Published on: 2026-10-03
Source: Moscow Government – Правительства Москвы –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Applications are still being accepted for the Moscow Government Award “Guiding Star”. It is awarded annually to representatives of the tourism and hospitality sectors — including hotel and restaurant businesses, cultural organizations, innovative services, and media projects. This year, winners will be announced in 36 categories, nearly half of which are new. Applications can be submitted until October 9, and the results will be announced in December.
Last year’s winners shared how participating in the award influences project development, recognition, and audience trust.
Recognition and personal victory
The guide and Moscow expert Vitaly Kalashnikov won the “Best Blogger about Moscow” award in 2025. According to him, mentioning the award in his account significantly increased his credibility and status.
“ Any competition invigorates and motivates, even if you are confident in your abilities. It is a great opportunity to sum up interim results and see yourself from the outside. Moreover, such awards form a community of professionals. The high level of the competition, the authority of the jury members, and the truly metropolitan scale endow participants with a sense of belonging to the cohort of the best of the best. And, to be honest, colleagues start looking at you differently.“, — Vitaly Kalashnikov shared.
The blogger advises future participants to cast aside doubts and try their hand. According to him, no one will learn about the work if you don’t promote yourself, and “Putyevodnaya Zvezda” offers a wide range of categories for this.
The best urban public space last year was the network of district centers “Meeting Place.” Today, it includes 26 multifunctional facilities, which are visited by four million Muscovites every month. Galina Funina, Director of Public Relations at ADG group, noted that the company has been participating in the competition for several years. It is an opportunity to make a name for themselves and share their accumulated expertise.
“ The award became an independent assessment by the professional community, which strengthened trust in us from partners and visitors. Such awards increase the recognition of projects and provide the market with a platform for exchanging experience. Today, district centers make the city more attractive not only for Muscovites but also for tourists, which we sincerely appreciate.“, — Galina Funina said.
Projects in the restaurant industry hold a special place among the nominations, having gone beyond basic service to become a full-fledged part of the tourist product. Today, people plan trips to other cities specifically for a good restaurant or an interesting gastronomic space. The “Guiding Star” places such projects on the same level as the main attractions of the capital.
In 2025, the grand café “Dr. Zhivago” was named the best restaurant based on the results of the competition. Inga Devyatkina, the director of the establishment, noted that it was fundamentally important for the team to receive recognition from the entire hospitality industry.
“ The critic comes for the kitchen. But “Guiding Star” looks at the bigger picture: how the restaurant works with the guest, how it integrates into the city, the reasons people come to you. We are located in the very center of Moscow, and a significant portion of our guests are tourists from other regions and countries. For them, dining with us is part of the city experience. When a project gains recognition, the whole team feels it. The strongest impression after the ceremony was not even on stage, but the next day, when people talked about it among themselves in the kitchen. The award does not automatically bring guests, but it acts as a trust filter. A person planning a trip to Moscow and choosing between several restaurants can’t check every one — they need a guide. The laureate status becomes such a guide. Besides, the victory disciplines: when you are named the best, you cannot lower the bar.“ — commented Inga Devyatkina.
In her opinion, preparing an application helps to review the project and formulate its distinctions. Such an analysis is useful regardless of the outcome. “And to win means the next day to go to work and do the same thing, only better,” notes the grand café director.
The “Alenka” coffee shop chain won the award for “Best Coffee Shop” in 2025. Ekaterina Cheremisina, the brand’s marketing director, noted that the award provided a powerful incentive for the chain’s development. According to her, only one project out of a hundred receives such a title. In addition to prestige, the victory helps introduce the cafe not only to locals but also to tourists in Moscow, as well as to highlight Russia’s cultural values.
For those who are still considering applying, Ekaterina Cheremisina advises definitely participating. She notes that such awards provide an opportunity to announce the business, talk about its advantages and achievements, and after winning — share this news with guests.
Moscow’s cultural projects and institutions became winners of the hospitality award “Guiding Star”
A large-scale project is presented on the mos.ru portal special project, dedicated to the development of key areas of Moscow. Among them are transport, industry, healthcare, education, sports, and construction. The special project helps to learn how the capital has changed over the past years, what initiatives aimed at making residents’ lives even more comfortable are currently being implemented, and what awaits Moscow and its inhabitants in the near future.
On the project page “Culture, Heritage and Leisure Industry” you can learn about how architectural monuments are preserved in the capital.
Moscow is the center of the country’s cultural life and holds one of the leading positions among megacities in terms of the number of museums and exhibition halls. The city has created a film cluster that combines the ‘Moskino’ film factory on Ryazansky Avenue, the Gorky Film Studio, and the ‘Moskino’ film park.
Quickly get the main news on the official Moscow city channels in messengers “Max” and “Telegram”.
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