I will never forget my stay in Hotel Hilton Leningradskaya in Moscow. Often I spend nights at places that don’t leave me with something special to remember. Hilton Lelingradskaya is not one of these places.
We arrived in the early evening. Moscow in January is dark and cold and everyone hurries to take shelter in a warm and cosy place. Stepping out of the Leningradskaya Station, we could see our home for the night – Hotel Hilton Leningradskaya. It is impossible not to see the “Seven Sisters” in the winter sky. The legendary Moscow towers, built in 1947 to mark the 800th anniversary of the Russian capital. The hotel is located in the lowest tower and is high 136 meters.
Reaching easily our hotel on foot, we walked through the massive wooden door where an impressive hotel lobby that looked like a Gothic palace swallowed us in its warm embrace. I couldn’t wait to discover what is behind the gilded gates.
A Grandiose Welcoming
Once we were kindly welcomed, we headed to our suite on the 19th floor. You can imagine, the first thing I did was to open the curtains and try seeing every angle of the winter panorama outside the windows.
The camera cannot show the night view as the human eye sees it. The feel that the big, beating heart of Moscow is under my feet was something that made my body tingle. It is difficult to imagine the immensity of the Russian capital if you don’t see it like that – like an outspread before you a canvas that has no end.
Where Fashion Matters
For dinner, I dressed up in lace green dress that was waiting for a special occasion in my luggage. To imitate the elegant style of the Russian women, I threw a Russian scarf on my shoulders and entered the Grand Ballroom with what I believed to be a stable walk in my beige high heels.
And I’m glad I dressed up. The Grand Ballroom of Hotel Hilton Leningradskaya deserves its name. The 7 meters ceiling is painted with a giant fresco and supported by also giant marble columns. Crystal chandeliers, tall historic mirrors, and hand-painted porcelain vases add characteristic charm to the place. The vases were manufactured in the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory in Saint Petersburg which was one of the oldest factories in Europe.
A Historic Significance
It was obvious to me, such admirer of the classic architecture, that this hotel has a story to tell. Hilton Leningradskaya is officially recognized as a ‘Historic Place’. It came out that my home for one night is a museum during the official International Museum Days that take part in the months of April and May.
Hotel tours organized in partnership with the Moscow Department of Historical Heritage and Museum of Moscow. These free tours became a tradition ever since the hotel was reopened under the Hilton brand in 2008.
Location of Hilton Leningradskaya:
The hotel is located at very convenient for travellers place – few minutes walk from the Leningradskaya Train Station (connecting Moscow with Saint Petersburg) and near Kazan Station (that is the starting point for Trans-Siberian and Trans-Aral lines). Also not far from the very heart of Moscow – the Garden Ring, there are easy transport connections to facilitate the exploration of the city.
The Hotel Room:
We stayed at King Hilton Junior Suite on the highest possible floor. As I said, the view was breathtaking. I couldn’t stay away from the windows. The room colours are in earthy brown hues which make the place feel cosy. I felt like I was hiding from the cold winter outside in the warm embrace of the big Russian brown bear. It sounds odd, I know. But it was simply about that – warmth, comfort, security. These are the most important three things a home should give you.
When we opened the door for the first time, we found a king-size bed, a big flat screen with plenty of tv programs, comfortable seating area with coffee table and a large working desk with ergonomic chair. I could stay here forever, working on my blog posts!
In addition to all these, the bathroom had everything a woman may need like a soft bathrobe and even bodyweight scale. I didn’t touch the scale! After all these delicious blinis with caviar and Russian afternoon parties with meat pie … That was simply not a good idea.
Curious Facts about Hilton Leningradskaya:
» The architectural style of the “Seven Towers, one of which is Hilton Leningradskaya, is named “Stalin Classicism”.
» The spa centre was a bomb shelter in the past as the building was constructed during the post-war period.
» The chandeliers hanging in the two staircases are long 15.5 meters. One of the chandeliers is original and was once included in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest hanging bronze lamp in the world.
This Hotel Is For You If:
› you like historical places that embody a certain charm and distinctive atmosphere
› or if you are attracted to places that are one of a kind
› you plan to travel from or to Saint Petersburg by train and you plan to take the Trans-Siberian train adventure
› you will like this hotel if you are a person who values good service and upscale amenities
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