Opened as a hotel in 2014, this handsome building is topped with gables and adorned with Art Nouveau accents -- most notably the curving metal canopy above the front door. Behind it lies a sophisticated little lobby done in updated earth tones (think moss, pumpkin and plum) and a Western-style bar and grill with exposed brick walls that calls to mind a sprawling loft in NYC. The latter is arguably the hotel's chicest space, complete with raw-wood ceilings, exposed brick walls, leather seating, and industrial lights. Oriental rugs, potted plants, decorative books and the mandatory chalkboard menus add warmth. Those features, combined with a trusted brand name, comfortable contemporary accommodations and the general tenor of the neighborhood, mean that it attracts mostly foreign guests in the 30-plus age group: some of them tourists, others management-level business types.  

Sitting on a busy though rather barren commercial stretch in Moscow’s Basmanny district, the Mercure Moscow Baumanskaya promises a comparatively quiet location close to public transit but away from the bustle of the tourist center. The Baumanskaya metro station is a mere four minutes on foot from the hotel --- and two subway stops from Red Square, where the city’s key sights are concentrated. This part of eastern Moscow has been historically welcoming to foreigners (its old German quarter, Nemetskaya Sloboda, dates back to the 16th century); and it remains so today, which helps explain the plethora of ex-pats as well as the presence of chain restaurants like Dominos Pizza and TGI Fridays.

• Four-minute walk to the Baumanskaya metro station
• 19 minutes to the Kurskaya train station by public transport
• 21 minutes to Komsomolskaya Square by public transport
• 22 minutes to the State Historical Museum by public transport 
• 25 minutes to the Bolshoi Theatre by public transport 
• 25 minutes to the GUM Department Store by public transport 
• 26 minutes to Lenin’s Tomb by public transport 
• 28 minutes to St. Basil's Cathedral by public transport 
• 37 minutes to the State Tretyakov Gallery by public transport
• 38 minutes to the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts by public transport 
• 35 minutes by car to Sheremetyevo International Airport (more with traffic)
• 46 minutes by car to Domodedovo International Airport (more with traffic)

Whereas the on-site restaurant here aims for a low-lit loft-y look, guest rooms turn up the wattage and go for glam. Their bright white walls, furnishings, and bedding are enlivened by vibrant, multi-hued striped carpets. Silver and crystalline accents along with neo-Baroque elements, like a tufted tangerine armchair and striking photo-frame headboard, inject a further dose of style. All standard rooms feature air-conditioning, LCD TVs with satellite channels, laptop safes, tea/coffeemakers, minibars, free bottled water and free Wi-Fi. Cribs are available for guests traveling with children. Aside from adding extra square footage, the generously sized Privilege Rooms replace the armchair with a matching couch and upgrade the coffeemaker to a Nespresso machine; these rooms also have twin TVs which are used, rather oddly, to separate the sleeping and seating areas. Bathrooms in both categories boast pretty mosaic tiles in bronze tones, funky pedestal sinks, plus walk-in showers with rainfall showerheads.

The Mercure Moscow Baumanskaya contains neither a fitness center nor a business center; however, its attractive little lobby does have a relaxing lounge area where guests can peruse a free morning paper on the extra-long sofa or use the free computer station to plot their day’s activities. A bigger draw is the hotel restaurant -- the Butchery Grill and Bar -- which is accessed either through the lobby or from the street. As its name suggests, The Butchery caters to carnivores with a menu heavy on steaks, chops, chicken wings and such. Soups, salads and even apple pie round out the offerings; the decent wine list is an add bonus. Note that breakfast is served in the restaurant each morning for an additional fee. Other hotel features include a 24-hour front desk with multilingual staff and express check-in option, an airport shuttle (available at extra cost), plus free Wi-Fi throughout.