Upper - class:
Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace St.Petersburg
Voznesenskij pr-kt, 1
Chic, glitz, beauty. It might sound like a banality, like a cliché, but even in the Northern capital the Four Seasons manages to uphold its reputation as one of the richest and luxurious hotels in the city. It is located in the historical "house of the lions" right in the centre of the city. The marble kings of the jungle guard the entrance to the hotel, for centuries they have been drawing everyone's attention to them, even Pushkin wrote about them! The atmosphere here is very suiting - extremely lush. Marble, gold, pancakes with black caviar and the most beautiful view of the Saint Isaac's Cathedral.
W St. Petersburg
Nevskiy pr., Voznesenskiy pr., 6
A true example of provocative elegance with just a touch of self-aware irony. Located not far from Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, it offers a spectacular view from the open terrace, it might even seem like the grand golden dome, literally floating in the air right in front of you. The hotel’s design was executed by a famous architect - Antonio Citterio and the W style has a very strong presence: silver globes in each room, lavish velvets and mirrors in the lobby. Imagine your all-time-favourite brothel undergoing a disco makeover.
Standard double room from 8000 rubles per night
Angleterre Hotel
Malaya Morskaya ul., 24
A sight so legendary it has the touchy locals quite nauseously irritated about. It was built in the end of the 19th century and soon after converted into a hotel. A hotel famous for iconic guests like Anton Chekhov, Isadora Duncan and Sergei Yesenin, who lamentably died here in 1925, leaving behind one last poem “Goodbye, my friend, goodbye”, unwillingly glorifying the Angleterre for centuries to come. The interior design follows a very classical theme so much so, that when you step outside, you subconsciously expect to see horse-drawn carriages parked at the front.
Standard double room from 16000 rubles per night
The State Hermitage Museum Official Hotel
ul. Pravda, 10
Ever dreamt of trying out the royal lifestyle? If so, why not stay at an actual palace? And not just any palace either - the Hermitage itself! You heard right, it is very much possible. For the first time in history a hotel has been allowed to use the official Hermitage name and this five star miracle is located in the new wing of the museum. This is definitely a place worth visiting! You will be instantly transported into the magically luxurious world of Romanov’s dynasty: vast ballrooms with the clearest echo, harps being played live, and a butler dressed in authentic uniform with an impeccable poker face to boot.
Standard double room from 15000 rubles per night
Trezzini Palace Hotel
Bolshoi Prospekt B.O., 21
High-end, formal and oozing luxury this hotel just like the former one was built around gold, marble and champagne for breakfast. As its name has probably clued you in by now, the original construction was built by the city’s main architect - Domenico Trezzini and was intended to be his private residence. It’s not all that clear if he actually got to live in it, but the current guests are obviously perfectly happy, especially with the impeccable service and staff that instantly fulfills any request of any caliber. Talk about royal treatment.
Standard double room from 12000 rubles per night
Art - hotels:
Boutique-Hotel Rachmaninov
Kazanskaya ul., 5
Do you want to be in the cultural core of St. Petersburg without ever leaving your hotel? Your wish has been granted! On the spot previously occupied by an old apartment building, they managed to design a truly impressive creative space. The hotel owns a private collection of fantastic masterpieces: paintings, photographs as well as many priceless antiques. They also hold regular art openings, live music evenings, art history lessons and a number of festivals. For Rachmaninov’s fifth anniversary - 26 artists painted the rooms, each one in their own unique style!
Standard double room from 5000 rubles per night
Red Stars
nab. Reki Pryazhki, 30
This amazing city offers so much, even a home for cosplay fans. Welcome to the Red Stars hotel, where the corridors’ walls are covered in graffiti of anime characters! The whole thing looks quite unusual for a typical hotel. The whole interior is mainly done in red tones (no complaints from even the pickiest of guests), you can even draw your own piece on the first floor or leave a review on a literal wall. Although, the first impression you get walking in is that you somehow stumbled in a Coca-Cola office.
Standard double room from 6000 rubles per night
Radisson Sonya Hotel
5/, Liteyniy pr., 19
A hotel dramatically inspired by Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment” (no doubt about who Sonya is). Be prepared, everything is soaked in this literary creation; the interior might seem a little macabre, the lighting too dramatic and the rooms too small. But in no way is all that a bad thing, because you won’t find another place more true to that era’s atmosphere or a design so unique even the legendary writer’s apartment can’t compare (see for yourself - go to the museum at Dostoevsky ul., 2). Although the main character probably could never even dream of a buffet breakfast, Turkish steam rooms or free Wi-Fi access.
Standard double room from 8500 rubles per night
Greenwich mini-hotel
Kovenskiy per., 14
We greet you from beloved England! This mini-hotel is ideal for the most conservative British that even on vacation just can’t do without their red telephone booths and greyish views of the cloudy Themes (considering they have an equally grey and cloudy view of the near-by Neva). Replicating the style of Victorian England, the interior is filled with heavy curtains in flowery patterns, iron handles, plain dinnerware and massive, yet modest, pieces of furniture. It’s like you went to visit your grandma’s place in the Welsh countryside. Shockingly (not really), most of the design elements were brought from there as well as Scotland and Ireland.
Standard double room from 3000 rubles per night
Hostels:
Soul Kitchen Hostel
Nab., Reki Moyki, 62
It would be practically sinful of you to overlook what Artemiy Lebedev called the best hostel in the world, and he’s not the only one! Dozens of accredited critics are with him - just see the impressive list of all the things it has won. Those behind the “Soul Kitchen” say that they were able to overcome one the most common hostel problems - complete lack of privacy. Here, even if you have to share the room with a bunch of strangers, you’ll have a convenient little curtain protecting you from prying eyes, a personal reading lamp and even a separate closet for your luggage. They even have isolated single rooms for all the misanthropes out there, as well as a suite with 19th century’s mouldings!
A single bed from 2000 rubles per night
Taiga Hostel
Zagorodnyi prospekt, 21-23
This design-hostel, with its optimistic motto “Our guests - our friends”, offers an uncommon dose of hospitality and all over positive energy. The rooms’ decorum is actually quite trendy ‘shabby-chic meets boho’. You literally don’t know which room to choose: a room big enough for five people that has custom-made designer pillows or a one-bedroom with Russian Birches. Or perhaps you’d like to sleep in your own private library? Among the hotel’s many perks we’d like to point out the best ones like the convenient lack of a curfew, homemade breakfasts (included in your room charge during the summer), countless discounts and bonuses for the city’s best bars and even bicycle tours!
A single bed from 800 rubles a day
Baby Lemonade Hostel
ul., Inzenernaya, 7
This stylish little hostel belongs to the Epoque Hostels chain. It is hard not to notice that everything here is inspired by the 60s and the 70s. Which explains the original room names: Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Patty Smith, Woodstock, Twiggy, etc. Baby Lemonade is in its own way, honouring the golden times of swing, flower power, world wide music and design revolution. One thing is sure though - you definitely won’t get bored! The bright colours, the curious interior pieces - all done in a unique and stylish way. This hostel is a favourite among even the savviest of foreigners. Oh, and charge free laundry service!
A single bed from 750 rubles a day
The “Friends” hostel chain
There are about six of these in the city and although they look quite different, they all share one thing in common - an extremely friendly vibe or “a very comfortable atmosphere of open communication with total strangers”. The very first one (“Friends at Bankovskiy) is designed to fit the theme of the TV show of the same name. At “Friends at Liteyniy”, the portraits of Russian classics look suspiciously comfortable hanging on the fuchsia wallpaper. The “Friends near Dom Knigi” have plush animal heads stuck on the walls. So you just owe it to yourself to spend at least one of your vacations with this city’s “Friends”!
Prices vary from 250 rubles per night
Apartaments:
A comfy flat in the legendary house on Mokhovaya street
https://www.airbnb.ru/rooms/6080608?checkin=01.09....
A stylish apartment in a house that developed over time from the original mansion built by the brother of Ekaterina I. It is quite remarkable how the building hasn’t undergone any renovations since 1890! An ideal case for the intellectual St. Petersburg. The sweetest owners will tell you hundreds wonderful, unbelievable stories about the sight’s history and all the liaisons that followed (they say that numerous powerful nobles were constantly in and out of this place). The freakiest coincidence happened - one of the people who are renting out this place - Dina - is actually a heroine of one of our articles about hitchhikers. Karma bonus! https://followmetotravel.ru/a/vopros-nedeli-kak-pu...
Price - 3500 rubles a day
An apartment where Pushkin lived over 200 years ago
https://www.airbnb.ru/rooms/5764174?checkin=01.09....
Spacious and stylish, with wooden floors and high ceilings, a studio in a house previously occupied by Aleksandr Sergeevich Pushkin himself! That fact alone already got a line of potential renters forming outside. The owners claim that the apartment is located on the most beautiful street of the city not far from Solyanoy proezd. Across the street is the St. Petersburg Art and Industry Academy. And all the countless famous personas who’ve either lived near-by or studied at the academy: Tchaikovsky, Kalinin, Visconti, Marshak, etc. So you’ll be literally surrounded by history all around.
Price - 4000 rubles a day
A mansard-turned art studio with a private access to the roof
https://www.airbnb.ru/rooms/13258389?checkin=01.09...
Yet another city’s mansard that is simultaneously an art studio that in itself creates a perfectly harmonious combination of Russian avant-garde paintings leaning against the Georgian mosaic on the walls. That is exactly the way you should live in this city. Seriously, trust us! A golden tablecloth, a crystal chandelier hanging low from the ceiling, a mirror on an easel, paintings, flowers, draping… Just sit and paint, and it doesn’t even matter if you can or know how to! And the final cherry on top - a private access to the roof. That is exactly what happiness looks like. And the whole city in front of you.
Price - 3000 rubles a day
