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Russian Hotels for Ballers: Spying on The Ritz-Carlton Moscow

Where: Tverskaya Street 3, Moscow, Russian Federation, 1250009

Our Super Secret Hotel Maven network extends far and wide and thanks to another SSHM, we have a mini-guide to Russia's luxe hotels--perfect for ballers, high-rollers and Russian mobsters. It's a mini-guide because it's really only a few hotels in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Our last hotel in the series: Ritz-Carlton Moscow. Enjoy.

After a little sleepy time in Moscow, I woke up at the Ararat Park Hyatt and pulled the blinds open. Snow was falling on Red Square, and it looked pretty, and pretty cold as well.

Though I was fearful that my day which began quite pleasantly would be tarnished by the blistery cold weather, I decided to brave the streets. When else would I be in Moscow again after all?

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Russian Hotels for Ballers: Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow

Where: NEGLINNAYA STREET N 4, Moscow, Russian Federation

Our Super Secret Hotel Maven network extends far and wide and thanks to another SSHM, we have a mini-guide to Russia's luxe hotels--perfect for ballers, high-rollers and Russian mobsters. It's a mini-guide because it's really only a few hotels in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Up next: Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow. Enjoy.

St. Petersburg is cute and all, but it's a bit of a sleepy town. I found myself feeling a bit lost and isolated after three days there. I was very much ready to move on to the next phase of my trip, the capital city of Moscow.

After the most institutional airport check-in of my entire life, I was whisked on the one hour flight to Moscow aboard Russia's national airline, Aeroflot. Note about Aeroflot: most comfortable coach seats I have yet to experience.

I arrived in Moscow, and rode the 2 hour ride in traffic to the center of the city, and was dropped off in front of my new home, the Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow.

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Tags: Russia Hotel Guide / St. Petersburg Hotels / Orient-Express Hotels / Super Secret Hotel Mavens / Russian Hotels for Ballers / → All Tags

Russian Hotels for Ballers: The Grand Hotel Europe

Where: Nevsky Prospekt, Mikhailovskaya Ulitsa 1/7, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

Our Super Secret Hotel Maven network extends far and wide and thanks to another SSHM, we have a mini-guide to Russia's luxe hotels--perfect for ballers, high-rollers and Russian mobsters. It's a mini-guide because it's really only a few hotels in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Up next: The Grand Hotel Europe. Enjoy.

Now on to my favorite hotel in St. Petersburg, Grand Hotel Europe. I actually didn't want to like this place, because well, it's an Orient Express property. And frankly, when I think of Orient Express, I think of Ben-Gay stank old ladies. The hotel is thankfully in a bustling part of St. Petersburg.

Before I made my way over to this area, known as Nevsky Prospekt, I thought that all of St. Petersburg was sitting at home, scared to come out... but no! People shop here! They go on walks! They go out to eat! Before I even saw the building itself, just seeing the neighborhood of this hotel had me at hello, but those hellos just kept coming.

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Tags: Russia Hotel Guide / Super Secret Hotel Mavens / St. Petersburg Hotels / → All Tags

Russian Hotels for Ballers: St. Petersburg Continued

Our Super Secret Hotel Maven network extends far and wide and thanks to another SSHM, we have a mini-guide to Russia's luxe hotels--perfect for ballers, high-rollers and Russian mobsters. It's a mini-guide because it's really only a few hotels in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Up next: The Eliseev Palace and Hotel Angleterre. Enjoy.

Eliseev Palace

St. Petersburg is a lovely city, I guess. The architecture is delightfully institutional. The snow, I mean slush, is a wonderful hue of mocha. And nothing says warm and fuzzy like Russia, right?

When it comes to the sites, St. Petersburg is all history--lots of palaces and museums and pretty things. Pretty things get boring, though, so this hotel freak decided to give in to addiction and give the sites the finger. Instead, I opted to tour the city's most famous hotels, and I am so glad I did because I can share my notes with you!

I already gave you a rundown of the spot I was calling home, Hotel Astoria, which was fine enough, but I felt I owed it to America to find something a hair better.

Though Four Seasons has promised a hotel coming to St. Petersburg (perhaps opening on the same cold day in hell, I mean Russia, that the "two" Moscow locations will open), we've got to work with what there is for now, and what there is has been there for a long, freakin' time.

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Russian Hotels for Ballers: Rocco Forte Hotel Astoria

Where: 39 Bolshaya Morskaya Street, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, 19000000

Our Super Secret Hotel Maven network extends far and wide and thanks to another SSHM, we have a mini-guide to Russia's luxe hotels--perfect for ballers, high-rollers and Russian mobsters. It's a mini-guide because it's really only a few hotels in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Up first: The Hotel Astoria. Enjoy.

It's not easy to travel to Russia if you're a picky Angeleno with the sniffles. Recently, though, I did the difficult and braved the subzero temperatures. I saw the two main cities, St. Petersburg and Moscow, and explored the cultural treasures of each. More importantly, though, I made stops at each of the city's key hotels for tours of the facilities and rooms, and have smuggled my reports back to familiar soil.

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