Russia and Europe. It has hundreds of rooms, multiple restaurants, a swimming pool etc. Located by the river Moskva.
From 180€ for a double room up to 430€ for a suite with a city view.
National Hotel
National Hotel is kind of a hotel-museum overlooking the Red Square. Spa, bar, restaurant and pool are available. You can have breakfast with a view over the Kremlin !
Double room from 180€ up to 1700€ for the “Presidential double suite with Kremlin view” to feel like Putin.
Savoy hotel
Ideally located near the Bolshoi Theater and the Red Square on Pushechnaya street, this historical mansion was home to the Alperose, a restaurant popular among the local writers and artists at the time.
Classic double room from 200€ up to 1200€ for a suite.
Chekhoff Hotel Moscow Curio Collection
A 5* Hilton hotel located next to Pushkin’s Square and Chekhovskaya metro station, it has fitness facilities, bar, restaurant and everything you expect in a Hilton hotel.
Double room from 150€ up to 220€ for a Deluxe Double room with view.
Tips
– Cheap accomodation like hostels might be in some back street and hard to find. Use Yandex maps instead of Google maps while in Russia in general, it will give you even the entrance number of the building and the best way to get there.
– Some hostels (but not all) will do visa registration for a fee like 300 or so rubles per person. Usually, mid-range and of course luxury hotels will do it with no additional charges.
– If you stay in cheap places, the front desk staff might not be speaking english, even in Moscow (use the translator on your phone), and don’t be surprised if you don’t get a smile, they don’t mean to be rude but this is Russia after all.
You haven’t found anything available for your travel dates, check out directly here 👇
Enjoy what you read and learn? Think about buying me a chai to support the blog !
