In 2007-10, the Radisson Royal Hotel, Moscow (formerly the Hotel Ukraina) underwent a $300 million transformation from Soviet behemoth to internationally branded luxury hotel. Now the hotel is rebuilding its training system to bring customer service up to world-class levels, with a "Russian twist." In 2007-10, the Radisson Royal Hotel, Moscow (formerly the Hotel Ukraina) underwent a $300 million transformation from Soviet behemoth...

The $982.5 million sale of four development properties, including two luxury hotels, is moving Bidzina Ivanishvili a step closer to becoming a presidential candidate in Georgia and the Gutseriyev-Shishkhanov family closer to seizing the luxury hotel market in Moscow. The $982.5 million sale of four development properties, including two luxury hotels, is moving Bidzina Ivanishvili a step closer to becoming a presidential candidate in Georgia and...

The Finance Ministry’s latest proposals on luxury taxes put the rate for real estate at 0.05 percent to 0.3 percent, while owners of cars with engines of 410 horsepower or more will also be paying more — a rate that will affect less than 2 percent of all cars in the country. Correction appended The Finance Ministry’s latest proposals on luxury taxes put the rate for real estate at 0.05 percent to 0.3 percent, while owners of cars with engines of 410 horsepower or more will also be paying...

Tourism industry website TripAdvisor recently ranked Moscow fourth on its list of "15 destinations on the rise," and the Moscow government will invest $11 million into developing tourism in the city this year. The capital is also undergoing a massive beautification project to increase the total area of city parks fivefold in the next five years. Tourism industry website TripAdvisor recently ranked Moscow fourth on its...

The hospitality industry, traditionally more focused on the physical product, is waking up to a consumer who is demanding consistent delivery of the brand promise and, in the upscale to luxury segments, will define a successful brand as much as the finer points of the product design. Konstantin Goriainov Senior General Manager Holiday Inn Moscow Lesnaya and Holiday Inn Moscow Suschevsky The hospitality industry, traditionally more focused on the physical product, is waking up to a consumer who...

Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow Situated just down the street from the Hotel National and near the Bolshoi Theater, the Ararat has been undergoing renovations and remodeling its rooms with contemporary designs by architect Tony Chi. The hotel's 211 rooms, including 26 suites, feature technology such as touch-free lighting controls and iPod docking stations. Inside the hotel are dining options such as an Armenian restaurant, as well as a spa. Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow The Baltschug Kempinski offers...

One of the oldest cities in Siberia, Krasnoyarsk boasts sights like picturesque churches and fountains with dazzling night lighting. But none of them can compare to its main attraction — majestic Siberian nature. Krasnoyarsk Population: 990,600, according to the 2011 census. Its 1 millionth resident was born in early April. Acting mayor: Edkham Akbulatov Founded in 1628 as a military prison. Interesting fact: The major symbols of Krasnoyarsk — the Chapel of Paraskeva...

A startup company is offering a quick and clean taxi service in Moscow, where pickup is often slow and quality inconsistent. A startup company is offering a quick and clean taxi service in Moscow, where pickup is often slow and quality inconsistent. InTaxi is a website and application that people can use to order cabs straight from their smartphones. It looks a bit like the Uber service in the United States, which launched in June 2010 to connect customers with drivers...

A Facebook page dedicated to Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill was launched Tuesday to feed growing interest in the divisive religious figure who has embodied the church's thickening ties with newly inaugurated President Vladimir Putin. A Facebook page dedicated to Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill was launched Tuesday to feed growing interest in the divisive religious figure who has embodied the church's thickening ties with newly inaugurated President Vladimir Putin....

... Rights, what human rights? Plus there are free books about carpets. Compared with Moscow's bleak Olympic stadium, the Crystal Hall is an extremely plush venue and the most- favored contestants, including those from Britain, France and Azerbaijan, are luxuriating in suites at the Hilton. With high ticket prices and an army of beige- blazered security, the event feels like some kind of cocktail gala for the elite. And possibly it is the last orgy before someone wonders whether Eurovision could possibly...

The composition of the new government makes for an interesting story. The composition of the new government makes for an interesting story. First, the appointments were made only after a long delay. Before leaving for the Group of Eight summit at Camp David two weeks ago, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev left his list of candidates with President Vladimir Putin. At that point, Putin struggled hard over the choices and finally settled on the final list of names. But apparently only...

Last week, lawyer Dagir Khasavov — who serves as an adviser to Federation Council Senator Valentina Petrenko, a member of the All-Russia People's Front — called for the creation of Sharia courts in Russia and promised to "fill the city with blood" if it does not happen. He also called for Russia's entry into the future caliphate. Last week, lawyer Dagir Khasavov — who serves as an adviser to Federation Council Senator...

When Yury Yelashkin first encountered a camper van on holiday in Germany, it seemed like a somewhat alien concept. When Yury Yelashkin first encountered a camper van on holiday in Germany, it seemed like a somewhat alien concept. "You know when you see a yacht or something, and there is a mental barrier saying 'That's not for me' — you just don't associate yourself with it," he said. "Then when I tried it — it was eye opening." Since then, he...

... The symbolic value of the meeting didn't mean the Cabinet had a lax agenda. It approved a tax maneuver that Putin touted during his campaign. The change envisages a higher tax burden on businesses that extract natural resources and those who lead a luxurious lifestyle, while providing the incentive of lower taxes in some other areas. As part of the package, the Cabinet approved steady increases of the tax on natural gas production that will affect both the cash cow Gazprom and smaller rivals not...

Clouds of hashish and cigarette smoke float across a screen showing a dancing Pakistani woman, who evokes yowls of excitement from the hundreds of Afghan men passing their time in one of the capital's rundown cinemas. KABUL, Afghanistan — Clouds of hashish and cigarette smoke float across a screen showing a dancing Pakistani woman, who evokes yowls of excitement from the hundreds of Afghan men passing their time in one of the capital's rundown...

Russia is betting on a gambling and entertainment zone near its eastern port city of Vladivostok to lure investors who have spent big bucks on casinos that cater to Asian gamblers in the likes of Macau and Singapore, in particular cash-flush Chinese. MACAU — Russia is betting on a gambling and entertainment zone near its eastern port city of Vladivostok to lure investors who have spent big bucks on casinos that cater to Asian gamblers in the...

... Stalin-era documentaries projected onto the wall, are newspaper and magazine spreads with fashion advice, sketches and sewing patterns on how to craft black lace gloves, a demure dark blue dress with a lacy collar and a chic velvet dress topped with a luxurious silver fox stole tied with black silk ribbons. The display also includes a bottle of the iconic Stalin-era perfume, Krasnaya Moskva (Red Moscow) — a legend in itself — which embodies the scent of fashion and was coveted by millions...

At an elite gated community in the Moscow region called Angelovo, some residents believe that they are overcharged, some want to form a committee and three of them walk a kilometer from the gate to their house because the family’s relations with management are so frayed. At an elite gated community in the Moscow region called Angelovo, some residents believe that they are overcharged, some want to form a committee and three of them walk a kilometer from the gate to their house because the family’s...

... gone through so many problems. Now each of the workers here is a hero. At times they've had to work without getting a paycheck." The paper will celebrate its anniversary with a reception in central Moscow but otherwise says it allows itself no luxuries. In many ways, Pravda seems stuck in the past. A large bust of Lenin greets anyone entering the newspaper's offices. Busts of Karl Marx and Soviet dictator Josef Stalin rest on a cabinet behind the editor's desk. Marxist literature lines the...

With emerald eyes and a colossal, caramel-colored Afro, Ilya Varlamov doesn't look like a typical Siberian mayor. Varlamov Exits Omsk Race With emerald eyes and a colossal, caramel-colored Afro, Ilya Varlamov doesn't look like a typical Siberian mayor. Nor does he have the resume. An architect by training, Varlamov runs iCube, a creative advertising and development agency. But he's best known for his photo blog , one of the country's most popular, which features frequent criticism of the government...