Grand Hotel in St Petersburg
Aug 17th, 2001, 04:50 AM
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
I had several meals over there this June and many of my friends stayed in it. Nice hotel, reasonable standard of service, most all the staff speak English. Quite annoying, though, was the line at the breakfast buffet--had to pay or identify your self in advance before being seated, like some low end restaurant (and breakfast buffet was about $25/person). <BR> <BR>Probably the best located of any of the lux properties in Petersburg.
Sep 19th, 2001, 01:38 PM
#4
Guest
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I spent six weeks there and loved it. Tell her if the gypsies come up to her to look them in the eyes and yell at them to go away (some of my friends got their pockets picked). Go with an organized tour to the museums etc. because then you won't have to wait in LONG lines. Everybody at the Grand Hotel speaks English - lots of Americans there though you won't find very many elsewhere.
Sep 19th, 2001, 02:24 PM
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
I have been there. It is very elegant and most important to me at the time, safe. <BR> <BR> I liked the breakfast buffet. It is over the top and spectacular, if extravagant. I believe you pay ahead because you are in Eastern Europe, and all around you are people who might be hungry enough to try to go eat there and skip out without paying. <BR> <BR> Get the hotel to locate you a guide to go to places you want to see, they are highly trained/educated (probably art historians) and good and interesting company, in my experience. <BR>Speaking English beautifully. <BR> <BR> Note--the first room they offered me was psychotically awful. It was called a "duplex," and did have two floors (which I found undesirable), and BOARDED UP WINDOWS. And then they had a perfectly nice room available. <BR> <BR> If your friend is a woman, I suggest she reserve the room in a man's name, or call herself just "Dr _______" (last name). I think hotels try to stick bad rooms on women sometimes. (I never accept them.) <BR> <BR> The Eastern European inexpensive restaurant there is terrific. <BR> <BR>
Sep 19th, 2001, 02:50 PM
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
No, that is not the reason, because if it were then every restaurant, including the restaurants in the hotel, would require payment before ordering. <BR> <BR>"I believe you pay ahead because you are in Eastern Europe, and all around you are people who might be hungry enough to try to go eat there and skip out without paying." <BR> <BR>
