Where to Stay in St. Petersburg - Moscow and St. Petersburg - page 228

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walk about 10 minutes to reach much commerce or dining, but the intimate charm of
this hotel makes it well worthwhile.
27 Naberezhnaya Krikova Kanala. & /fax [phone]. www.a-house.ru. 16 units. From 5,900 rubles
double; 6,600 rubles suite. АЕ, MC, V. Metro: Sadovaya or Sennaya Ploshchad. Amenities: Cafe; concierge;
room service; smoke-free rooms. In room: TV w/satellite, fridge, hair dryer, minibar, free Wi-Fi.

MODERATE
Dostoyevsky Hotel The Dostoyevsky Hotel feels worlds away from its name-
sake's haunted, mildewed, 19th-century St. Petersburg, instead occupying a spotless
modern building atop one of the city's toniest shopping malls. The name refers to the
surrounding neighborhood, where Dostoyevsky lived the last years of his life and wrote
The Brothers Karamazov. The hotel, meanwhile, is aimed squarely at the 21st-century
middle-class consumer. The soft lighting of the rooms feels cozy and inviting and takes
the edge off the gleaming exterior of the building. Downstairs, the Vladimirsky Passage
hosts nearly 200 shops, from designer boutiques to souvenir stands. If the shopping
bustle is overwhelming, ask for a courtyard-facing room on a higher floor for some peace.
Breakfast and taxes are included.
19 Vladimirsky Prospekt. & /fax [phone] or 812/334-1505. [e-mail]. 207 units.
Double Nov-Mar 94 euros; Apr-May and Aug-Oct 130 euros; June-July 180 euros. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro:
Dostoyevskaya. Amenities: Cafe; concierge; health club; room service; sauna; smoke-free rooms. In room:
A/C, TV w/satellite, fridge, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (7 euros/hr.).

Fifth Corner (Pyaty Ugol) There's nothing historic about this fresh, roomy,
and welcoming hotel—and that's just fine. Offering the best of modern conveniences at
reasonable prices, Fifth Corner is two floors of rooms in an apartment building that
opened as a hotel in 2003. The up-and-coming neighborhood, called “Five Corners”
because of its confusing intersection, hosts an array of casual cafes, jeans shops, music
stores, and more. The hotel's biggest drawback is the three-story climb up a wide, orange
staircase to reach the lobby—no elevator is available. You could look at it as a mini-gym,
since the hotel has no health club of its own. The hotel attracts Russian and international
visitors alike, but it's too small for tour groups. The young, eager staff are open to sug-
gestions. Unlike most Russian hotels of comparable size and standard, this one offers
baby beds and babysitting, and a child-friendly cafe. Some bathrooms have shower only,
but they're all clean and spacious.
13 Zagorodny Prospekt. & /fax [phone]. www.5ugol.ru. 34 units. From 4,400 rubles double; 4,700
rubles suite; 500 rubles extra bed. Breakfast included. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Dostoyevskaya or Vladimir-
skaya. Amenities: Cafe and bar; babysitting; room service; smoke-free rooms. In room: TV w/satellite,
fridge, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (70 rubles/hr.).

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Kristoff Hotels such as this are ubiquitous in western European capitals—bigger
than a bed-and-breakfast but small enough to make guests feel cared for and part of the
family. Russia has few such places, making Kristoff all the more precious. Housed in two
renovated floors of an apartment building near the “Five Corners” neighborhood
(described in the preceding review), the hotel is just far enough from Nevsky to escape
the tourist crush but not so far as to feel isolated. Visitors range from students to seniors,
first-time visitors to old Russia pros. The lobby is on the second floor, which is not
immediately obvious from the street. Guest rooms are compact and decorated with plain
but sturdy Russian furniture. The double rooms follow the Russian practice of two single
beds pushed together instead of one large bed. All bathrooms have shower or bathtub.