I stayed at the Katerina Park for 4 nights in mid-November 2011. It's a pleasant, well-kept budget hotel similar to a Comfort Inn or a Super 8 in the U.S. Here are a few specifics.
LOCATION. Like other reviewers have noted, this hotel is not exactly in the middle of things in Moscow. However, it is definitely within walking distance of 2 different Metro stations ("Prazhskaya" is closest at 3 minutes by foot; "Yuzhnaya" is more like 7 minutes; both are at the bottom of the Grey line). The Metro will deliver you to the immediate vicinity of Red Square in about half an hour; just beware of the rush hour crowds.
ROOMS. Mine was a standard room, small but clean and comfortable. Of course, I happen to like firm beds and flat pillows; someone else might not. The walls are thin - the 2 a.m. lovemaking next door sounded like they were in the same bed as me - but that's common at many budget hotels. The shower stall could use a grip bar - when I slipped, there was little to grab on to. The heated towel rack was a nice touch.
AMENITIES. The "free mini-bar" should probably be called a "free snack bar" - it contains a couple of water bottles, some soda, juice, and a few vending-machine-type snacks. Not that I'm complaining - it's nice to get something for free in Moscow - but the term "mini-bar" can be somewhat deceiving. The WiFi is free throughout the hotel; it's not super-fast, but it gets the job done. There is an ATM machine on premises.
FOOD. The free breakfast buffet is probably the biggest and best you've seen anywhere. The food is delicious and presented in an appealing way. The 24-hour bar in the lobby is nice. I did not have a chance to try any food from the restaurant/room service.
STAFF. Courteous, professional, helpful, and multilingual.
BOTTOM LINE. You definitely get your money's worth at Katerina Park, as long as you realize it's 30-45 minutes away from anywhere and bring earplugs.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
5 December 2011
Dear guest, thank you for taking time to review our hotel! It is good to hear that you enjoyed your stay, liked the service and the breakfast. Thank you also for writing valuable advice to fellow travelers about Location and metro, and I think your “bottom line” sums up what we offer up really well.
We will consider calling the included mini-bar a snack-bar, if it adds more clarity – then why not? Same with grip bar in the shower.
Again, thank you for taking time to share you experience, hope to see you again soon! Katerina Cronstedt, Managing Director Katerina Hotels
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC