Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
12
Where to Stay
in St. Petersburg
Variation and innovation charac-
terize St. Petersburg's hotel scene, in con-
trast to the overburdened and uneven
offerings in Moscow. St. Petersburg's nicest
and priciest hotels, and nearly all of the
international chains, are clustered on upper
Nevsky Prospekt. The huge Soviet-era hotel
towers are farther from the center, and
sometimes quite far from the metro. They
offer better prices—though everywhere
prices are up in recent years for those pay-
ing in the weak U.S. dollar—and their
quality ranges from luxurious leather arm-
chairs to saggy, stained mattresses. The best
price-to-quality ratio is found in the numer-
ous “mini-hotels” springing up around
town. Don't be alarmed by some high prices
below—those listed are the official “rack
rates,” but nearly everyone gets discounts by
ordering online or through an agency.
The tourist season in St. Petersburg is
much more pronounced than in Moscow,
centering around the White Nights festi-
vals in late June. Accommodations are at a
premium from May to July, and reserva-
tions are essential. The rest of the year,
particularly during the sleepy winter
months, you'll have options and can often
find deep discounts.
When choosing accommodations in St.
Petersburg, bear in mind that it's a city of
bridges that are drawn up in the wee hours
to allow shipping traffic through. This
means that if your late-night plans involve
A City of Mini Hotels
The city's tri-centennial, back in 2003, saw the opening of more than 500 mini
hotels: which ought to make this a bargain location for tourists. The White
Nights, however, can see the best-know venues (and many apartments) double
their off-season rates. Don't stand for it. A bit of research can uncover a bargain,
even in high summer. Start with the St. Petersburg Small Hotels Association
(www.innspb.com). Don't nurture any great expectations, however. The vast
majority of the mini hotels are converted
commanalki
(Soviet apartments with
several families sharing a kitchen and bathroom). Most will offer Western stan-
dard bathrooms, a responsible approximation of
evroremont
(Western refur-
bishment), scrupulous cleanliness, basic breakfasts and, these days, Wi-Fi. But
you do need to be prepared for scruffy entrances (often with well-concealed
intercoms) and no elevators. Be care when booking direct: some mini hotels
may charge (in some cases quite steeply) for registering your visa, or for issuing
a visa support letter. Unless you're here for less than three days (in which case
you are not required to register at all), there's little you can do about this, par-
ticularly once you've arrived. But if negotiation fails, try securing a booking
(and free invitation letter) through a tour agency.
