NEWS

Ayano Houdochi

Moscow's hotels have no reason to celebrate the upcoming break as the New Year's holidays see their bread-and-butter customers - foreigners - stay at home.

Anna Amosova, head of the press service of the National Hotel, said that room occupancy rates during the New Year's holidays usually fall about 25 per cent, as foreign visitors prefer to go home to celebrate Christmas and New Year's with family and friends. And in January the "dead season" arrives, she added.

"At the moment, occupancy rates at our hotel are nearly 100 per cent, because we are now at the peak of the season," RIA Novosti Real Estate quoted Amosova as saying last week. "However, the number of guests decreases sharply from Dec. 20 as foreigners start leaving for home."

She also stressed that the number of foreigners in most Moscow hotels comprises about 85 per cent of guests, and added that "all five-star hotels agree about this number".

Georges Chauve, general manager of Radisson Slavyanskaya, agreed, saying that room-occupancy rates, especially with foreigners, are "moderate" during the festive season.

However, he added that this year the Radisson Slavyanskaya expects more visitors from the regions of Russia.

Meanwhile, Yelena Gorbunova, press manager of the Baltschug Kempinski hotel said that it's too early to make definite predictions.

"Traditionally, occupancy is 70 to 100 per cent, and we expect the same this year," she said. According to her data, the ratio of foreign guests and guests from the Russian regions during the New Year's holidays is divided equally.

Deputy general director of Intourist Hotel Group, Alexander Polyakov, hoped that even if the winter period does not bring the same results as bumper 2007-08 season, the situation would at least be better than last year, when many reservations for groups and company party events were cancelled at the last minute.

According to Polyakov, the number of rooms booked for the holidays is gradually increasing, and has already exceeded last year's figures.

New Budget

Gorbunova said that over the winter holidays, Baltschug Kempinski in Moscow will be offering special prices - the cost of rooms for those who stay for New Year's Eve range from 9,900 roubles a day, while such accommodation would normally cost 11,900 roubles a day.

Amosova, however, said that the National is not offering any special discounts for the holidays - the cost of rooms will remain the same, from 13,000 to 85,000 roubles a day, depending on the category of rooms.

"However, we will be offering a special celebration on New Year's Eve, and tickets to this event costs 23,000 roubles," she added. "Those who buy these tickets will get a 60 per cent discount for rooms at the hotel that night."

Walrus swimming vs. banquet

On New Year's Eve, guests at local hotels will not go without appropriate entertainment, said everyone that the RIA Novosti Real Estate service spoke with.

"On New Year's Eve, we have always hosted special celebrations in the rooms overlooking the Kremlin," Amosova of the National said. "This year, our guest will be the world-famous violinist Vanessa Mae."

In addition, she said that guests will be offered Catholic and traditional Russian menus. All rooms will also come with small symbolic gifts.

Gorbunova of Baltschug Kempinski Moscow also promised much pomp and splendour as well as surprises at the hotel's New Year's celebrations.

At the Radisson Slavyanskaya, no special events are being planned, as the festive holidays are a quiet time for hotels.

"However, we do plan to organise a big celebration for all our employees, as well as a big Christmas party for their children," Chauve said.

Polyakov also noted that despite the wide-spread belief that spending New Year's Eve at a hotel is prohibitively expensive, often celebrations at a hotel turn out to be much more interesting than at a restaurant.

"For example, at the concert hall of the Cosmos hotel in Moscow, every year there are theatrical performances and festive New Year's celebrations for the children," Polyakov said. "And in the Golden Ring Hotel, we organise celebrations in the best of Russian traditions - all sorts of fun, riding on troika sleighs and walrus ice swimming."