Nestled in the heart of Moscow, the intimate five-star Stella di Mosca Hotel offers an unparalleled experience of Italian-style luxurious hospitality. Immersion into a world of generosity, warmth, and comfort, where exceptional service and an abundance of delectable food elevate every moment.
The hotel’s architecture and interior design were crafted by the esteemed Milanese firm Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel (ACPV), renowned for its design works for Bvlgari hotel chain.
The designers’ primary objective was to restore the building’s historic façades on Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street and Sredny and Bolshoy Kislovsky Lanes. They achieved this by meticulously analyzing archival photographs and documents to preserve the building’s original architecture as closely as possible. To connect the building, a cozy courtyard, reminiscent of an Italian palazzo, was created.
The interior of the hotel exudes contemporary Italian design, characterized by its laconic and slightly austere aesthetic, yet imbued with a sense of luxury and elegance in every detail. The core principles of Italian design revolve around light, space, and emotion. Each room, including the suites, is bathed in light and harmoniously designed. A diverse range of finishing materials is employed, with a primary focus on light tones and tactile textures, such as wood, genuine leather, silk, velvet, Guatemalan marble, and numerous custom-made furniture and interior items from esteemed Italian factories. Notably, the hotel features sketches by the renowned St. Petersburg artist of the Silver Age, Léon Bakst.
The proximity of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, with its historic facades and the enchanting sound of classical music, contributes to a unique aesthetic, a harmonious blend of two cultures: Russian and Italian.
A weekend stay at this place completely immerses you in its atmosphere, making you feel like you’ve been transported to an Italian setting, despite being in central Moscow.
Rooms and Suites
The hotel boasts 65 rooms and suites, including the Presidential Suite, the largest and most luxurious. There are eight room categories, many of which can be combined with adjoining rooms to accommodate families.
Each room boasts large panoramic windows, an elegant layout, and the refined sophistication of the Bvlgari brand. They are equipped with state-of-the-art amenities, such as luxurious beds, a pillow menu, a walk-in closet, and spacious bathrooms featuring all necessary toiletries and premium perfumes.
Moments of Tranquility and Pleasure
At the entrance of the hotel on Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street, you’ll discover the La Cioccolateria chocolate boutique. The boutique’s primary suppliers are small cocoa plantations in Central America and Asia, personally selected by the master chocolatier, Wilfried André Auvel.
Miniature chocolates are served complimentary with coffee and also as a welcome gift in the room.
On the ground floor, guests are greeted by a spacious lobby lounge that serves as the heart of the hotel. This inviting space offers a cozy atmosphere for relaxation, with a bar, where guests can enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, savor light snacks, engage in friendly conversations, or even hold business meetings.
Another hotel highlight is its library, an ideal spot to relax and browse through a collection of books or read a newspaper or magazine. From here, glass doors lead to the hotel’s courtyard, which boasts a magnificent garden.
The Flavors of Italy
The hotel’s crown jewel is its Italian restaurant, IL Ristorante. This intimate and elegant space offers exquisite cuisine prepared by Chef Manuel Pisu.
A native of Sardinia, Chef Pisu has honed his culinary skills in some of Italy’s finest establishments and the Côte d’Azur. His dishes are a delightful journey through his childhood memories, reimagined and presented in the most daring and creative ways.
In the mornings, the restaurant serves delectable a la carte breakfasts. In warm weather, guests can enjoy their morning meal al fresco in the charming courtyard.
The breakfast menu offers a delightful selection of dishes, including porridge, pancakes, egg dishes, fresh pastries, fruit, coffee, tea, and refreshing Prosecco.
King Crab Croissant;
Breazola, spinach, pine nuts;
Brioche bruschetta, avocado, salmon gravlax, and béarnaise sauce;
The crepes are definitely worth checking out—thin and tender, with a variety of fillings.
With tuna tartare, sour cream, and salmon caviar;
With beef carpaccio, arugula, and cacio e pepe sauce;
And the traditional ones with red caviar and sour cream.
Egg dishes are also very creative, and you can add toppings from the suggested list.
Omelet, burrata, cherry tomatoes, pesto. Red shrimp adds a more vibrant flavor.
Omelet, Kamchatka crab, Parmesan mousse
Poached eggs with truffle and Parmesan
From the porridge section:
Millet porridge with berries and white chocolate could easily serve as a dessert
Everyone’s favorite sweet section:
Cottage heesecake, vanilla custard, orange
Freshly baked goods — croissant, pain au chocolat, Danish pastry
Assorted fresh seasonal fruits
As the evening unfolds, IL Ristorante transforms into an even more elegant establishment, bathed in a softly subdued ambiance. This is the ideal setting to savor Manuel Pisu’s signature dishes, accompanied by a glass of exquisite wine.
Starters:
Vitello tonnato;
Octopus carpaccio;
Catalan-style King crab salad;
Paired with a rosé wine, ALPILLES, DOMAINE DE VALDITION 2019 Provence, France.
We opted for one of the restaurant’s favorites from the extensive pasta selection for our main course.
Kalamarata cacio e pepe with shrimp
A glass of SASSI CHIUSI BERTINGA 2022, Toscana, Italy, was a perfect match for the dish.
Wellness & Spa
The hotel’s basement is home to an exclusive 1400-square-meter spa, featuring a range of relaxation areas. These include a Russian banya, Finnish sauna, Turkish hammam, Roman steam room, jacuzzi, and a 25-meter swimming pool adorned with mesmerizing green and gold mosaics.
For those seeking a workout, the hotel boasts a modern fitness center equipped with the latest Technogym equipment. It also has a separate room dedicated to yoga and Pilates.
Guests and city residents can indulge in eight spacious massage rooms, including a luxurious couples’ suite with a private Jacuzzi. For an additional fee, professional therapists offer a variety of treatments, from full-body massages to facials using individually selected skincare products from renowned global brands such as Anne Semonin, QMS Medicosmetics, and Ligne St. Barth. These products are designed to promote deep relaxation, restore skin tone, and impart a youthful, radiant glow.
The quote by Oscar Wilde, an Irish writer and poet, aptly describes the hotel: “I have simple tastes, and the best is quite enough for me.”
Stella di Mosca
Address: Bolshaya Nikitskaya St., 9, Moscow
Instagram: @stelladimosca
Text: Marina Timo
Photo courtesy: EATWEEKGUIDE
