ENGLAND’S
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THE England team could be Sleepless in Kaliningrad tonight, as their hotel is right next to a strip club on a noisy street in the city centre.
The Radisson is also next to a busy four-lane highway, which has a tram line down the middle.
And it is right by the main square, where fans will be drinking into the night ahead of England’s match against Belgium tomorrow.
Local businessman Ivan Torbinski said: “I can’t believe a football team would choose to stay here the night before the game.
“This will be a very and noisy area until well after midnight. Pobedy Square is the obvious place for fans to congregate and drink into the night. “The strip club only opened recently and is very popular. Many of the hotel rooms overlook it.” Maxim VIP “striptease club and strip bar” offers erotic massages until 6am. It has even hired seven extra ladies to meet possible demand from Three Lions fans. The venue boasts of “topless private massage and other exciting surprises”, and has special offers for supporters. A spokesman added: “Everyone knows the distinguishing feature of our club is touring girls from all over Russia and neighbouring countries.” Outside, lorries and buses thunder by on the Maxim dancer highway. On the other side of the 178-room hotel, which has rooms from €85 per night, is a cobbled street, on which passing vehicles make a racket.
Asked about the possible impact of all this noise on the team, Radisson executive Alice Kokaya said: “I’m afraid I cannot answer specific questions about their stay here.
“There are obviously confidentibusy ality and security issues about guests.” But she added: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming the England team.”
FIFA’S two designated hotels are the only chains in Kaliningrad as the city – sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic coast – is not a popular destination for tourists.
Around 5,000 England fans are