Hotel Metropol

Romance-seekers will heart The Metropol. Built in old-school grand European style, it’s full of wonderfully overblown architectural gestures, including the glorious Metropol Hall, featuring its legendary stained-glass dome and marble and gold fountain. Here, breakfasts fit for a Tsar (and Tsarina) are served with an accompanying live harpist. The hotel’s backstory adds to the air of intrigue, too: Lenin and his comrades commandeered the place after the 1917 Revolution. The 388 guest rooms (including 69 unique luxury suites) leave the more kitsch elements outside, with a more restrained, classic style décor. Pre-dinner cocktails – and prerequisite people watching – are a must at the elegant Art Nouveau Chaliapin Bar, followed by a five-course signature menu at The Savva Restaurant. Executive chef Andry Shmakov (he lists Michelin-starred Noma on his impressive CV) combines modern Russian dishes with a Nordic twist. At around £40, guests don’t have to be a blinged-up oligarch to afford it, either.