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Moscow

Safmar Aurora Luxe: a spacious room and an evening in Moscow

04.10.2026 Inspector: Петр Сидоров 6 min read

At a glance

Key strength

The central Moscow location and spacious room.

Point to consider

Wi-Fi did not work for me; the changing room felt dated and the sauna was closed.

Arriving at Safmar Aurora Luxe, I really felt that I was in the heart of Moscow. By evening, the location had come into its own: the lights, music and an unhurried walk through the city became a memorable part of my stay.

Check-in and first impressions

I did not see the name “Safmar” on the sign, so I asked the security staff at the entrance whether I had come to the right hotel. They confirmed that I had. The entrance itself was convenient, with no steps.

Two women were working at the reception desk, and there was no queue. The receptionist greeted me, asked whether I had a booking and requested my passport. She immediately explained that breakfast was served on the second floor from 7 to 11 a.m., and told me about the lobby bar, spa and fitness room on the basement level.

In the lobby, I looked up and spent a moment admiring the ceiling. The decoration was beautiful. A large lift took me to my floor, and I liked its design too.

The corridor was clean and unexpectedly long. I kept walking before I finally reached my door. Still, I could see an advantage to having a room so far along it: fewer guests would be passing by.

The hotel entrance, with no steps.
The hotel entrance, with no steps.
The stained-glass ceiling and chandelier in the lobby.
The stained-glass ceiling and chandelier in the lobby.
The lobby and reception desk.
The lobby and reception desk.
Seating in the lobby.
Seating in the lobby.
The first-floor gallery.
The first-floor gallery.
The staircase in the lobby.
The staircase in the lobby.
The spacious lift cabin.
The spacious lift cabin.
The lift on a guest-room floor.
The lift on a guest-room floor.
The landing on a guest-room floor.
The landing on a guest-room floor.
The indoor atrium in the evening.
The indoor atrium in the evening.
The passage from the landing to the corridor.
The passage from the landing to the corridor.
The long corridor leading to my room.
The long corridor leading to my room.
The door to room 520.
The door to room 520.

The room: plenty of space and a separate area for belongings

Inside, the room was clean and spacious. Both the entrance hall and the main room were large. On the right was a separate small space with a wardrobe. I liked this arrangement: suitcases and belongings could be tucked away there, keeping the main room clear.

The bed was comfortable, the linen was clean and there were four pillows. Sounds from the corridor carried clearly into the room, but I had a good night and slept well.

Compared with the bedroom, the bathroom felt small, but it was clean and pleasant. At first I had reservations about the decor, but after taking another look I changed my mind: it simply had its own design style.

Mobile reception was a problem. The signal regularly dropped in the room, and one of my phone calls was cut off. I also had reception problems while walking around central Moscow that evening, so I associate them with the area. Trying the hotel Wi-Fi did not help either: I could not get it to work.

The spacious entrance hall in the room.
The spacious entrance hall in the room.
The separate wardrobe alcove.
The separate wardrobe alcove.
Looking towards the entrance door and wardrobe.
Looking towards the entrance door and wardrobe.
An overview of the room, with its bed and armchair.
An overview of the room, with its bed and armchair.
The large bed with four pillows.
The large bed with four pillows.
The desk, chair and television in the room.
The desk, chair and television in the room.
An armchair and table by the window.
An armchair and table by the window.
The picture above the bed.
The picture above the bed.
The desk and room amenities.
The desk and room amenities.
Water, glasses and power sockets by the desk.
Water, glasses and power sockets by the desk.
The minibar and drink-making supplies.
The minibar and drink-making supplies.
The wardrobe, with a bathrobe and ironing equipment.
The wardrobe, with a bathrobe and ironing equipment.
The iron and hangers in the wardrobe.
The iron and hangers in the wardrobe.
The safe in the wardrobe.
The safe in the wardrobe.
The view from the window into the hotel’s interior.
The view from the window into the hotel’s interior.
The bathroom, with a bathtub and basin.
The bathroom, with a bathtub and basin.
Toiletries in the bathroom.
Toiletries in the bathroom.
The bathtub and shower fittings.
The bathtub and shower fittings.
The toilet area in the bathroom.
The toilet area in the bathroom.

The spa: a good pool, a dated changing room and a staff member’s smile

Finding the spa was not entirely straightforward. I am used to taking a lift down to the basement, but there were no buttons below the first floor here. After getting out on the first floor, I noticed a separate door and went downstairs.

Downstairs, a member of staff handed me a towel, asked me to sign and reminded me that the wet area closed at 10:30 p.m.

The changing room disappointed me. It reminded me of a sanatorium from the early 2000s, and I had expected something different from a five-star hotel. I then found out that the sauna was closed for technical reasons.

The pool, however, was a pleasure. It was large enough for a proper swim, and no other guests were there during my visit. The water felt slightly cool, but comfortable for active swimming. Afterwards, I spent a little time warming up in the hammam.

As I left, the member of staff smiled and wished me a good evening. That simple smile softened my impression of the changing room considerably. Small gestures of attention like this are something I particularly appreciate in hotel service.

Lockers and a bench in the spa changing room.
Lockers and a bench in the spa changing room.
Basins and hairdryers in the changing room.
Basins and hairdryers in the changing room.
The pool during my visit.
The pool during my visit.
The hammam in the spa.
The hammam in the spa.

An evening walk

I went out for a walk in the evening, and the location became one of the highlights of my stay. All around me were the lights and music of central Moscow. I could simply stroll without rushing and enjoy the atmosphere.

The architecture of central Moscow in the evening.
The architecture of central Moscow in the evening.
Trees and the street in the evening.
Trees and the street in the evening.
Illuminated shop windows during my walk.
Illuminated shop windows during my walk.
A street clock in the evening.
A street clock in the evening.
A pedestrian street under strings of lights.
A pedestrian street under strings of lights.
Central Moscow under blue lighting.
Central Moscow under blue lighting.
An illuminated facade during my evening walk.
An illuminated facade during my evening walk.
A street sculpture made of mirrored spheres.
A street sculpture made of mirrored spheres.

Breakfast

I enjoyed breakfast: the food was tasty, and the setting was beautiful.

The hotel atrium in the morning.
The hotel atrium in the morning.
Green plants inside the hotel.
Green plants inside the hotel.
Cereals and breakfast accompaniments.
Cereals and breakfast accompaniments.
The decoration of one of the breakfast areas.
The decoration of one of the breakfast areas.

Booking

I stayed for one night, from 14 to 15 September 2026. Through Yandex Travel, I booked a deluxe room with one large bed. Breakfast for one guest was included in the rate.

Would I return?

Yes, I would return. I liked the spacious room, comfortable bed, pool, tasty breakfast and the chance to step straight out for an evening walk in central Moscow. The spa changing room disappointed me, the sauna was closed during my visit and I could not get the Wi-Fi to work. Those drawbacks remained part of the experience, but they did not change my wish to come back.