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Vip Tours | 1
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| Moscow, Russia |
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Society -
Extraordinary |
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| September - 2010 |
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6
Stars & 5 Stripes
Overall - 'Hotel & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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| The fact that the international Rezidor Hotel Group
had introduced the Radisson Royal Hotel of Moscow as its new
‘flagship’ last spring was old news to us. During our frequent visits
of Moscow over the past three years we were able to catch a little bit of the
progress here and there of the forthcoming and all-embracing three hundred
million dollar restoration of one of Stalin’s monumental ‘Seven
Sisters’ buildings, the former ‘Hotel Ukraina’. As our driver
approached the beautiful, meticulously restored, stunning main building of the
former ‘Hotel Ukraina’ we were in awe of this ideal location. The
close proximity of this historic hotel building to The Russian White House (The
House of Government of the Russian Federation), The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and the ever fascinating Red Square and with that, of course, the Kremlin, just
to mention a few of the notable structures, is simply priceless. |
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| Ukraina
Hotel / Radisson Royal Hotel Moscow: Arrival: Thorsten Buehrmann & Corinne
Miseer |
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| Here Miss Corinne Miseer and other professional and
well-dressed members of the staff welcomed us graciously. Considering that
Radisson International is a Belgium based company we understand why Kurt
Ritter, President & CEO of Rezidor was quoted saying: “This hotel is a
milestone in Rezidor’s history. It combines Moscow’s rich history and
cultural heritage with the international first class standards Radisson Blu is
known for”. - It soon becomes evident that the main lobby of the
Radisson’s Royal’s 1st Lady is at least as breathtaking as her outer
appearance. |
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| Our eyes were drawn to the high ceilings where we
discovered a huge round
plafond
(CLICK HERE for a closer look) that was originally created in 1957 by the
artists A. Gavrikov, I. Vainman and C. Akhmarov. The company that worked on the
restoration of the Bolshoi Theater had carefully restored the 10-meter round
ceiling and supported it with a soft esoteric-style light. We were told that
teams of the most respected architects, designers and technicians carefully
restored the hotel’s exterior, interiors and replaced all the utilities.
Adjoining the stunning lobby, decorated with original paintings by celebrated
artists, flashed the ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ on the hood of a
distinctively dark Rolls Royce Phantom. It seemed to belong there. |
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| This former
thousand-room complex now features five hundred luxury rooms and suites, as
well as serviced luxury apartments. Twelve hundred original art pieces (amongst
them paintings by Vasily Polenov, Julius Klever, Alexander Deineka, Dmitry
Nalbandian, Max Birstein, Michael Suzdal'tsev, Nicholas Romadin, and Mikhail
Kupriyanov), besides furniture and accessories by internationally recognized
brands such as Baker, Provasi, Florence Art, Citterio, Villeroy & Boch,
Penhaligon’s and Etro are displayed to complete the well-appointed and
elegant overall appearance of this hotel. Well-dressed, attractive ‘ladies
in red’, their dashing uniforms and exuberant smiles reminding us of
flight attendants of the 50’s, guided us to the Executive Lounge on the
11th floor. Here, framed by a grand view, charming Miss Victoria welcomed us
warmly and made our check-in process nothing but a minor non-formality.
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| Executive Lounge |
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| Graciously she explained how to utilize the dining and
leisure executive lounge: “…the Executive Floor provides a peaceful
retreat combined with dedicated personal service. Located on the 10th &
11th floors, guests staying in these rooms may enjoy added privacy with a
separate check-in area, business facilities and a secluded Executive Lounge.
The Executive Lounge serves also an impressive Super Breakfast Buffet in the
morning, followed by savory snacks, beverages and afternoon tea throughout the
day and transforms into an open bar in the evening.” - Miss Victoria then
guided us to our nearby accommodations; our Rimowa luggage was already lined up
and ready to be unpacked. My first impression was a feeling of casual luxury,
warm gold and brown tones, and elegant fabrics. |
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| Radisson
Royal Hotel - Accomodation |
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| “All rooms and suites have spectacular views of
the Moskva River or the fascinating Moscow skyline”, Ms. Victoria
explained. I especially appreciated the high-speed Internet connection, the
heated bathroom floors and heated mirror and liked the exclusive toiletries by
Penhaligon's. Penhaligon's is an English perfume house, founded in the late
1860s by William Henry Penhaligon, a barber who moved to London and became
Court Barber and Perfumer to Queen Victoria. My accommodations were decorated
in traditional style; exquisite through and through, including the wall
hangings, bedding and linens. Also, see the romantic honeymoon suite.
(CLICK
HERE for a closer look). |
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| The Radisson Royal Hotel is the new hot spot for
gourmets in Moscow. This hotel presents a wide selection of different cuisines;
we advise to try them all, since each one is unique, featuring a wide variety
of authentic Iranian, Italian and Japanese style foods. The main restaurant
‘Veranda’, located on the 2nd floor, overlooking the busy and
impressive lobby, serves contemporary Mediterranean cuisine and a variety of
classic, international dishes. Their famous Breakfast Buffett is served here as
well and guests may choose from an extensive display of local, European and
American breakfast and brunch-style favorites. |
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| Radisson Royal Hotel - Farsi Restaurant |
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‘Farsi’
restaurant on the third floor is a highly recommended, authentic Iranian
restaurant. The inspirational cuisine, as well as the presentation of these
exotic dishes surely lives up to one of the world’s oldest culinary
traditions, as does its impressive interiors.
(CLICK
HERE for a closer look) - The ‘Tatler Club’ with its innovative
fusion cuisine, headed by a famous Russian Chef, Arkady Novikov, is another
must. His presentation alone makes the ‘Tatler’ a destination
restaurant. Besides, the ‘Tatler Club’ is where Moscow’s high
society meets and reservations here are highly suggested. |
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| At Buono Restaurant, we dined Italian one hundred and
twenty meters above ground. The ‘views to die for’ live up to the
cuisine presented by Chef William Lamberti. - “Takasa”, on the 31st
floor, serves sophisticated Japanese style specialties. Last, but not least, we
would like to share our Executive Lounge dining experience with you. This new,
innovative menu, created by Executive Chef Sandy Bohm, has recently been
introduced to us as a first and has since been initiated on the Executive
Lounge. |
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| Radisson
Royal Hotel - Farsi Restaurant |
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Chef Bohm served a “Cannon of Spring Lamb
with Green Asparagus, Gratin Potatoes and Minted Sauce Hollandaise”,
paired with a “Jacob’s Creek Chardonnay, Barossa Valley, Australia,
2009”; A “Pan-fried Fillet of Beef with Osso Bucco Raviolo”,
paired with a “Barolo Armando Parusso, Italy, 2005”; and a
“Pan-fried Foie Gras and Morel Stew”, paired with a “Chablis 1er
Cru Montmains, J. Moreau & Fils, France, 2007”. Executive Chef Sandy
Bohm, of German descent, though relatively young in years, has already served
all over the globe with his most recent employments at the Frégate
Island Private, the Seychelles; the Four Seasons Hotel, London; and the Four
Seasons, Palo Alto, California. We found his cuisine quite delicious and
comforting, and the wine pairings interesting and appropriate. |
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| Radisson
Royal Hotel Moscow - Pool |
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| A while later, we took advantage of the Royal Wellness
Club, a 3500 sqm exclusive health and fitness center, including a 50 meter
heated indoor pool, a cutting edge fitness facility, a beauty salon, thermal
baths (Jacuzzis), spa massage rooms and a juice bar. I swam a few laps and
thoroughly enjoyed myself in the enormous pool as well as the soak in the
thermal baths afterwards. Hydrotherapy can soothe tired muscles and joints;
besides, I found it easy to relax in the Wellness Club’s colorful and
tranquil ambience. The setting of this innovative spa is spectacular. By the
way, while parents unwind at the club spa, children are invited to take
advantage of the hotel's unique kid's club, part of the Royal Spa and Wellness
Center. |
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| After a good
night’s sleep we meet for a quick bite at breakfast un the Executive Club.
Our host made us feel special and the sumptuous breakfast buffet and coffee was
exceptional, considering Russia is a country of serious tea drinkers. On the
way to the harbor we stopped at the lobby to see a
diorama
of ‘Moscow - the capital of the USSR’ (CLICK HERE for a closer
look). A 400sqm scale model of the historic center of Moscow and
surroundings from the Luzhniki up to Zemlyanoy Val, resembling the year 1977
when it was originally created. Please don't miss this unique experience. Soon
thereafter we were on the way to the private dock across the street from the
hotel for a sightseeing & dining tour on the Moskva River. The White Yacht
Restaurants have been exclusively designed and built for the hotel and run a
two-hour tour from the hotel along the most picturesque sights of Moscow, for
lunch and/or dinner. The yachts park right across the street on the Moskva
River pier and the views from this perspective are priceless. We boarded
quickly and were led to a pretty decorated table with comfortable chairs that
would allow us to really enjoy the tour
(PHOTO
TOUR - CLICK HERE) and to discover Moscow from a totally different
point of view. |
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| The yacht glided slowly through the city and allowed
us to sit back, enjoy a deliciously prepared and presented lunch and just relax
while taking in the blue sky, the warm September air and the beautiful sites.
From this perspective we were especially impressed with the breathtakingly
beautiful Cathedral of Christ the Savior, with an overall height of 103 meter
(338 ft), the tallest Orthodox Church in the world. Just a few blocks west from
the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, on the north bank of the Moskva River, loom
the Kremlin’s famous towers. The Moscow Kremlin is a historic fortified
complex at the heart of Moscow, overlooking the Moskva River to the south;
Saint Basil's Cathedral and Red Square to the east; and the Alexander Gardens
to the west. The famous complex serves as the official residence of the
President of Russia and looks incredibly beautiful from our slowly moving
location. Finally, we would like to mention the most intact example of
Moscow’s Baroque style, The Novodevichy Convent. Virtually intact since
the 17th century, it was founded in 1524 by Grand Duke Vasili III. Our lunch
and the company on board the Radisson Yacht were delightful, and the
sightseeing tour from this perspective was not only relaxing but also very
educational. |
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| Seasoned Hotel Manager Wolfgang Nitschke and his team
have completed yet another masterpiece, the Radisson Royal Hotel of Moscow! Mr.
Nitschke, who oversees the management of this fascinating property,
participated in many famous hotels in the world, including the Regent
Melbourne, the Dorchester and The Landmark in London, the Beverly Wilshire
Hotel in Beverly Hills, L.A., the Burj Al Arab in Dubai and many others. With
five decades in hospitality management his experiences include re-branding,
repositioning, refurbishment, and establishing operational standards with an
emphasis on training and staff development, a fact that is clearly seen amongst
this well-rehearsed team. Wolfgang Nitschke, who has worked in fifteen
countries throughout the world, reached also a milestone in his career by
marking his 50th year in the international hospitality business. We
congratulate him and his dedicated team! |
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| Radisson
Royal Hotel Moscow - 2010 Seven Stars And Stripes Award |
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by Edmund & Thorsten Buehrmann
Editor: Ingrid
Lemme
Editor-in-Chief: John Lomitola |
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| © 2010 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes,
Inc. |
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Vip Tours | 1
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