-==in RUSSIA==- Moscow Hotels Guide

Moscow, once the capital of the "evil empire," has changed more radically in the last half decade than over the previous half century. Once-empty shops have become expensive restaurants, designer boutiques and 24-hour convenience stores. The nightlife, which used to be restricted to cheesy singers at bad restaurants, has exploded into one of the most vibrant and decadent party scenes in Europe. Young Muscovite women read the Russian-language Cosmopolitan, dress in Benetton, rollerblade on weekends and order goat-cheese-and-basil pizza by phone. The clientele at the city's stylish restaurants wouldn't look out of place at the Ivy or Spago, and mobile phones are commonplace.

The politically ambitious mayor, Yury Luzhkov, has transformed the center of the city by rebuilding the magnificent Christ the Savior Cathedral and constructing a huge, three-story-deep shopping mall under Manezh Square, next to the Kremlin. The crime wave of the early '90s has tapered off -- the notorious mafia have become more subtle in their dress and business methods. The ruble has stabilized after the runaway inflation of 1992-94. Moscow is acquiring all the attributes of a Western European city at breakneck speed -- but all interpreted with an unmistakably Russian panache.

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Moscow is the biggest city in the biggest country in the world. Its heart and soul, as well as its geographic center, is the Kremlin, a triangular, walled citadel on the Moscow River bordered by Red Square and Alexander Gardens. Red Square is inseparable from the Kremlin as part of the historic and spiritual center of Moscow. Its name has nothing to do with communism but comes from the old Russian word for "beautiful."

Surrounding Red Square are such attractions as the Historical Museum, GUM (Russia's biggest department store), the rebuilt Christ the Savior Cathedral and reconstructed Resurrection Gates, St. Basil's Cathedral and the Lenin Mausoleum (with Lenin still there, but destined to be buried in St. Petersburg sometime in the future).

The Kremlin is circled by three ring roads. The first is the Boulevard Ring, only 1.2 mi/2 km from the Kremlin -- a circle of leafy boulevards lined with 18th- and 19th-century buildings. It's charming, dilapidated and a traffic nightmare during business hours. The ironically named Garden Ring, slightly farther from the Kremlin, is in fact an eight-lane, traffic-choked highway lined mainly with massive Stalinesque administrative buildings and apartment blocks. It roughly marks the boundary of pre-Stalinist Moscow -- all the buildings outside it date from his rule or after.

The outer ring road is the boundary of the city of Moscow, although in a few places high-rise apartment buildings spill out into the surrounding farmland and forest. Major arterial roads radiate from the Kremlin to this outer ring road and then become highways to all the cities of Russia. In the countryside around the city are little settlements of holiday cottages, or dachas, where Moscovites retire to escape the dirt and heat of Moscow in high summer and to plant their potato crops for next winter.

Sights -- The Kremlin, including the 15th-century churches and other marvels of Russian architecture; the newly restored Christ the Savior Cathedral; the stunning gold chapel at Novodyevichy Convent; St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square.

Museums -- The beautiful cathedrals inside the Kremlin; ancient art and impressionist paintings at the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts; the icons at the old Tretyakov Gallery.

Memorable Meals -- Caviar-stuffed trout at Boyarsky Zal at the Metropol Hotel; blini and caviar, borscht and pelmeni at the truly grand Grand Imperial Restaurant; garlic chicken and cheesy bread at Guria, a Georgian cafe near Gorky Park.

Late Nights -- Carnage, mayhem and live rock at the Hungry Duck; the new Russian hedonism on view at Titanic.

Walks -- In Gorky Park; along Varvarka Street off Red Square; in Alexander Gardens by the Kremlin; by Patriarch's Pond on Malaya Bronnaya Street; along the Old Arbat pedestrian street.

Ice skating or riding the roller coaster in Gorky Park; a visit to Moscow's Pet Market; and, of course, a trip to the Moscow Circus.

Passport/Visa Requirements -- Passport, visa and proof of onward passage needed by Australian, British, Canadian and U.S. citizens. (Reconfirm travel document requirements with your carrier before departure.) Unless you hold an official invitation, it's best to apply for a tourist visa through a travel agent. Russian consulates are famous for many things, but efficiency and customer service aren't among them: Apply well in advance.

Officially, you need to get every city you plan to visit entered in your visa, but in practice it's unlikely anyone will check. You also officially need to register your visa with the local police within three days of your arrival -- but in practice your hotel should do this for you as a matter of course.

Language -- Russian is the language spoken and written. English is understood and spoken in most hotels, upscale restaurants and business situations. Your hotel will be able to arrange interpreters and guides -- a must if your Russian is nonexistent, since few people you'll encounter on the street speak English. Interpreters are readily available. Do not expect taxi drivers to speak English.

Currency -- Contrary to popular opinion -- and representing a dramatic change from only four years ago -- the dollar is no longer king in Russia. Although many expensive restaurants and shops still indicate their prices in U.S. dollars, it's illegal to use dollars in retail transactions in Russia. (Virtually the only transactions still carried out in dollars are fares paid to airport taxi drivers.) Many restaurants and stores still do not accept credit cards; therefore, you should always carry enough rubles to handle what you plan to do that day.

Rubles are not available outside Russia, but there are literally thousands of exchange desks and kiosks dotted all over Moscow, many open 24 hours. Important: Take along crisp, new dollar bills to exchange (and remember that pre-1993 bills are rarely accepted because of the possibility of forgeries).

On 1 January 1998 the Central Bank redenominated the ruble to make retail transactions simpler, with 1,000 old rubles equalling one new ruble. At this writing, old and new notes circulate in parallel; the designs are almost identical except for the absence of zeros. Old bills will be legal tender through 2002.

At press time, the exchange rate was 6 rubles to the U.S. dollar, approximately 4 rubles to the Australian dollar, 10 rubles to the British pound and slightly more than 4 rubles to the Canadian dollar.

Note: Because a number of restaurants, hotels, theaters and shops still list prices in U.S. dollars (even though rubles are the only currency legally accepted), this report frequently provides the U.S. dollar equivalent to prices quoted in rubles.

Health Advisories -- No vaccines are required to enter Russia, but consult your physician about updating your diphtheria, tetanus and tuberculosis vaccinations. Some doctors recommend protection against hepatitis as well. Make sure you have good medical insurance, because health-care costs are astronomically high in Moscow. The Russian medical system is unreliable. If emergency evacuation from the country is recommended by a Western doctor, costs can run up to US$20,000. There are several Western-run clinics in Moscow, but they're very expensive and are not equipped for serious surgery or major emergency equipment.

The controversial 1995 measure requiring HIV tests for foreigners does not affect short-term tourists. Foreigners applying for visas to stay in Russia for three months or longer must in theory obtain a medical certificate proving that they are not HIV positive; however, the application of this regulation varies from embassy to embassy.

Sanitation levels vary. They are equal to Western standards in Western-style hotels, but inferior in public toilets and some restaurants. Avoid Moscow's tap water; bottled water is readily available. The safest food sold on the streets these days is from the Western candy-bar and hot-dog stands run by the German firm Steff Houlberg. Ice cream, both Russian and imported, is sold year round and is also safe. Avoid other street food, especially kebabs, and be careful with meat in cheaper restaurants and cafes.

For further information, call (in the U.S. and Canada) the Centers for Disease Control at 404-332-4559; the Australian Travelers' Health Line, phone 06-269-7815; or the London School of Hygiene's Medical Advisory Service, phone 0891-224-100.

Voltage Requirements -- 220 volts. Russian outlets take plugs with two round prongs.

Business Hours -- Business hours are typically 10 am-6 pm, with a lunch break from 1-2 pm or 2-3 pm, although more and more businesses and almost all nongovernmental professional offices operate without a lunch break. Offices sometimes close earlier on Fridays or on days preceding holidays.

Dress -- Choose business suits for meetings. Shorts in public tend to raise a few eyebrows, and they're sometimes not permitted when visiting churches and tombs. Young, local women often wear extremely short skirts; older women don't usually wear slacks, but instead don conservative skirts or dresses. In winter, good water-resistant boots, gloves and a warm coat and hat are absolutely essential (Moscow lies roughly along the same latitude as southern Alaska).

Tipping -- Tip 10% in restaurants, but check that they haven't already included a service charge in the bill. Coat attendants do not expect tips except in expensive restaurants. Tip 10% to hairdressers and in hotels. Do not tip taxi drivers.

Weather -- Very cold winters; mild summers. Heaviest rain in July and August. Average temperatures: Jan 3-15 Fahrenheit/-16 to -9 Celsius; Feb 8-22 F/-14 to -6 C; Mar 18-32 F/-8 to 0 C; Apr 34-50 F/1-10 C; May 46-66 F/8-19 C; Jun 51-70 F/11-21 C; Jul 55-73 F/13-23 C; Aug 53-72 F/12-22 C; Sep 45-61 F/7-16 C; Oct 37-48 F/3-9 C; Nov 26-35 F/-3 to 2 C; Dec 15-24 F/-10 to -5 C.

City Holidays -- 1998: 19 Apr, Orthodox Easter; 1, 2 May, May Day; 9 May, Victory Day; 12 June, Russia Sovereignty Day; 29 Jun, public holiday; 7 Nov, Day of Accord and Reconciliation (formerly Revolution Day); 12 Dec, Constitution Day.

1999: 1, 2 Jan, New Year's; 7 Jan, Russian Orthodox Christmas; 8 Mar, Women's Day; 25 Apr, Orthodox Easter; 1, 2 May, May Day; 9 May, Victory Day; 12 Jun, Russia Sovereignty Day; 7 Nov, Day of Accord and Reconciliation (formerly Revolution Day); 12 Dec, Constitution Day.

If the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday is declared a public holiday.

The value-added tax (VAT) on consumer goods is 20%. There's an extra 3% city tax in hotels. Some hotels do not include tax in the rates they quote, so be sure to check.

Crime -- Despite justifiable alarm at the city's crime rates, Moscow is safer for tourists than New York or London. The city center is very heavily policed, and crimes against foreigners have fallen sharply since the economic crisis of the early '90s. Muggers are unlikely to attack in the crowded center of the city.

Take the same precautions you would in any large city -- that is, avoid dark side streets at night, don't get into conversation with over-friendly drunks in bars, beware of girls spiking your drinks in clubs. Avoid unofficial "gypsy" cabs if you are not a Russian speaker, and never get in a cab that already has a passenger -- this might mean you're being set up for a mugging or, at the least, a scam designed to intimidate you into paying more than is customary. Guard your wallet or handbag and camera in tourist spots such as Red Square or GUM, the department store.

Note: "Gypsy" children or women (who may not be of Gypsy origin) may approach you, either begging or simply to swarm around you. If this happens, hold tight to your wallet or keep your purse held close with intense single-mindedness -- their aim is to distract you momentarily (perhaps to get you to push them away). If you become distracted, your valuables will be gone in an instant. Don't be shy about getting physical if they become really aggressive. These "gypsy" gangs tend to operate around train stations, such as Kievsky and Kazansky.

For an advisory about public safety, you may want to call the Australian Travel Advisory Line, 06-261-2093; the British Travel Service, 037-500-900; the Canadian Travel Advisory Line, 800-267-6788; or the U.S. State Department's Citizen's Emergency Center, 202-647-5225.

Emergency Numbers -- The police number is 02, but the police understand only Russian. Try contacting your embassy in case of a crime resulting in the theft of your passport. To reach the U.S. Embassy, call 252-2451 or 252-2459; the Canadian, 956-6666 or 956-6158, the British, 956-7200, the Australian, 956-6070. For medical emergencies, you can dial 03, but it's best to contact a Western medical firm. The American Medical Center number is 956-3366; the Canadian Mediclub, 931-5018; the International Medical Clinic, 280-7138 or 280-8374 or 280-7177; the European Medical Center, 251-6099.

Telephone Codes -- The country code for Russia is 7; the city code for Moscow is 095. If you are calling Moscow from outside the city but within Russia, dial 8 and wait for a tone before dialing the city code and then the number.

Time/Temperature -- This information is available in English at major hotels such as the National.

Time Zone -- Moscow is three hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. Daylight Saving Time is observed from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.

Business/Cultural Practices -- Russian business etiquette is broadly similar to European/Western practice, with one important exception: vodka. Though the younger generation of businessmen have largely dropped heavy drinking as a way to seal a deal, it's still considered essential by many Russian men to get ripping drunk with new business partners to cement business relationships.

In extreme cases, your new friends may invite you to a Russian banya (sauna), where you're expected to strip naked and sweat in a steam room while being beaten with birch twigs. (President Yeltsin loves to do this with visiting heads of state.) A compulsory part of the banya experience is heavy drinking: It's considered rude not to drain your glass when drinking a toast.

Miscellaneous observations: Women should not be shocked at apparent sexist or patronizing behavior by male colleagues, such as comments about appearance. Attempted flattery is very much part of Russian culture; political correctness isn't. Shake hands often, and don't be surprised if you get heartily kissed on both cheeks (this applies to men as well as women). Men should avoid sitting with an ankle on a knee. It's customary at business meetings to offer tea, coffee and snacks. Be aware that many restaurants do not have everything that's listed on the menu. And don't be surprised if a coatroom attendant forces you to give up your overcoat at a restaurant or the theater (it's considered uncivilized to wear outdoor clothes inside).

Because Russian drivers tend to ignore traffic lights and park pretty much anywhere they want, it's often faster to walk in the city center, or to take the cheap efficient -- albeit crowded -- metro (subway). If you're driving or walking, it will help you immensely to learn the Cyrillic alphabet so you can decipher street signs. (This isn't as hard as it may seem, because many of the letters are similar to their Roman counterparts.) If you find yourself choosing the metro, take a metro map with you, and make sure you can read the names of the stations in Cyrillic.

Many street names were changed in 1992, and a few older people still refer to the Soviet-era names (for instance, Gorky Street instead of Tverskaya, or Pushkin Street instead of Bolshaya Dmitrovka).

Moscow has one main international airport, Sheremyetevo 2, located to the north of the city, about 45 minutes to an hour by car from the center. Moscow also has several domestic airports, including Sheremyetevo 1, near the international airfield, which serves St. Petersburg and other northern cities. Flights to Siberia and the Central Asian republics generally leave from Domodyedovo, a 90-minute drive southeast from the center, and services to Ukraine and the Caucasus leave from Vnukovo, which is slightly closer, to the southwest of the center. When leaving Moscow, be sure you (and the cabdriver) know which airport you're departing from! The best options for getting from the airport are either hotel vans or people with whom arrangements have been made beforehand -- taxis are expensive and buses are unreliable.

Hotel Courtesy Vans -- Almost all the major hotels will arrange to meet you at the airport for around 240-300 rubles (US$40-$50) and will have a driver hold up a sign with your name on it.

Taxis -- Taxi drivers hang around the arrival hall and proffer their services for high prices (250-350 rubles, US$40-$60). To avoid an argument with a taxi driver and possible excessive charges, make sure the full price is agreed upon before you set foot in a cab. (But be aware that drivers have to pay a heavy cut of their earnings to the local mafia and usually get only one or two fares a day -- the minimum price you can expect is US$40). Airport taxi drivers will take U.S. dollars as payment. They do not expect a tip. However, a shuttle van (particularly if you're in a large group) is a far better idea, or ask your hotel or local contact to pick you up.

Express Buses -- Express buses will take you from the airports to the nearest subway station or to the Air Terminal at Leningradsky Prospekt 39. They're cheap (about 18 rubles, US$3), but crowded and unreliable.

Rental Cars -- Hertz, Avis and Europcar have stands at the airport. There's often a shortage of cars, so reserve early. Bear in mind that traffic is congested, particularly in the city center.

Cars are driven on the right. All road signs are in kilometers, and all the major roads out of the city cross the outer ring road, called the koltsevaya. It was recently reconstructed and enlarged and equipped with new, brighter lights. But, in general, Russia is not a good country for road trips. Moscow's roads are generally in bad shape, and rides are often very bumpy.

The GAI, or traffic police, are notorious for stopping foreign-make and (especially) foreign-registered cars for "document checks." A speeding violation will cost you a bribe of 30-100 rubles (depending on how rich you look); being stopped for drunk driving will cost 100-300 rubles. In general, don't mess with the GAI; they're also known for impounding cars, which mysteriously disappear.

Russian trains are a cheap and efficient alternative to long-distance driving. Nine train stations in Moscow receive trains from different areas of Russia. (Be sure your driver knows which station you're headed to. You can go all the way to China on the Trans-Siberian from Yaroslavsky Station, or hop an overnight to St. Petersburg from Leningradsky Station.) Call the 24-hour Train Information Service at 266-9000 (in Russian only).

Trains leave from the following stations: Byelorussky voksal (trains from Belarus, Poland and the West), on Ploschad Tverskaya Zastava, phone 973-8191; Kazansky (trains from the Urals, Central Asia and western Siberia), Komsomolskaya Ploschad 2, phone 264-6409; Kievsky (trains from the Ukraine), Ploschad Kievskogo Vokzala, phone 240-1115; Kursky (trains from the Caucasus and the Crimea), Ploschad Kurskogo Vokzala, phone 916-2003; Leningradsky (trains from the north and St. Petersburg), Komsomolskaya Ploschad 3, phone 262-9143; Paveletsky (trains from southeastern Russia), Leninskaya Ploschad 1, phone 235-0522; Rizhskiy (trains from the Baltics), Rizhskiy Ploschad, phone 971-1588; Savyolovsky (local trains heading north), Ploschad Savyolovskaya Vokzala, phone 285-9005; and Yaroslavsky (trains from the east and north), Komsomolskaya Ploschad 1, phone 921-5914.

The fare is the same on all Moscow public transport, no matter how far you go or what time of day: 2 rubles a ticket. The price of a monthly pass (yediny) is 210 rubles (US$35). Routes run all over the city; there are 150 metro (subway) stations alone.

Metro -- The Moscow subway is one of the city's greatest achievements. Stations are generally clean and safe. (Many of them, such as Mayakovskaya, Mendeleyevskaya and Kievskaya, are incredible architectural creations themselves, with beautiful mosaics and marble walls.) Buy the green plastic tokens inside the entrance to the station and put one in the turnstile. Or buy one of the new alternatives -- a magnetic card good for 10 rides each (20 rubles) or a magnetic card good for a month (100 rubles). Trains run every two or three minutes, 5 am-1 am. Nine million people use the metro every day -- it's often stiflingly crowded at rush hour.

Buses/Trams/Trolleys -- Fares are based on the honor system: You buy tickets from the driver in blocks of 10 and then punch a ticket using a device on the side of the bus; however, the controllers who check tickets are not often seen. There's no easy way to obtain a schedule, but the routes are posted inside the shelters at bus and trolley stops. Buses, trolleys and trams run 5 or 6 am-11 pm or midnight.

Taxis -- Most Russian taxis have abandoned the meter system, and you must negotiate a price with the driver before getting in. This often leads to exorbitant charges -- better to organize rides through your hotel, which will often have set rates or a Russian speaker to settle the price for you. There is no average taxi rate, but hotel taxis sometimes charge 60 rubles within the Ring Road and 90 rubles outside of it. (Hotel taxis will often take dollars as well as rubles.) Locals just stand by the road and hold out an arm; more often than not, they use unofficial "gypsy" cabs. Women should be careful, especially at night. The taxi mafia that works the airports and the city's train stations charges ridiculous rates, especially when they spot an unsuspecting foreigner. To order a cab (in Russian), call 927-0000, 24 hours a day.

Moscow is now full of private taxi firms, many with just a handful of cars. The biggest company is Maryino (phone 927-0000, Russian only), but even they can take up to an hour to arrive. Some other useful numbers are Taxi Service (phone 203-0427, central Moscow), Taxi-Blues (phone 128-9477, south Moscow), RS-Key (phone 938-7930, north Moscow), Krasnaya Gorka (phone 381-2746, central Moscow). All charge 60-120 rubles per hour. There are no English-speaking taxi companies.

Banking Hours -- Banking hours are generally Monday-Friday 9 am-6 or 7 pm, closed for a lunch break 1-2 pm. Some are open Saturday 9 am-2 pm.

Currency Exchange -- Finding the best exchange rate while the ruble dives and recovers used to be local sport in Moscow, but the ruble has been fairly stable since 1995. Transactions are calculated according to the daily official rate set by Russia's Central Bank.

Getting money in Moscow has been revolutionized by the arrival of ATMs, which can now be found on virtually every major street in the center. The vast majority will dispense money to holders of VISA, MasterCard, Switch, Plus and other cards, just like at home, thereby saving you the trouble of dealing with exchange places or taking cash into the country. Many ATMs dispense dollars as well as rubles.

If you're exchanging money at an official exchange site, you have to show your passport. Cash is much easier to change than traveler's checks, which are not widely accepted outside banks or hotels. Because Russian banks will often refuse to accept old, dirty or torn notes or notes that have been written on, take along only undamaged notes dated 1993 or later. Even banks in international hotels charge up to 5% commission to exchange damaged notes. (However, old US$50 and US$100 bills are still accepted.)

American Express will cash traveler's checks or give you cash if you write them a bank check and show an American Express card. They also have an ATM for cardholders with PIN access. Monday-Friday 10 am-5 pm. Near the U.S. Embassy at Sadovo-Kudrinskaya 21a, phone 755-9001.

Dialog Bank can give you cash if you have a check and an American Express card. It will also exchange money, although generally at poor rates. Daily 8 am-8 pm. In the Radisson Slavjanskaya Hotel, phone 941-8177; at Leninsky Prospect 113/1, phone 956-5533; and at Staropansky Pereulok 4, phone 244-8960.

All of the hotels have exchange services, but you can also buy rubles at hundreds of variously named exchange points, including those in the lobbies of major stores and restaurants. Many are not open 24 hours but do offer much better rates than exchange places in hotels. Many say Exchange on them in English, and they are all guarded. Most are open Monday-Saturday 9 am-7 pm; some are open on Sunday afternoons. A 24-hour exchange point is open next to the Belurosskaya metro station.

Other Tips: Do not change money in any substantial amount at the airport and never change money with a person who approaches you on the street -- anyone offering amazing exchange rates is probably out to swindle you.

Disabled Advisory -- Moscow is not an easy place for disabled people, because there are almost no provisions for disabled access.

Emergency Health Care -- You must speak Russian when dealing with the Russian medical system -- those who don't should go to a Western firm. In case of a medical emergency, contact your embassy or the American Medical Center, phone 956-3366, or the European Medical Center at 251-6099 (night emergency phone 229-6536).

Hospitals -- Simply showing up at a Russian hospital does not necessarily result in your being admitted. Call the American Medical Center 24 hours a day at 956-3366; or call the European Medical Center at 251-6099.

Emergency Pharmacies -- Call the American Medical Center at 956-3366. Two 24-hour pharmacies: one at Smolenskaya Naberezhnaya 2, another at the Seventh Continent supermarket on Bolshaya Lyubyanka 3.

Mail and Package Service -- The Russian postal system is slow and unreliable. You can buy pretty cards, envelopes and stamps at the Central Telegraph office, open 24 hours, at Ulitsa Tverskaya 7, phone 924-4758, but if you want to make sure something gets to its destination quickly, wait until you're out of the country or use one of the courier services listed below. Parcel contents for shipments abroad are rigorously inspected by capricious customs officials who may decide to disallow certain items. Recently published, "nonvaluable" books (in general, books less than 30 years old) are about the only items you can mail out of the country without discussion.

The following express couriers will pick up and deliver: DHL, Monday-Friday 8 am-7 pm, Saturday 8 am-1 pm. Pervy Chernyshevskogo Pereulok 3, phone 956-1001; UPS, Monday-Friday 9 am-6 pm. Krasnopresnenskaya Naberezhnaya 12, phone 253-1937; TNT, Monday-Friday 8 am-6 pm. Tretyi Baltisky Pereulok 3, phone 156-5771 or 156-5760 or 931-9640. Federal Express will pick up only if you have an account with them: Monday-Friday 9 am-6 pm, Saturday 9 am-1 pm. Mezhdunarodnaya Hotel, Krasnopresnenskaya Naberezhnaya 12, phone 253-1641 or 234-3400. For local mail and package delivery, try City Express 2B, phone 200-65-69 or 200-67-45.

English-Language Newspapers and Magazines -- The English-language daily, Moscow Times, and the Moscow Tribune, published Tuesday-Saturday, are free in all major hotels and most foreign-run stores. The Exile, a weekly alternative nightlife and comment paper, is available at the same places and is essential reading for a no-holds-barred view of Russian politics and a hilarious, if outrageous, take on Moscow nightlife. Same-day issues of the International Herald Tribune can be found in most hotels. Try the Radisson Slavjanskaya Hotel's newsstand (daily 8 am-10 pm) for previous-day copies of The Wall Street Journal and English-language magazines: Berezhkovskaya Nabarezhnaya 2, phone 941-8080.

For More Information -- Intourist offers brochures and a map of the city center, including a metro map and a brief city guide in English, for around 6 rubles (US$1). Not the easiest establishment to reach, but its professionals have been in the business longest. Daily 9 am-8 pm. They also offer stock tours. Mokhovaya Ulitsa 13. To organize a tour in English, call 292-1278 or 292-2365.

The best map of Moscow (used by the U.S. Secret Service to plan presidential summits) is The New Moscow City Map and Guide, published by RIS (US$6.95, around 45 rubles). It's available in hotel bookshops throughout the city and from its U.S. publisher by phone (802-223-4955) or fax (802-223-6105).

Entertainment Guides -- Pick up the Friday edition of the English-language Moscow Times, available free in all major hotels and foreign-run stores for theater, opera and ballet listings for the coming week. Also check the alternative news sheet, The Exile, at the same sources.

Many downtown hotels have executive centers with secretarial assistance, photocopiers and fax machines available for their guests. One of the best and biggest is the Americom Business Center (phone 941-8427, open 24 hours) in the Radisson Slavjanskaya Hotel, which has telecommunications facilities, conference and exhibition rooms, and customs offices. Below is a list of additional services.

Note: When doing business in Moscow, keep in mind that the phone system is inefficient and that things can take a lot longer to get done there than elsewhere.

Audiovisual Equipment -- Professional Television Services, a British-run firm, provides filmmaking services. No camera rentals -- the firm does the filming. At Ulitsa Akademika Korolyova 4, Korpus 2, 4th Floor, phone 215-2292.

Cellular-Phone Rental -- It's worth shopping around, since mobile phone costs have fallen rapidly during the past year. Average cost is around 600 rubles (US$100) per week, 2,100 rubles (US$350) per month, including 10-15 minutes a day of local airtime. The biggest and best phone-rental companies are Techmarket on Ulitsa Vosmogo Marta 10/12 (phone 214-3235 or 232-2772) and Eurotelecom on Ulitsa Pervaya Tverskaya-Yamskaya 13 (phone 251-3373 or 251-7076). Other possibilities are Alphacom (phone 948-0450) and Kvasar (phone 232-4559).

Convention Services and Meeting Planning -- The Americom Business Center in the Radisson Slavjanskaya Hotel has conference facilities. Minimum group size of six, maximum of 500. No pickup or delivery. Faxes and international telephones, 24 hours. Hours for conference facilities: Monday-Friday 9 am-6 pm. For such things as consulting services, information database, secretarial services, overhead projectors and translation, office hours are Monday-Friday 10 am-6 pm. Berezhkovskaya Naberezhnaya 2, phone 941-8750.

The newly opened Marriott Grand Hotel on Tverskaya 26 (phone 935-8500) can accommodate up to 500 conferees. The Aerostar Hotel (phone 213-900, ext. 2701) offers conference facilities for 10-300. The Moscow Commercial Club can accommodate from 2-90 people. Monday-Saturday 10 am-8 pm. Bolshaya Kommunisticheskaya Ulitsa 2, phone 274-0081.

Photocopying -- Alphagraphics provides fax and photocopying services. Monday-Friday 9 am-9 pm, Saturday 9 am-6 pm. Two locations: Leningradsky Prospekt 53, phone 258-7500, and Kosmodemyanskaya Naberezhnaya 52, Building 1, Riverside Towers, phone 961-2100, fax 961-2101.

Comstar Business Center also has photocopying services. Monday-Friday 9 am-8 pm. Ulitsa Petrovka 10, Room 301, phone 975-2319. Intergraphics offers fax, photocopying and printing services. Monday-Friday 9 am-9 pm, Saturday 9 am-4 pm. Tverskaya Yamskaya 22, phone 251-1208 or 251-1215.

Secretarial Services -- Your hotel business services department will put you in touch with this kind of service. Or consider Interlingua (phone 205-3696 or 205-3618, fax 205-3703), which provides word processing and other secretarial services as well as translation.

Translators and Interpreters -- Try hotel business services or Fonetics, for interpreting and translation in English, Japanese, German and some Scandinavian languages. Monday-Friday 9 am-6 pm. Semyonovskaya Naberezhnaya 2/1, phone 360-0874.

Globus offers interpreting and document translation in all Western European languages and many Asian languages. Monday-Friday 9 am-6 pm. Call two to three days in advance. Bolshaya Kommunisticheskaya Ulitsa 1/5, phone 911-0947.

WHERE TO STAY

These days, Moscow has a number of good hotels to choose from. Intourist's reign of mediocrity is over, and if you covet luxurious rooms, well-appointed spas and attentive service, you can find it all in Moscow now. The only snag is the lack of moderately priced or inexpensive hotels: Moscow's top hotels are definitely high priced, but if you stray from them, you're very likely to receive substandard quarters and service.

Below is a sampling of accommodations recommended by our correspondents; it is not intended to be a comprehensive list. Expect to pay within the following guidelines for a single room, including the 23% VAT and city tax (note that prices change frequently and that figures are given in U.S. currency equivalents): $ = US$65-$125; $$ = US$125-$200; $$$ = US$200-$300; and $$$$ = more than US$300.

Novotel -- The perfect place to stay if you have an early morning flight, this is the only airport hotel in Moscow. The hotel provides a shuttle service into the city, and rooms have views of the pleasant atrium. There's a good French restaurant with an excellent buffet and an exercise room with sauna and pool. $$$. Sheremyetevo Airport 2, phone 926-7652, fax 926-5903.

The Aerostar -- Conveniently near Sheremyetevo Airport and soccer games at Dinamo Stadium, this Canadian-run hotel is a gray square concrete building on the leafy avenue that leads north from the city. The service is friendly and the restaurants are good. On Fridays and Saturdays they fly in fresh lobster from Nova Scotia (you need to order in advance). There's an exercise room and a sauna. $$$. Leningradsky Prospekt 37, phone 213-9000.

Sofitel Iris Hotel -- Not exactly convenient to the town center, this French-run hotel is in the northern part of the city. But it's in the right direction for the airport and there's a free shuttle to the city center every hour (figure on a 30-minute trip). It's also practically next door to the world-renowned Fyodorov Eye Clinic. The staff is efficient and friendly, the decor pleasant and the French cuisine good. Pool, sauna and exercise room. $$$. Korovinskoye Shosse 10, phone 488-8000, fax 488-8888,

Baltschug Kempinski Moskau -- This immaculate Lufthansa hotel has one of the best locations in Moscow -- just across the river from the Kremlin -- and is largely populated by visiting diplomatic delegations and business travelers. The breakfast is the best in Moscow, and the service is extremely efficient. Ask for a room with a Kremlin view. The spa has a pool, sauna and exercise equipment. $$$$. Ulitsa Baltchuga 1, phone 230-6507, fax 230-6500.

National Hotel -- This historic hotel reopened last year after a major renovation and is now the most popular hotel choice for business travelers and high-end tourists. Lenin stayed there during the revolution, and many of the suites have magnificent turn-of-the-century ceiling paintings and original, antique furniture. Many rooms have views of the Kremlin. The lobby sustains beautifully the building's prerevolutionary splendor. Service is efficient. Six restaurants, including the impressive but overpriced Maxim's -- beloved haunt of city officials and central-casting Russian biznismeni. The National is right next door to the recently completed Manezh Square underground mall and Tverskaya Ulitsa, Moscow's main shopping street. Mokhovaya 15/1, phone 258-7000, fax 258-7100.

The Metropol Inter-Continental -- This Moscow institution, all of its art-nouveau glamour restored, is one of the capital's great landmarks. The central dining hall is one of the most beautiful rooms in Moscow, and the cozy tea room -- Cafe Confectionery -- is a popular place to while away a dreary winter afternoon. The Teatro Restaurant is one of the city's best and a great place for star spotting. The casino has the highest-stakes gambling in Russia. The hotel itself is enormous -- the lobby is always bustling and the corridors are endless. Good exercise room with sauna, pool and massage. $$$$. Teatralny 1-4, opposite the Bolshoi Theater, phone 927-6000 or 927-6640, fax 927-6010.

Marriott Grand Hotel -- Moscow's newest hotel, the Marriott occupies nearly an entire block of Tverskaya Ulitsa. The management is Western, the service friendly and efficient. Rooms are cozy and tastefully decorated. Fitness and business centers are on a par with Western five-star hotels. Excellent restaurants include the traditional Russian one in the basement. Unlike the Metropol or the National, the Marriott emphasizes comfort over Old World charm. $$$-$$$$. Tverskaya Ulitsa 26, phone 935-8500, fax 937-0001.

Sheraton Palace Hotel -- Part of the Austrian Marco Polo chain. Service is excellent. The decor is modern and the rooms are very comfortable. There's a whirlpool in a sunny room on the top floor, plus aerobics and an exercise room. Room rates include breakfast. $$$. Up the road from the Kremlin at Ulitsa Tverskaya Yamskaya 19, phone 956-3152, fax 931-9704 or 931-9708, e-mail palacehotel.sales@ns.co.ru.

Radisson Slavyanskaya -- Not too far from the Kremlin and close to the White House, the seat of the Russian government. Intimate it is not, but it is a convenient place to meet clients. Large business center, rooms that are spartan (and overpriced) and restaurants generally not worth the expense, except for the Exchange, which has the best steaks in Moscow. Its bistro, Cafe Amadeus, is open 24 hours. The health club with its big swimming pool is very popular. $$$. Berezhkovskaya Naberezhnaya 2, phone 941-8020.

Savoy Hotel -- Small and intimate, this was one of the first Western hotels to open in Moscow. Well located on a quiet side street just down from Lubyanka Square. The interior has been lavishly decorated with gilt paint. Paintings of bucolic scenes line the corridors. The bar -- an exquisite room with a gilded balcony and elaborate prerevolutionary chandeliers -- provides a haven of Russian elegance after a hard day of sightseeing. Coffee and cake are served. The dining room is beautiful but expensive, as are the rooms. $$$$. Ulitsa Rozhdenstvenka 3, phone 929-8500, fax 230-2186.

The Renaissance Moscow Hotel -- A big, light, modern building, very efficiently run. The Sunday brunch at the airy Cafe Vienna is the city's favorite, and the exercise club is one of Moscow's best, with a big pool and all the necessary machines. The location is not exactly scenic (north of the center, by the Olympic arena), but it's fairly convenient. $$$$. Olimpisky Prospekt 18/1, phone 931-9000 or 931-9833, fax 931-9876.

Hotel Ukraine -- Part of this huge, Stalin-era skyscraper has been refurbished to something approximating Western standards, though it's still got a ways to go. The security people are somewhat less unfriendly than they used to be. One of the best of the Soviet-era hotels, the Ukraine is probably the best budget option in town. Ask for a room in the tower for a great view of the White House and the Kremlin. $. Kutuzovsky Prospekt 2/1, phone 243-2596, fax 956-2078.

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