Kappy

Hi
I am traveling to St. Petersburg and Moscow in May 2009.
I need to book hotels in each city soon.

Can you tell me if a 3 Star Hotel is the same quality in Russia as it is in Europe or should I consider staying in a 4 Star Hotel?
I am not interested in staying in a 5 star hotel.
Thanks in advance.

Kappy

Hi
I just read a post and it said that you need to stay in atleast a 4 star hotel in Russia to be at the same standards as the USA.

Is this true that a 3 star hotel is not at a higher enough level to compete with 3 star hotels in Europe and the USA?

Thanks in Advance

nytraveler

Hotels in Russia vary tremendously. If they are new and built in cooperation with western european companies they may meet those standards - but still not the same as the US. If they're older - they won;t meet any standardsa and you simply don;t want to sty in them. (What was 5* in old regime Rusia is about a 2* anyplace else.)

Kappy

Hi
Thank you very much nytraveler.

I thought that 5 star meant places like the Ritz. I did not realize the
Hotels in Russia were like what you say.
I need to choose a 3 4 or 5 star Hotel and let the tour group know. Usually in the USA or Europe I stay in a 3 star and spend my money on touring a place as I do not spend to much time at the hotel.
It looks like I may have to stay in the 5 star hotel to have just an ordinary place.

nytraveler

You can't just pick by stars - you have to go into details about each hotel. The newest and most expensive 5* hotels in Russia really are - but they're run over $600 per night. Older hotels can be truly miserable.

What are your specific hotel choices (ignore the * - just research the hotels)? If they won;t tell you specific hotels - expect the worst.

trsny

I can't answer your question about star ratings because I stayed in a hostel when I was in StP. Honestly, for your St. Petersburg hotel, I would recommend staying within the Fontanka area of the city, preferably as close both to the Hermitage and Nevsky Prospect as possible.

afterall

I too stayed in a hostel in St P - very central and one of the few with (just one) private room with en suite. But suspect it may not meet your requirements. Still I'm not sure you need to stay in a 5 star hotel in Moscow, especially if, as stated, you prefer to spend your money on other things. Take a look at the Izmailovo Vega (3*). It's a huge place that is the least upmarket of the Izmailovo complex and is out of town but handy to the metro. 20-25 mins and you are in Red Square. I had a business class single room way up on the nth floor - it had all I required (TV, comfy bed, nice bathroom, plenty of hot water). The staff at reception were friendly and spoke English. As an added bonus you can book train tix at a desk in the foyer. The downside is not too many places around to eat.

Cheers.

Odin

5 star means 5 star in Russia and those hotels have been around for a long time. One of the first was the Baltschug Kempinski, still one of the finest in Moscow. The fabulous Ritz Carlton stands where the 4* Intourist Hotel was (a dire, dire hotel with excellent location). There is a second Hyatt due to open in 2009.

Things change rapidly in Russia and there are alot of very rich people who have expensive taste, but memories of old miserable hotels still linger, of course Russia does have it's share of fleapits like any other country. But alot of the old Intourist hotels have been demolished eg the Moscow and others are being renovated eg the Leningradsky (now a Hilton) & the Ukraina. Even the monstrous hotel complex at Izmailovo has hotels with rooms that are renovated (important to check category of room esp in older hotels to get a westernised room).

Don't try to compare US to Russia for anything, read reviews on Tripadvisor and check the location, shortlist the ones you are interested in and ask for opinions. The main issue is whatever you choose it is expensive and therefore expectations are high as to what you get for your money, sadly this only leads to disappointment.

A good moderate class, centrally located hotel in Moscow is the Sovietsky.

Kappy

Hi All

Thank you very much for all your help

lanejohann

we have done extensive search and have booked an apartment in the arbat area - between old and new arbat streets - the old arbat deluxe
we did look at going to another area around tsvetnoy boulevard which is also quite central - an apartment called boulevard deluxe for the same money
the apartment is still about 412 a night AUD but wed be paying that per person in a hotel that is centrally located
getting an apartment isnt easy either - not many aussie agencies deal with them and i refuse to book with a russian agent directly
we burnt enough in prague to deal with them online and so for anything in the east of europe we will only deal with an aussie agent

the deal is that you do have to get compulsory transfer to get the key - so hopefully we will be met at the airport with no hitches
( quite fancy a placard with our names on it - have to think up a real fancy title for the trip!)

in st ptes we are staying on nevsky ( the ideal area for most people ) down near the fontanka river
the apartment is called nevsky 66
we were interested in the dostoevsky where my g'f stayed one winter not long ago but summer rates are very expensive - it isnt on nevsky but very close and could well be quieter

stay away from cheap hotels esp in moscow- my g'f isnt fussy but she was horrified by the pillows she saw- said shed not let her dog sleep on them

she is russian herself so i respect her opinion lol