“Good basic quality hotel experience”
I have to preface my review with some background. I normally don't stay in higher end, more expensive, or brand-name hotel. I prefer guesthouses, pensions or other mid-range options. The problem is Moscow has a shortage of mid-range hotels, especially in the city center. I was in Moscow 4 days and stayed in 3 different hotels. After the first 2 disasters (one hostel that double booked me out of a private room and a mid-range hotel with a nightclub in the lower floors that pounded music until 10:00 a.m. the next morning), I finally decided on the Radisson, and it solved my hotel problems.
Regarding the hotel - the Radisson is everything you expect from a higher-end brand name hotel - good service, large room, clean, expensive mini-bar, etc. The best part of the Radisson is the free wi-fi (wifi internet). It is strong and reliable. I compared many high-end hotels and almost all the others charge a significant price for wifi, so when you add the wifi to the room price - the Radisson was the best deal.
The hotels location is not great but there is a subway next door (and I recommend learning how to use the subway - it's tricky but cheap and very efficient) and a bridge that takes you to a good neighborhood.
All in all, I can recommend this hotel not so much because this hotel is so wonderful but because the other options in Moscow are not very good.
Area recommendations
Moscow is not the most charming city in Europe (I doubt that many tourists fall in love with the city) so I recommend to get in - see what you want and get out - especially given the inflated costs of hotels and the lack of midrange options. Then - if you want to spend a more leisurely time in Russia - spend it in St. Petersburg. The sights in St. Pete are better (and there are lots), hotels are cheaper and the city is generally more tourist friendly. I spent 4 days in St. Pete & 4 days in Moscow and wish I had done 5 & 3.
My other big recommendation for Moscow is to learn the subway. It's tricky but cheap and efficient - very efficient - trains come every 3 or 4 minutes. The challenge is reading the signs and figuring out where you are - but be patient and it will pay off.
One last thing - Red Square is pretty at night and there are nice views of the Kremlin from the bridges so check it out at night as well as during the day.
