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2023-09-25 08:40:51

Studio 69: Hotspot for flashy fashionista


By Inese Timuka. 12.03.2009

Since this is an entertainment complex that bleeds class and cash, it's highly unlikely that a casual passer-by would stumble in for a drink or three.  

 

No, this is place to dress up for. Like a phoenix from the ashes, Studio 69 returned to the city’s nightlife scene after a fire devastated it at the end of 2007.

Right next to the entrance is the charming Bellagio Café, recommended as a warm-up venue before launching into an all-night dancing marathon. They have their own DJ playing high-energy mixes of pop, house and R&B.

To get to where the main action is, pass the lobby bar and climb a broad staircase under crystal chandeliers. Bypass the sign for the casino next door. Everyone pays a flat fee of just over €14 for club entry. Patrons must be over 21.

We chose to visit Studio 69 after midnight on a Saturday – what a tough profession we have – when it was already brimming with rhythm and heat. The first thing every hot-blooded male will immediately notice is three sexy podium dancers, one shaking her hips right behind the bar staff shaking their cocktails.

Apart from local and international star DJs, the musical entertainment at Studio 69 is includes special guests including some of Russia’s hottest singers. But tonight the huge state-of-the-art speakers and video screens are playing an energetic mix of popular worldwide dance hits, crowd-pleasers by everyone from Yves Larock to Madonna.

The main hall is a medium-sized dance space encircled by elevated seating and a long bar. But you’d better be prepared to pay to park your behind up there. Reserving a table for two costs €71, which apparently includes a fruit platter.

The exclusive VIP tables for seven people upwards cost €714 or €1422. For this you get a plush, elevated spot to be seen in and the fee is credit for the club’s fancy food and beverage menu. For some idea of how far this will go, cocktails like a Mohito or a Margarita are around €11, mixed spirits around €5, a bottle of Corona beer close to €7.

But even the fact that Studio 69 is usually packed full of party people doesn’t mean endless heaving and squeezing by the bar to get a drink – it’s likely you’ll be served at this spacious bar pretty quickly.

This sizeable complex also boasts several other areas, such as a cigar club, a poker club, a chic casino and an upmarket restaurant. So if you have the cash and you don’t feel like dancing there are plenty of other options to keep yourself entertained.