Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sleeping
Accommodation in St Petersburg doesn't come cheap, and it pays to
book well in advance, as places fill up during the White Nights and
throughout the summer. The hospitality industry has improved
enormously in the past decade, with Soviet hotels now a phenomen-
on of the past, replaced by a range of youth hostels and mini-hotels,
and plenty of luxury choice.
Hotels
There has been a revolution in hotel accommodation in St Petersburg in recent times
and a large expansion of modern, professionally run establishments. Old Soviet fleapits
have been reconstructed as contemporary and appealing hotels, some of the city
centre's most desperately derelict buildings have been rebuilt as boutique or luxury
properties and the overall standards of service have risen enormously. That said, most
hotels are still fairly expensive, with a lack of good midrange places in the city centre.
Though they do exist, they tend to get booked up well in advance (particularly during
the summer months), so plan ahead if you want to stay in the historic heart. There are
plenty of hotels in other neighbourhoods though: Smolny, Vladimirskaya, Vasilyevsky
Island and the Petrograd Side are all popular locations with relatively easy access to the
rest of the city (as long as you're near a metro station).
Mini Hotels
Mini-hotels are a real St Petersburg phenomenon. While most aspiring hoteliers are not
able to pay for the renovation and conversion of entire buildings themselves, lots of
small-time entrepreneurs have been able to buy an apartment or two and create a three-
to eight-room hotel in otherwise totally unremarkable residential buildings. Due to
their individuality and the care that often goes into their running, mini-hotels are some
of the best places to stay in the city. They also tend to be well located in the centre of
