I always wanted to stay in the centre of Moscow. During that trip, the forecast drew quiet frosty days and I wanted to walk, look in the courtyards and beautiful buildings and didn’t want to spend an hour on a one-way trip.
Hotels in the centre are traditionally expensive, but there are many hostels. I have never stayed either in the centre of Moscow or in a hostel in Russia. I had a double new experience: in the centre and a close community.
Moscow, if you turn from Chistoprudny Boulevard to Arkhangelsky Lane and Fasol Hostel.
I chose the hostel using the method of directional improvisation, choosing randomly from the list of the best hostels in Moscow. I liked the name Fasol and the place in Arkhangelsky Lane. At the very point where traditional and Chistoprudnaya Moscow turns into Moscow of tenement houses right behind Menshikovaya Tower. The atmosphere here is different and you can find well courtyards which remind of St. Petersburg. But the road past the typical Moscow mansions to the Kitay-gorod underground station will not let you forget where you are. Thus, I got one Fasol hostel and two different Moscows at a distance of 6 minutes walk from Chistye Prudy station and 10 minutes from Kitay-gorod.
Fasol is situated among the tenement houses and old office buildings. I can only assume that these offices were related to the pharmaceutical firm “V.K.Ferrein” located here in the XIX century.
“Fasol Hostel” internet search automatically brings you to the English-language page. It is clear that the webpage is oriented on the foreign guests who are looking for the most central location. Now all the hostels offer the same set of services and level of comfort. The difference is in performance and details. In Fasol I was greeted with a friendly welcome, they gave me the slippers, showed me a shoe rack and, after finding out that was the first time of mine staying here, the host told me about the rules of the hostel. Either because of the slippers, or because there were not too many people, or because of the care of the staff or because of everything it turned out to be very clean. It feels like the main guests today are unusually quiet Chinese tourists.
I chose a bed in the female room for 4 without looking at the photos as a surprise for myself. It turned out to be a small room in a supercharged attic floor. It’s simple but convenient. I was alone, but I found someone else living in the room. I felt a little uncomfortable, but I imagined myself a traveller in a compartment. Basically, you can book a whole room with friends or family and live on your own.
I like the dormer window and the way it’s decorated. On the day I arrived, there was a whole squadron of government helicopters flying over the centre. They were heard as if they want to land on the roof. So I was afraid if it can happen. By the evening, the air show was over. There was no suspicious noise at night. Except for my roommate. It was like on a train: she came in when I was sleeping, I left when she was sleeping.
It’s like there’s everything you need, including a hairdryer.
I don’t know if there are enough seats and sinks when the hostel is fully loaded, as it was at the FIFA World Cup in summer, but now I have met a person only once in this area. Talking about nuances: being 170 height I had to bend over to see myself in the mirror. On the attic floor, the ceilings aren’t high and in the washbasin are very low. Tall people should ask to be placed on another floor. Seems to be the only possible problem I’ve encountered here.
Common area on the ground floor. It combines the kitchen and workspace. Scotch and pens are on the table. You should write the expiration date on the products if there is a need to store something in a special guest fridge. There are enough sockets both in the room and here, under the countertop.
An important little thing to me is the parking lot. Actually, sometimes it’s easier and cheaper to get to Moscow by car, but it’s not always easy to find parking. In Fasol there is a possibility to park for free if you inform in advance.
Numbers:
The price of one night in a four-bed room – 680 rubbles per person.
The price of breakfast – 200 rubbles.
Price of pizza in the cafe at the hostel – 300 rubbles.
On departure, the employee gave me a promotional code card with a 10% discount for the next order. I think I’ll keep it.
I was drinking tea and saying Hi every minute! It is customary here to say hello to everyone and I was the only Russian-speaking guest on that day. After the break, I decided to have a walk and enjoy unusually quiet and sunny morning Moscow.
I went out to Armyansky Lane and missed a turn. Thanks to this I saw the Museum of Lantern Lights of Moscow and the mansion, where the Embassy of Armenia is located.
Back to Malyj Zlatoustinskij Lane. Cells and something else – under a glass cover of a tombstone of XVI – XVII centuries were preserved from the ancient Zlatoustinsky monastery. I was lucky because someone opened the sash and I was able to see them.
At night, a ghostly image is projected on the sidewall of the monastery building, it looks fresh and beautiful. Further along the lane, there is the house and school of architect Matvei Kazakov, it is his urban manor.
I turned to Bolshoj Zlatoustinskij and saw how richly the famous house of Khvoshinsky is decorated. But I didn’t have enough time for details. I joined Maroseyka’s crowd and went down to the Kitay-gorod underground station.
Section “Blogger’s sketches about hostels in Moscow”
