2004 Moscow Reports

[CA Traveler]

br4u... best way to get currrent hotel rates for both Marriott and Renaissance is to go to www.marriott.com. Be sure to put any discounts in the search. Weekends have fairly reasonable rates however you must be aware that they add 18-25% tax PLUS a currency conversion, since the ultimate bill will be in rubles, that will add 10-15% to the actual bill PLUS your credit card company will normally charge an additional 1-3% for conversion.

Sheraton website is www.sheraton.com.

All five of these hotels are very nice if you don't mind the expense. I've had good experiences at the Marriott with girls and all other Marriotts are good. Sheraton is more of a question mark. I was told that girls must register, but I'm sure lobby girls will pass without a problem.

Personally, when I first began visiting Moscow I stayed free with Marriott awards or 2 for 1 coupons because I couldn't afford it for a lengthy stay. I then discovered that an apartment was cheaper and offered far more privacy and made the stay much more enjoyable.

[Nauskas]

In almost all cases, an apartment is a far better deal.
Accept a meeting at the airport, because unless you read or speak Russian, you may never figure out how to find the Apartment without a map or mobile phone for directions.
Even marked taxis often don't know where B grade hotels are.

Inverse math should be applied to hotel ratings.
a 6 star system means they wanted to give really bad places a star.
a 5 star is normally a 5 star, though not often the same level as a Western City.
a 3 star requires some math 3 - 2= 1 or 1.5 star
a 2 star is like a youth hostel.

If the hotel is cheap, its either worn (everything older than you are) or so far from the city you might regret it.

You will notice many travel books use a $ rating instead of a star rating, because most hotels don't rate a star at all.

[Doctor_Skank]

BR4U:

Friends of mine recently booked the Sheraton directly (per reservation hotline) and received the following price:

210 € room charge + 37 € tax = 247 €/night

Room was nice and there were about 3-4 pros hanging out in the cafe downstairs in the evening.

[Ricardo Cabro]

Moscow Brit,

Cosmos is OK if you are happy with the location. I stay there a couple of times a year as it is close to the exhibition park where I have some business. The renovated rooms are good and cost approx $130/ night. Lobby girls are plentiful and in March were $100 per hour. To take "outside guests" to your room simply register them at reception (they need docs and cost is approx $20 per night). I have also stayed at Renaissance, Metropol, Golden Ring, Novotel Center and all have better locations and are girl friendly.

Cosmos is a pain in terms of being a long way out from the centre but you save around $200/day cw Marriotts, Renaissance, etc, and I have a good use for these savings. The Metro is right outside the hotel and gypsy cabs are around 200 rubles into the centre.

I've not used the nightclub in the Cosmos but understand that private dances are in the region of $50-$60. Better options are Safari and OhLaLa, or even Spearmint Rhino if you need to be in the comfort zone (ie, no language barrier).

Ricardo Cabron

[BodyRockerForU]

C A Traveler,

Any clue on the rates of Marriotts or Renaissance or Sheraton ? I have been quoted by Sheraton 265$ Plus 18% Tax and 24 US$ for Breakfast. Total it amounts to 337 US$ for B&B inclusive of Taxes. Have been staying at Radisson before, however wanted to change this time . Is that a decent offer from Sheraton ?

Thanks in advance for your reply.

[CA Traveler]

mb... Cosmos is reported to have in-house girls, but overall it is a Russian hotel and not in a particularily good location. If you want to stay in a hotel, I strongly suggest one of the Marriotts or the Renaissance. If you want an apartment, there are many sources and I will be able to help you. If you want to look at my website, www.moscow-star.com, let me know if I can help.

Viagra and other newer drugs are available over the counter... not cheap but available.

There are many bothels/apartments available in the afternoon, but unless you speak Russian, you'll need someone to call them since few speak English.

[Eros74]

Hi Gentlemen,

I want to ask to you experts here one information about viza: I had visa from visahouse.com,one entry turist viza, when I asked them I wrote on the request, the cityes of Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Now I am thinking to go in a third city, Novgorod or I really hope Murmansk, and when come back I will all report. So, if militsia will find me in one other city,which kind of problems can I have? Or I will have problems in the airport too? At visahouse told me not problem if I will change city, cause in passport visa there's NO written no one city, but I knew differently; so what's your opinion?

Thank you very much in advance for every help.

Luca

EDITOR's NOTE: Posting of this report was delayed pending revisions to capitalize the word "I". To avoid future delays, please use a capital "I" to refer to yourself in future reports. Thanks!

[BodyRockerForU]

Will be in Moscow first week of October. Any fellow monger around in the same period who would like to meet up ?

Pls PM me. Thanks.

BR

[Nauskas]

It would appear that the train might be a strongly compelling alternative domestically.

Russian Plane Crashes, Another Missing 2004-08-25
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wfae/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=675369

Missing Russia Plane Has Sent Hijack Alert-I'fax 2004-08-24
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wfae/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=676813

The Tu 154s are a bit intimidating as it is, due to age.

http://ak.imgfarm.com/images/ap/RUSSIA_PLANE_CRASH.sff_MOSB101_20040824223952.jpg

I have always felt that Airport security was pretty good for passenger screening in Moscow. It often appeared better than in the US for many parts of the world. The age of the aircraft is another thing.

Everyone be safe.

[Member #2190]

Moscow Brit,

Viagra is available in pharmacies without prescription. I bought it at 36.6 chain.

Snowman66: Pretty much all the information you want is available on these pages. Take 30 minutes, read it from beginning to end (or at least last 10-15 pages).

[Moscow Brit]

While I have made a couple of visits to Moscow in the past, I have to attend a conference which is being held in a town 60 Km from Moscow in a couple of weeks, but plan on spending 2 nights in the city before the conference & want to make the best use of my time there.

On a previous visit I stayed at the Cosmos & was entertained by a very pleasant young lady for an hour one night, another trip I stayed at the Holiday Inn & spent a couple of expensive hours with a young lady I met at CF (photos in photo gallery).

I speak no Russian, & would like to ask the expert opinion here the following:

Would you recommend the Cosmos as a 'self contained' establishment or are there better hotels in the city ?

I didn't visit the 'night-club' at the Cosmos, did I miss anything ?

Can I buy Viagra or similar in Moscow & if so where ?

I may be able to get back into Moscow for a couple of hours during the conference, any recommendations for an establishment to visit, preferably somewhere I can have a threesome with a couple of bi-ladies ?

[Snowman66]

WOW, I just started reading this board and Russia seems like it might be easy for a first time solo monger. I just came back from Rio and thought that was the best place in the world.

I love that Russian Eastern European look. Are there any Americans epecially ones that live in LA that can tell me all the ins and outs of making a trip to Russia? Is prostitution legal? Is it easy to find all of these clubs/***** houses where all the girls are? Is it possible to get by without speaking any Russian? Is it true the hottest girls range from $75 to $150 US dollars?

Thanks so mcuh.

[John Quakman]

Finally found a place to log on for a short report from my 4 days in Moscow.

In a word-Holy shit!!!

1st nite when to NF just for the experience and walked into a bar with no less than 60 women, none less than an 8. Was imediately accosted by 2 pros that were simply superb. Wanted $5 with no time limit. Passe as I hadn't had time to even look around.

Got th eye from every girl I looked at until a sweetie Penelope Cruz look alike was just ther next to me. I don't know, something about her told me this was the right one. Not really my ideal cause I like them blond. Any way She came for $150 and stayed untill late the next day. Ended up spending 3 of the 4 days with her. (Pictures in the photo section)

Made a Tocka run with average success

And had disastrous visit from Olga, female prision guard refered to me that I could hve done without.

All in all super time and will return soon.

Thanks to Ca Traveler fro great accomadations and advice.

[Stefano]

I liked the discussion about pros, semi-pros and etc. According to my observation almost all girlfriends of Moscow expats are semi-pros. I preder amateurs to pros. Unlike pros, some of them are clever and educated with no chances to get something good in life. Their lives are really hard - hard job for almost nothing, many of them had seen nothing good from their Russian men, who treat them as servants and tools for sex. When I protected my interpeter from unfair allegations of her employer, she provide me with wonderful intime and also helped me a with her network of contacts in Moscow, which I could not obtain for years before. I paid her fair comission for it and I think even about employing the girl in future, if I will have enough business to open an office in Russia.

[Hot Diggidy Dog]

Seek Rus,

Answers: Yes, you can find some. Yes, I'm not talking p4p.
And no, I don't recommend it.

The one I found was only happy while getting drunk (& she was a good drunk -- didn't show it much) and morose once she got there. And paranoid in the morning about who might see her leaving my place. I kept her around for a while because she seemed to be interested in a threesome with a really hot number she liked to drink with, but it never happened.