As historical development has preserved in the city center, many St. Petersburg hotels (even the cheap ones) are located in very beautiful buildings. However, there is a downside too, as those who choose to stay at an old building should be ready for poor water pressure, absence of a lift, and sometimes even bad smell in the bathroom. The competition among St. Petersburg hotels is practically fierce, so it is not difficult to find a good option at a pleasant price.
Chic and luxury
The majority of expensive hotels is located in the so-called “Golden triangle” between the Admiralty Embankment (Admiralteyskaya Naberezhnaya) and the Palace Embankment, Gorokhovaya Street and the Fontanka River.
Belmond Grand Hotel Europe. A luxury 5-star hotel on Nevsky Prospect, which can present a long list of famous and prosperous guests. The hall and 6 (!) hotel restaurants are astonished with their ancient interiors. The rooms are designed in classical style with a slight touch of retro and many have a beautiful view over the city.
$530 for a double room.
Astoria Hotel. A famous historical hotel that received big-time politicians, concert and ballet stars, with modern designed rooms. The hotel is located opposite the Saint Isaac’s Cathedral. The impression is spoiled with obstructive service: there are too many additional value-added services that required extra charge (even Wi-Fi). There is a lounge with live music, a restaurant and a bar; guests can also use the gym, the SPA center with a sauna and the Turkish bath.
$280 for a double room.
Angleterre Hotel. It was popular among bohemian guests from the beginning of the 20th century. Thanks to good conference rooms, it is now the favorite of many business people. This hotel offers the best view over the Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, but the design of the rooms is rather simple for a 5-star hotel. The hotel has 2 nice restaurants as well as a standard set of a gym, a swimming-pool, a sauna, and a massage room.
$280 for a double room.
Domina Prestige St.Petersburg. Designers did not avoid bright colors when decorating this hotel, so the rooms are extremely cheerful. Guests appreciate the softest featherbeds and the general level of comfort. The hotel is especially popular among newlyweds. There is a cocktail bar and an Italian restaurant. It is within walking distance to the Saint Isaac’s Cathedral and close to some luxurious but good restaurants.
$240 for a double room.
Taleon Imperial Hotel. A five-star hotel located in an 18th century building with pompous interiors. The rooms are furnished in the “imperial” style and guests are offered a tour around the historical halls of the palace. The hotel is located on Nevsky Prospect, close to main attractions. However, the staffs are not always attentive and children are often refused access to the luxury swimming pool on the hotel roof.
$470 for a double room.
The State Hermitage Museum Official Hotel. This is a five-star hotel for those who want more of the Hermitage. Here you feel the spirit of luxury and love of ancient times with a slight Italian accent. The hotel is located in a manor built in the early 19th century and furnished with exquisite furnitures. There are two restaurants offering Russian and Italian cuisine and guests can get familiarized with Russian tea-party traditions at the lobby-bar. Guests appreciate the hospitality of the staff. In the lobby, there is a ticket machine where you can buy tickets to the Hermitage and happily bypass the queue at the ticket office at the entrance of the museum.
$270 for a double room.
Dignified and within the pocket
Hotels with more modest prices are located in quiet central area to the west and south from Moskovsky railway station, near the Griboyedov Canal and the Fontanka River. However, good places to stay can be found on Nevsky Prospect too, most of which will be family-run mini-hotels in old buildings.
Best Cornet Mini-Hotel. In the hotel located in a 19th century building near the famous Five Corners Square and Dostoyevskaya metro station, you can feel like a real Petersburger. The interior has slight retro touches. The breakfast is modest – porridge and yoghurt, but there are some nice cafés nearby. At night, guests of all 18 rooms must be quiet.
$65 for a double room.
Well-Being Hotel. Besides a great location in a couple of minutes’ walk from Nesvky Prospect and Moskovsky railway station, the hotel has a cozy interior, hospitable staff, and a good breakfast. The reception opens 24 hours and the staffs speak English. It is good value for the money.
$57 for a double room with breakfast.
Akyan St-Petersburg Hotel. The light and spacious rooms are antiquated and the hotel is a good choice for a romantic holiday. Guests can enjoy the buffet breakfast and free Wi-Fi. Nevsky Prospect and Moskovsky railway station are 7 minutes on foot and Ploshchad Vosstaniya metro station is 5 minutes on foot.
$100 for a double room.
Cameo Hotel. The hotel is quite far from the metro (within 15 minutes on foot from Dostoyevskaya or Sadovaya stations) but close to the Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater and the Fontanka River. The interiors of 74 rooms are simple and a little old-fashioned, but the place is clean and neat. This is the authentic quiet center of the city.
$74 for a double room with breakfast.
Abajour at Nevsky Hotel is a tiny (only 5 rooms) homelike hotel with old-fashioned interior located within a walking distance from the Kazan Cathedral. The walk to the Hermitage takes about 10 minutes. The hospitable owner will bring breakfast to the room. In order to get into the hotel, you need to ring the doorbell which makes you feel like you are visiting a friend.
$65 for a double room with breakfast.
Greenwich Hotel. This mini-hotel located close to Vosstaniya Street is the materialization of eternal love of Petersburgers to the English style. Nice rooms in the English 19th century style with robust wooden furniture. A walk to Nevsky Prospect, the Mayakovskaya metro station and the Ploshchad Vosstaniya metro station takes 10 minutes and the hotel offers bike rental. There are also many nice restaurants nearby.
$55 for a double room.
Vremena Goda Hotel. The hotel’s brilliant location on Nevsky Prospect near the Fontanka River compensates well for its modest interior and the need to climb to the 4th floor without a lift. The hotel is close to Mayakovskaya metro station.
$64 for a double room.
Hotel ArtApart. This is a nice mini-hotel designed in bright colors located close to Chernyshevskaya metro station, at a distance from noisy prospects. Some rooms have a mini-kitchen and guests are welcomed by an extremely communicative cat – Oscar.
$68 for a double room.
Aleksandr Hotel. The hotel is located in a quiet central area on the Griboyedov Canal. “Sadovaya” metro station is 5 minutes on foot and in 10-12 minutes you can reach the Mariinsky Theatre and Saint Isaac’s Cathedral. The interior is simple but the place is clean.
$60 for a double room.
Hotel AzArt. The hotel is located close to Moskovsky railway station, but in a quiet lane. The Ploshchad Vosstaniya metro station is 600 m away and a walk to Nevsky Prospect takes 7 minutes. There are a lot of inexpensive restaurants nearby. The interiors claim to be professionally designed but look a bit fussy. However, the service is acceptable and the prices are nice. Guests who have evening flights can leave their luggage at the hotel after checkout.
$51 for a room with a private bathroom.
Cheap and acceptable
The cheapest hotels are located around the Moskovsky railway station. Don’t expect any wonders from service, but the great location will compensate for everything.
MK Classik Hotel. It has really very plain and dark interior and the cleaning is not always acceptable. Breakfast is not very good either. But the hotel offers a unique possibility to stay for peanuts in a room with a private bathroom and with breakfast included. For a small additional fee (250 roubles), registration service for foreigners is offered. The hotel is close to the Moskovsky railway station and Nevsky Prospect.
$35 for a room with breakfast and a private bathroom.
Hotel vCentre SPb Nevsky. The hotel is located close to the Fontanka River and Nevsky Prospect. It is only 5 minutes walk from the Mayakovskaya metro station. There is a shared kitchen and a laundry. The design is plain and guests have to climb to the 5th floor without a lift, but the location and price are good.
$44 for a room with a private bathroom.
Dom Romanovykh Mini-Hotel. The rooms are modest, like at home, but are equipped with a kettle, a safe, and a fridge. A walk to Moskovsky railway station takes 6 minutes and the hotel has a sauna and a fitness center.
$50 for a room with a private bathroom.
Hostel near Russian Museum has a unique location – only a 5 minutes walk to the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, Nevsky Prospekt metro station, and Mikhailovsky Palace. The Russian Museum is nearby as the name implies. The hostel has a light modern design with amazing prints. The prices are a bit overestimated, but the location compensates it. Guests appreciate cleanliness and hospitable staff.
$46 for a double room with a shared bathroom. Registration service for foreigners costs 1300 roubles.
Mini-Hotel Nevskaya Perspektiva. Another hotel located close to the Russian Museum, near the Griboedov Canal. It has modern rooms and good free Wi-Fi. There are only 8 rooms, so the hotel is quiet.
$50 for a room with a private bathroom and $35 for a room with a shared bathroom.
Demokrat na Nevskom Hotel. The design is simple and the furniture is cheap, but great location and rooms with private bathrooms make it a good choice for budget tourists. The Ploshchad Vosstaniya metro station is 300m away. There are shops and restaurants around. For supersavers, a shared kitchen is available.
A double room with a private bathroom – $44.
Mini Hotel Poetry. The design is modest and very homelike, and the walk to Nevsky Prospect takes less than 10 minutes. The rooms are small and overlook the calm street.
$44 for a room with a private bathroom.
Fontanka 64 Mini Hotel. It has simple rooms in brown shades and far from being the best modern design, but its location on the Fontanka River Embankment and being close to Nevsky Prospect impresses its guests. Metro stations “Dostoyevskaya” and “Vladimirskaya” are located 600 m from the hotel. However, there are only 6 rooms.
$44 for a double room.
For super savers:
Hostel chain “Friends”. It can be a great choice for young people and creative personalities with their bright vanguard design, new (although cheap) furniture. But the most important attribute is the location that would suit even for much higher class hotels: near Nevsky Prospect, the Fontanka River, and the Hermitage. Our special recommendations are “Friends on Vosstaniya” located two minutes on foot from Nevsky Prospect, with a shared kitchen (a bed in a mixed room – $8, a double room with a shared bathroom – $33), “Friends on Bankovsky” offering bike rental service (a bed in a mixed room – $9, a double room with a shared bathroom – $35), and “Friends by the Hermitage” located 5 minutes from Nevsky Prospect and 3 minutes from the Hermitage (a bed in a mixed room – $8, a double room with a shared bathroom – $38).
Art Hostel Squat. The hostel is located not far from Nevsky Prospect (550 m), Ploshchad Vosstaniya metro station (750 m), and the railway station (800 m). The rooms are tiny but cheerfully painted in bright colors. Most of the guests are creative students.
A bed in a room for 3 persons – $11, a double room with a shared bathroom – $30.
Baby Lemonade Hostel offers lightsome atmosphere of the 1960s, but you will not want to stay in all day long as nearby there are the Russian Museum and Mikhailovsky Palace. In the evenings, young guests gather in the common sitting room and play table games. The shopping center “Gostiny Dvor” is 10 minutes on foot.
A bed in a mixed room – $11, a double room with a shared bathroom – $66.
Prosto Hostel. A tiny homelike hostel of 4 rooms with bunk beds. It is located close to Mayakovskaya metro station and offers a shared kitchen. A nice bonus is the luggage storage service.
A bed in a mixed room – $9, a double room with a shared bathroom – $37.