“Moscow—as you’ve never seen it
before”—these are the first words
to greet visitors on the website of
MOSS, a new hotel on Krivokolenny Pereulok.
The promise holds true: MOSS takes the local
hotel scene into uncharted waters, boldly blurring
the lines between traditional luxury establishment,
art gallery, and friendly guesthouse.
“MOSS might be the first real boutique hotel
in Moscow,” explains Anna Endrikhovskaya, the
head of MOSS’ concierge service.
“Every small hotel in the city that has fourto
five-star level service wants to call itself a
boutique hotel. But a real boutique hotel is
defined by its location, auteur design based on
a clear concept, owners that take an active part
in the hotel’s life, as well as attentive service,”
adds Endrikhovskaya.
Opened in April by the Adwill company,
MOSS is run by a team of like-minded people,
including developer duo Mikhail Andreyev and
Rustam Topchiev, known for a range of highprofile
projects around the country.
Easy to miss, MOSS occupies a former
maintenance building behind a dilapidated
17th-century house that once belonged to the
Golitsyns, one of Russia’s most prominent aristocratic
families. MOSS. Why MOSS? “It’s soft
to the touch, like everything here, and the word
sounds a bit like Moscow,” says Endrikhovskaya.
The Trud workshop, which is MOSS’ exclusive
partner, produced most of the decorations,
furniture and various objets d’art, which make
MOSS’ interior look like nothing else you’ve
seen. Much of it makes use of the original wood
and nails from the Golitsyn building.