Chekhoff Hotel Moscow, Curio Collection by Hilton

Canadian architect Rafael Shafir combined the influences of rainbow colors when he redesigned the 19th-century building that houses the Chekhoff Hotel Moscow, Curio Collection by Hilton, but the common areas are more reminiscent of a W Hotel or the Soho House. Most guests are business travelers, though the property also draws leisure travelers who appreciate distinctly styled boutique hotels.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Tverskaya neighborhood was the center of Moscow's social life and a home for nobility. As a result, there are still several mansions and buildings in the neighborhood that exemplify the height of Russian Art Nouveau architecture. The Chekhoff Hotel Moscow, Curio Collection by Hilton is on a side street near a bigger boulevard with several restaurants, shops, and bars. Tverskaya street, about a 10-minute walk away, is filled with pricey stores such as Christian Louboutin. The Kremlin is a 10-minute drive away, while the Bolshoi Theater is five minutes by car. A taxi ride to Domodedovo International Airport will take about an hour.

In the guest rooms, the modern furniture creates a lot of clean lines: dark wood platform beds, glass tables, angular sitting chairs, and carpet covered with black and gray cubes. While the rooms are spacious, the minimalist furniture makes the environment feel a little sparse. The Standard bathrooms, with metal sinks and block walls, and showers or bathtubs, are also pretty stark. Still, rooms include plenty of nice perks: free Wi-Fi, free bottled water, optional minibars, designer toiletries, bathrobes, and daily newspapers. There are also two suites with wet bars that include stainless steel mini-fridges, coffeemakers, glassware, and sinks.

The Chekhoff Hotel Moscow, Curio Collection by Hilton has a lot of the expected features of a luxury hotel; some are more successful than others. Included with room packages is a free buffet breakfast that gets positive remarks from guests; a la carte breakfast is available for a fee throughout the day and night. The bar is open 24 hours, and there's 24-hour room service. The sauna, hot tub, and gym are a little small, as are the two meeting rooms. The on-site restaurant is impressively designed and serves excellent Russian and continental food along with a lengthy wine list.