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Headlines like this, “In a City of Over Ten Million, Only Five-Star Hotels Are a Near-Safe Bet “ point to Moscow’s dismal position as a tourist town.

Russia Profile reports that Russia, unlike Paris or London, has an over-demand for hotel rooms and not enough hotels to satisfy tourism:

Many travelers, both foreign and non-foreign, find Moscow to be an unwelcoming place for tourists. So why are hotel prices here so exorbitant? The answer is obvious: demand is still outnumbering supply. There are only about 270 hotels in the Russian capital that are able to accommodate 85,000 tourists – a very limited number compared to London, for example, where some 1,700 hotels are available to travelers, or Paris, which boasts 1,500 hotels.

And, although five-star hotels are plentiful in Moscow, lower price points are few and far between,

Finding moderately priced accommodation in the city is like playing Russian roulette – the experience may end up being positive, but the chances of it turning your trip into a nightmare are still high. Americans and Europeans visiting Moscow often complain about rude personnel, a lack of information in English and extra charges for services such as using the Internet or calling a taxi.

This is not good news as Russian hotel prices continue to climb despite the shaky collapse of the oil-based economy in light of the global melt-down and tourism to Moscow continues to decrease.