Room Category: Superior Room (Room 1101)
Hotel Status: IHG Rewards Club Platinum Member
Overview
This is my fifth stay at an InterContinental Hotel. I have stayed at InterContinental Hotels in Cartagena (Colombia), Sydney, Melbourne and Cairo (I do not count the numerous other InterContinental Hotels I have had the pleasure of visiting for lunch or dinner). The Intercontinental Hotel is a favorite brand of mine and I would like to start my hotel tour videos with my stay at an InterContinental Hotel.
Background
InterContinental Moscow opened in 2011. It is part of a business centre which houses office spaces, restaurants and a supermarket. Previously, the now demolished Hotel Minsk (a brutalist hotel popular during the Soviet Union) occupies its prime location (a picture of this brutalist beauty is on my Instagram account - @livingitforyou_architecture).
Location
InterContinental’s biggest plus is its location. It is within 2 minutes’ walk of three major metro stations – Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya and Chekovskaya. The boulevard ring is also within reach – this is great place to walk around (in summer and winter (especially at night with the host of lighting features). Within 10 minutes’ walk is Patriarch Ponds – a recreational park perhaps famous for being the setting of the opening scene of Master and Margarita. Here, you also find some of the best restaurants and bars in Moscow. Red Square is within half an hour walk. However, it is within easy reach by metro or bus (which will get you there from the hotel in less than 10 minutes).
Room
As an IHG Platinum Elite member, I was upgraded to a Superior Room which I was very happy about. I used to hold an IHG Ambassador membership (which guarantees an upgrade; however given Covid travel restrictions, I did not renew my membership this year). Superior rooms are located on the higher floors (I think 9th floor upwards) and provide excellent views of the city. We had a room with views toward Red Square and the Kremlin.
The room is modern and spacious. The bed was comfortable and my pillow preference was accommodated. I noticed that there were no bed runners, decorative pillows and under bed carpet in the room. I am glad that InterContinental Moscow is following protocols and best practice guidelines to minimize the risk of Covid (I note that masks are mandatory in public spaces (which are provided free by the hotel) and hand sanitizers abound aplenty in the hotel’s common areas).
The highlight of the room must be the TV inside the bathroom. I think all hotel rooms should have this – as it is perfect for long relaxing baths. The sink is beautifully designed; however, it is not the easiest to use when washing your face.
I have been used to Agraria luxury toiletries in my InterContinental stays and perhaps my only disappointment in my stay was the use of Natura Siberica toiletries. Has the exclusive partnership between InterContinental and Agraria ended? Sorry, but Natura Siberica does not exactly speak luxury. This is a small detail; however, it is exactly the small details which luxury hotels should focus on.
Facilities
Chekhonte restaurant offers buffet breakfast and Italian food for lunch and dinner. However, the restaurant was closed for lunch and dinner as the hotel is running a limited service due to Covid. We did not have the chance to try the buffet breakfast and opted to have breakfast elsewhere – due to the hotel’s location, there are plenty of excellent choices nearby.
The hotel has a lobby bar. We had drinks in the lobby in the evening. The cocktails were reasonably priced and delicious; however, some of the items are off the menu as they have run out of berries (there is an upmarket supermarket next to the hotel – I am sure they could easily have bought some berries there – again, small details).
The basement of the hotel hosts Mahash SPA. There is a range of massage, facial and beauty treatments available. The basement also hosts the fitness centre (which was modern and well-equipped) and the sauna and steam room (which were superb - I did not mind that the hotel does not have a swimming pool).
Overall, the facilities at this hotel are excellent. Added to this, the grand chandelier at the lobby and the art deco / Russian avant garde inspired interior makes this hotel an impressive place to stay in.
Service
The hotel stands out for its service and I would like to commend everyone from the reception team to the staff at P square bar. However, I would like to mention the concierge team specifically. I rang the concierge team (Alexey) in the evening to book a breakfast table at Café Pushkin the next morning. Despite the late reservation, we were seated at a window table with excellent view of the boulevard ring. When we returned back to the hotel, Alexey approached us and asked us about our breakfast (which I found impressive since he knows me by name despite us not having met personally before). Again, small details – it is small details like this which sets a luxury hotel apart and makes a huge difference to one’s stay.
My stay at InterContinental Moscow reinforces my affinity to the InterContinental brand and I would recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Moscow.
InterContinental Moscow | Staying at this IMPRESSIVE 5 Star Hotel | Top Hotel in Moscow