FEATURED Moscow hotels

While there are many places to stay all over Moscow, those who are visiting for a sightseeing trip or holiday and those who require access to the city's main center of business will probably want to base themselves close to Red Square. And here, as well a nearby, there are some exceptional hotels, many of which boast four or five stars, although, in the area, you will find more modest accommodations.

The city is the center of the country. It is one of Europe's most illustrious cities, and is large and prominent in every respect. Not only is it one of the largest cities in Europe, but it is also the center of almost all Russian interests. These range from culture and heritage, to business, finance and education. Of course, few who venture to Red Square and see the totemic Kremlin or the flaming minarets of the Saint Basil's Cathedral, won't know of the city's historic contribution to the arts. It is the focal point of a country famous for its writers, composers, dramatists and dancers. Similarly, it's a city famous for its sportsmen and women as well as scientific research and endeavor. It's a well known fact that during the Stalin rule many of the old buildings with historic importance were destroyed in order for the leader's vision of progress to be implemented. Even the most casual observer will note that the modern cityscape is a mixture of historic and bold new architecture. Some of the most desirable hotels are to be found in magnificent feats of modern and post-modern architecture. If nothing else, the contemporary city has cast off its soviet past and has embraced an ethos of pleasurable living. This is no more apparent than in the grand rooms.

If you're staying close to Red Square, you'll have spectacular views of the sprawling center of Russian life, and you'll be enjoying a room or suite detailed to the last degree with fine linens and prize furnishings. Of course, it depends on which hotel you're drawn to, but some of the best offer indulgent enticements like marble bathrooms and free access to the in-house spa. You'll also be be able to watch in-room movies on large flat-screen televisions and have, of course, access to wireless internet. There are establishments which offer views of the famous Moskva River which is much as part of the city's heritage as the Kremlin, Red Square or the easily discernible Seven Sisters. Wherever you stay, the front desk will be able to arrange a sightseeing tour and in Moscow this is quite a thing. Many of the buildings and monuments are iconic and there are several World Heritage Sites, including the beautiful Ascension Church and Novodevichy Convent.

Tourists staying in one of the smaller boutique-style establishments may want to experience some theater, ballet or music, and this is where to do it. You can choose accommodations close to the Bolshoi Theater, which is famous for its ballet performances as well as the Academy which has produced more than its fair share of extraordinary dancers. The theater is also home to the Bolshoi Opera and your front desk will probably be able to book seats for an evening filled with art created by these great artists.

Fortunately for those looking to experience the restaurants, shopping and nightlife around Tverskaya Street, there are some excellent hotels in the vicinity. Even if you're staying in another area, you'll be able to catch the Metro, which has 182 stations dotted around the city. Take a moment to appreciate the Metro, which is the busiest in the world after Tokyo's metro system. Aside from being one of the finest and best run public transport systems in history, it is considered the most aesthetically pleasing with almost all of the stations being impressively designed and rich with art.

If you don't want to head to the glitter and glamor of Tverskaya Street at night, your hotel, if it's a good and grand one, will probably be alive into the early hours. This is a land where pleasure is taken both seriously and lightly, so head to the club or bar of your towering accommodations and enjoy a few shots of Stolichnaya vodka to get into the swing of things.

If you're one to party into the night, then take care not to indulge too much at dinner lest you feel sluggish on the dance floor. And this is easier said than done. Of course, Russia has its own cuisine with many regional variations and unlike many hotels around the world, in Moscow you will find the local cuisine well represented. Eat those marvelous soups, like borscht, and enjoy curious and unexpected dumplings, tarts and variants on pies that will wend their way not only to your stomach but your heart.

You may be among those who aren't in town to live it up or do business in the realm of billionaires, of which the city has more than New York, you may simply be donning your traveling jacket and backpack on a adventure, perhaps with an idea to seeing the sights, visiting the markets and spending a night or two in a comfy hostelry before climbing aboard the Trans-Siberian Railway. There are quite a options for those traveling on a budget and while you may have a different experience to those gazing down on Red Square through their floor-to-ceiling penthouse windows, many would say a small hotel or guest house offers an experience closer to the Russia of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.