Where to Stay in Moscow: Areas and Top-Rated Hotels
Where to stay in Moscow? Areas from Red Square to Zamoskvorechye, getting in from the airports, choosing a hotel, and top-rated hotels.
Moscow is a large city, and most sights are inside the ring roads around the centre. The area you stay in and how close the hotel is to the metro shape your day. This guide covers the main areas, getting into town from the airports, and what to check when choosing a hotel. A list of top-rated hotels follows at the end.
Areas of Moscow
- Red Square and Kitay-gorod: The Kremlin, St Basil’s Cathedral and GUM. The most central base for a first visit, best explored on foot.
- Tverskoy: Around Tverskaya Street and the Bolshoi Theatre. Busy with restaurants, shops and metro connections.
- Arbat: Pedestrianised Arbat Street and the lanes around it. Lively in the evening and close to museums and the river.
- Zamoskvorechye: A quieter historic district south of the river, home to the Tretyakov Gallery, linked to the Kremlin by bridge.
- Moscow City: The business district with its skyscrapers. Good for business trips; the historic centre is a metro ride away.
Getting in from the airport
- Sheremetyevo (SVO): Aeroexpress trains run to Belorussky station.
- Vnukovo (VKO): Aeroexpress trains run to Kievsky station.
- Domodedovo (DME): Aeroexpress trains run to Paveletsky station.
- Getting around: The metro network is extensive and the fastest way to get around; many stations are sights in their own right.
What to check when choosing a hotel
- Check the metro station: Distances are long and traffic is heavy. Which line and station a hotel is near often matters more than whether it is central.
- Plan how to pay: Bank cards issued abroad may not work in Russia. Check how you can pay the hotel before you book.
- Winter conditions: Winters can be very cold; a short walk to the metro matters even more in those months.
- Breakfast and cancellation: Check whether breakfast is included and the free-cancellation deadline before you book.
Moscow in numbers
- Places to stay: Kolay Seyahat lists 25,916 properties in Moscow (hotels, apartments, guesthouses and more). See all Moscow hotels, or browse 5-star hotels in Moscow, 4-star hotels in Moscow, 3-star hotels in Moscow.
Top-rated hotels in Moscow
The “Featured Hotels” list below is built from data, not picked by hand: properties in Moscow with photos, at least 5 guest reviews and a score of 8.0 or higher out of 10, ranked by number of reviews (October 2026). Scores come from reviews by guests who stayed at the property. The top three are Izmaylovo Beta Hotel (8.56 · 366 reviews), Izmailovo Gamma Hotel (8.33 · 275 reviews), Good Mood Hostel (9.13 · 153 reviews). Open a hotel’s page for current prices and availability.
