Where to Stay in St. Petersburg - Moscow and St. Petersburg - page 223

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children's menus hard to find in most restaurants in town. More and more foreigners are
catching on to the Ambassador's advantages and the prices are rising correspondingly, but
good off-season deals can still be had. The narrow indoor pool is a plus, as is the view
from the roof restaurant.
5-7 Rimsky-Korsakov Prospekt. & 812/331-8844. Fax [phone]. www.ambassador-hotel.ru. 255
units. From 5,000 rubles double; from 9,000 rubles suite. Prices double in high season. AE, DC, MC, V.
Metro: Sadovaya. Amenities: 2 restaurants; 2 bars; babysitting; concierge; health club; Jacuzzi; room
service; spa. In room: A/C, satellite TV, hair dryer, Internet.

Grand Hotel Europe This hotel has every right to call itself grand. Grandeur
seeps from its carpeting to its ceiling friezes, and it is one of the best places to stay in town.
Originally opened in 1875, it served as a children's quarantine center during the Russian
Revolution and as an evacuation center during World War II. It was completely overhauled
for a 1991 reopening, and much of what seems pre-revolutionary is recent re-creation, from
the baroque facade to the Art Nouveau interiors. That detracts little from the overall expe-
rience of this Kempinski-run hotel. Its five floors surround a luscious winter garden and
mezzanine cafe visible from inward-facing rooms. Even if you don't stay here, spend a lazy
morning or rainy afternoon savoring tea from a silver samovar and listening to the harpist
on the mezzanine. Previous guests included Tchaikovsky, Dostoyevsky, and Bill Clinton
when he was U.S. president; its current clientele seems to be European tourists and inter-
national executives. Guest rooms are elegant, modern, and (except for the presidential suite)
mid-size, while bathrooms are full-size and full-convenience.
1 Mikhailovskaya Ulitsa. & 800/426-3135 or 812/329-6000. Fax [phone]. www.grandhoteleurope.
com. 300 units. From 14,000 rubles double; from 19,000 rubles suite. Rates 20% higher May-July. Extra
bed 1,300 rubles. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Gostiny Dvor or Nevsky Prospekt. Amenities: 5 restaurants; 2 bars;
babysitting; concierge; executive-level rooms; health club; Jacuzzi; room service; sauna; smoke-free
rooms. In room: A/C, TV w/satellite and pay movies, fridge, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (360 rubles/hr.).
Radisson SAS Royal The stylish corner bar is among the most appealing things
about this five-star hotel, along with its good location and larger-than-usual rooms. The
elegance of the bar extends to the suites but not to the standard rooms, which don't have
much character. Young, friendly staff is helpful in finding you the best room—except
during the busiest season, or when large groups of business visitors fill up its floors.
Opened in 2002, the Royal occupies a building that dates back to the 1730s. Courtyard-
facing rooms are considerably quieter than street-facing ones, though they cost the same,
and the view of Nevsky, while romantic at night, is just as well experienced from the
above-mentioned Cannelle bar on the ground floor as from your room.
49/2 Nevsky Prospekt. & 800/333-3333 or 812/322-5000. Fax [phone]. www.radissonsas.com.
164 units. From 10,000 rubles double; from 26,000 rubles suite. Children 18 and under stay free in par-
ent's room. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Gostiny Dvor. Amenities: Restaurant; bar and lounge; concierge; exec-
utive-level rooms; health club; room service; sauna; smoke-free rooms. In room: A/C, TV w/satellite, fridge,
hair dryer, minibar, free Wi-Fi.

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MODERATE
Hotels on Nevsky This company has several mini-hotels including three
along Nevsky, offering modern hotel rooms and fully furnished apartments that are a big
hit with American and European travelers, first-time and repeat visitors alike. Staff is
cheerful and always open to suggestions. Nevsky 91 opened first and has the most basic
services and the least appealing locale, just across from the exit to Moskovsky Train Sta-
tion and its attendant grime. Nevsky 90 is across busy Insurrection Square (Ploshchad
Vosstaniya), on a posher section of the avenue. Nevsky 22 boasts the best location, one