Rising 206 m high, the former Hotel Ukraine, one of seven legendary skyscrapers built during Joseph Stalin’s regime, is now making waves as a premiere Radisson property
Earlier this year the revamped Radisson Royal Hotel was named Europe’s leading luxury business hotel at the World Travel Awards, going on to win Russia’s top luxury hotel at the global final in November. Luxury by TTN spoke to general manager Wolfgang Nitschke, about how the former Hotel Ukraine is making its mark in the luxury sector having opened last year following a massive three-year multi-million-dollar renovation programme.
Can you elaborate on the facilities at the Radisson Royal Moscow?
The Radisson Royal Moscow opened in April 2010 offering 506 guest rooms and suites as well as 38 apartments.
Furniture and accessories are by worldwide leading brands such as Baker, Provasi, Florence Art, Citterio, Villeroy & Boch, Penhaligon’s and Etro.
The hotel’s restaurants are among the best in town including Veranda, for contemporary Mediterranean cuisine and classic international dishes, and the Tatler Club with its innovative fusion cuisine by the famous Russian chef Arkady Novikov.
Guests can even arrange for a lunch or dinner on the Moskva River: Snow-White yacht restaurants have been exclusively designed for the hotel and run on a two-hour trip from the hotel along the most picturesque sights of Moscow.
The Royal Wellness Club is the hotel’s exclusive 3,500-sq-m health and fitness centre.
Rooms and public spaces are decorated with more than 1,200 original master works by Russian artists created in the first half of last century, among them paintings by Vasily Polenov, Julius Klever Alexander Deineka, Dmitry Nalbandian, Max Birstein, Michael Suzdal’tsev, Nicholas Romadin and Mikhail Kupriyanov.
On the ground floor, the diorama ‘Moscow – the capital of the USSR’ presents on a total surface of 400 sq m the historical centre of Moscow and its environs from the Luzhniki up to Zemlyanoy Val in the year 1977 when it was created.
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Original chandeliers have been retained |
Every guest who arrives at the hotel is very impressed with the splendid facilities and the great level of luxury which is evident. From the different kinds of marble used and reconditioned chandeliers to the excellent fitting out of the guestrooms and so on.... People who have stayed previously at the Hotel Ukraine are even more impressed to see the difference which has been accomplished.
Where are your main markets coming from, is the hotel popular with Middle Eastern visitors?
Most of our guests are presently from Russia and the various CIS countries followed by European visitors.
Are there any plans to promote the property specifically in Middle East?
We have participated twice at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai and have also done a few other Middle Eastern promotions. However the trend is presently that more Russians are visiting the Middle East than Middle Eastern clients coming to Moscow.
You have recently won awards for both Russia’s leading luxury hotel and Europe’s leading luxury business hotel – how would you say business fits into the luxury segment and how does the Russian property accomplish this?
The foundation and key to any success is guest satisfaction, we need to be tigers in detail to succeed – the selection process of employees and their training is the only way to do so. These elements have been able to ensure a high level of guest satisfaction and because the Radisson Royal Moscow has been able to accomplish this, guests in turn have voted for us for our various awards.
What would be your personal definition of luxury?
The definition of luxury is many things to different people, luxury is always associated with spaciousness, a small car will not be considered luxurious etc. Being the most perfect in its class, being special and establishing yourself as a market leader is luxury.
What is future business looking like and what do you see as the future of both luxury travel and luxury business travel within Russia?
Moscow by its nature and history has a certain niche for luxury, here you find a clientele which is most discerning and has the lifestyle that enables Russians to afford the better things in life. The future is excellent for any luxury brand in this city.