29 Best Hotels in St. Petersburg, Russia

Each of the 20 airy guest rooms here shows off an original, somewhat quirky design that incorporates wood, brick, linen, and other natural materials in a style that evokes a different city or country, from Rome to China. A fireplace in the lounge and a banya (Russian steam bath) on the ground floor add to the homey atmosphere, making this place all the more popular with singers and musicians performing at the nearby Mariinsky Theatre.

Modern comfort prevails in the bright, stylish guest rooms at this hotel, some with views of the adjacent Yusupovsky Garden and the old city. Czech crystal chandeliers and marble floors in the reception area offset the otherwise businesslike surroundings, while an excellent top-floor restaurant, two bars, and a pool and fitness center are among the many amenities.

An art-nouveau landmark, one of St. Petersburg's most renowned hotels before the Revolution, is once again a luxurious place to stay, with magnificently decorated guest quarters overlooking St. Isaac's Square through tall windows. Downstairs, lovely lounges are filled with antiques, the Davidoff restaurant serves Russian classics, and a spa and fitness center are state of the art. A staff well accustomed to attending to celebrities and heads of state delivers service fit for royalty.

Behind the stunning neobaroque facade lies an art-nouveau interior with stained-glass windows, antique furnishings, and stylish and comfortable guest rooms done in pleasing shades of mauve, cream, and gold. The Russian staff upholds the highest European standards, and an endless list of amenities includes the hotel's own brand of cigars and chocolates. Nevsky prospekt, the Hermitage, and ploshchad Iskusstv are all within walking distance. If money is no object, this is the place to stay.

An excellent location next to St. Isaac's Cathedral and access to communal cooking facilities may or may not offset the plain rooms and basic comforts at this hotel. A 24-hour market is next door, and for those who don't want to cook, a café offers snacks and coffee.

Don't look for luxury, but comfort really does abound in these slightly old-fashioned and quirkily charming rooms on the second and third floors of a 19th-century building close to St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Hermitage, and other sights. The hospitality extends to a lounge serving free coffee, tea, and cookies around the clock.

An 1861 neoclassical mansion, once home to the Samoilov acting family, has been completely brought up to date, and along with an adjoinging wing offers sleek, contemporary rooms that suggest modern luxury more than historic heritage. The art deco–inspired lobby is a snazzy place to relax, especially when a DJ plays low-key lounge music on weekends. Among the amenities are two restaurants, three bars, a small shopping arcade, and a nice health club and spa. A memento-filled rooms pays homage to the Samoilov family and their 19th-century heyday.

Airy bedrooms, decked out in subdued gold, beige, and red shades, have highly comfortable beds, and from some it's possible to watch the traffic on the Neva River below through floor-to-ceiling windows. The Pierrot restaurant offers Russian and French cuisine, and there's a wide choice of other eateries nearby, but it's a 20-minute walk along the river embankment to the Hermitage—a delight on a sunny day but an inconvenience for sightseers at other times.

These lodgings are in the same building as the Comfort Hotel and offer the same level of basic comfort, though many rooms have been redone in a sleek but bland contemporary style. An in-house cafeteria serves coffee, tea, and pastries around the clock, but a number of bars and cafés in the immediate neighborhood are more inviting.

Spartan but stylish, these basic and clean lodgings have two draws—price and a location right in the fashionable center of the city. This member of IYH offers a choice between dorm rooms and a small number of coveted singles and doubles. The multilingual staff is friendly and available 24 hours a day; a communal kitchen is fully equipped; and the public areas include nice lounges and a small library.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky once lived here, and now the hotel offers comfortable rooms in a busy location with plenty of shops and cafés nearby. The decor falls a bit flat, but the top-floor Raskolnikov bar with glimpses of the church domes opposite is a bright spot, as is the gym with a sauna and jacuzzi.

A piano in the lounge, a private art gallery, and cozy, Old-World guest rooms furnished with antiques handpicked by the owners lend a bohemian feel to these elegant quarters with views of Kazan Cathedral and Nevsky prospekt. Guests are welcome to try their hand at drawing in a small art studio that operates during the winter, and invited to photography displays and documentary screenings.

You'll still find some art-nouveau touches in this 1903 building, but the plain guest rooms are modern and filled with handy amenities that include refrigerators. For the many return guests, the extremely reasonable rates and friendly service compensate for the slightly out-of-the-way location.

Behind a 1853 facade are sumptuous rooms furnished with substantial antiques, loaded with modern amenities, and, in many cases, overlooking the Hermitage. St. Petersburg's other great hotel, after the Grand, is also noted for superior service and offers a fine French restaurant, as well as a tearoom, lounges, and a spa.

The small yard with maple and chestnut trees, flowers, and benches is the most charming aspect of this pleasant but rather bland modern lodging overlooking the Pryazhka River. The Mariinsky Theatre is nearby, but not much else is—it's a half-hour walk to St. Isaac's Cathedral and a bit more to the Hermitage, though a twice-daily, free shuttle bus is one of many nice amenities at this friendly and hospitable place.

This gargantuan Soviet-era hostelry is a thowback to a different era, and though the rooms are hardly sophisticated or fancy they're neat and clean—some have views of the Neva River—and public areas are lively and filled with greenery. A shopping mall and the metro are adjacent, as is the entrance to the 18th-century Alexander Nevsky Lavra monastery. That's about it for sights, though, and it's a bit of a hike to any of the city's major museums and landmarks.

If you arrive by train you'll appreciate the fact that you only have to walk a few steps from Moscow Station to plop your bags down in one of the cozy rooms spread over three floors of this old apartment building. The fancy address puts you in the heart of shopping and dining, and close to many sights. What the place lacks in glamour it makes up for with hominess: guests are even welcome to use the communal kitchen once the staff clears away the breakfast dishes.

It's a steep climb to these plain, sunny rooms on the fourth floor (there's no elevator), but this little inn is friendly and just opposite the Admiralteysky metro station. It's just a two-minute walk to the Hermitage and close to most other attractions in the center. There's also a communal kitchen where you can cook your meals.

Business travelers especially like this smart chain, where they can count on unremarkable but comfortable, attractive, and quiet accommodations with good beds and comfy lounge chairs; this one is just off Nevsky prospekt and top-floor rooms have great views of domes and towers. The buffet breakfast is extensive (but extra), and the Mediterranean restaurant a neighborhood favorite.

It's hard to miss this monolith directly opposite Moscow Station—a huge sign, "Leningrad–Gorod Geroi" (Leningrad–Hero City), sits on top—but how you'll feel about the drearily functional rooms will depend on your tolerance of Soviet-era decor. No one can complain about the location near Nevsky prospekt, and the city-within-a-city complex includes restaurants, coffee shops, bars, a post office, hair salons, and more.

A stylish, pseudo art-nouveau interior attempts to recapture some of the past glory of this location, on the first floor of a building that once housed a bohemian café of the same name and was popular with artists and writers. Provenance aside, the central location is the best thing to be said for what are essentially basic accommodations with some nice amenities, including a homey lounge and a café serving simple homestyle meals.

Behind a 19th-century facade it's all business, with sleek, modern guest rooms, lots of business facilities, and many amenities that include a fitness center and indoor pool. What the surroundings lack in character is compensated for by the location: it's a five-minute walk to the Hermitage, Nevsky prospekt is just around the corner, and plenty of good restaurants are nearby.

The former home of Ivan Puschin, friend of Alexander Pushkin, retains much of its old character, offering comfortable, tastefully furnished guest rooms and excellent service in the heart of the city. A cozy café serves tasty, simple meals, at a discount for guests, and services include the use of a computer.

The late-19th-century playwright Anton Chekhov stayed here during his visits to St. Petersburg, and he would probably be in awe of the current reincarnation, with luxurious quarters done in shades of navy blue and gold and filled with antique reproductions. A prime spot on the corner of Nevsky prospekt and Vladimirsky prospekt is the choicest real estate in town, close to everything, and within the historic building itself a range of amenities is on offer, including a restaurant, bar, and a nice gym. Wintertime guests appreciate the heated floors in the luxe bathrooms.

Wooden ceiling beams and patches of open brickwork are among the engaging features of these elegant and spacious rooms just around the corner from Nevsky prospekt. Best of all is the executive suite, furnished with antiques, that has walls decorated with wooden panels. All of this attention to detail pays tribute to namesake 19th-century architect Carlo Rossi, whose works grace the city's historic center. As an unusual bonus, the hotel staff offers guided tours showing off views of the city skyline and nearby courtyards from accessible flat rooftops of some nearby buildings. The on-site Fiolet restaurant is popular with local residents and serves Asian and European dishes prepared by a Russian chef—the scene is very lively on weekends.

Spacious rooms furnished in modern Scandinavian style are delightful, but guests spend most of their time in the glass-roofed spa, with a pool in the style of an ancient Roman bath, hydromassage pools, a cold plunge pool, and eight types of saunas. It's a 15-minute walk to the Hermitage, and about the same distance to the Peter and Paul Fortress, but most other major sights are farther afield and the closest metro station is a 20-minute walk away.

Between them, the buildings that make up the Taleon could tell the story of St. Petersburg—the restored structures from the 18th and 19th centuries were private homes, literary salons (where writers like Dostoyevsky read), and a famous cinema house. The main hotel areas are set in the former mansion of Stepan Eliseev, a prominent 19th-century banker and arts patron whose family collections are now displayed at the Hermitage. Given all this history, the hotel conjures up plenty of gradeur and romance: Guest rooms are awash in light-gold wall coverings, marble-topped furniture, and loads of inlay and ornate plasterwork. A personal butler adds to the opulence, as do such modern luxuries such as hydromassage tubs and a covered rooftop pool, and the restaurant serves champagne-and-caviar fueled Russian meals that can be as over the top as the rest of the place.The central location is steps from chic shopping, and a short walk to major sights.

Stylish rooms resemble those in a 19th-century mansion, have large bathrooms, are equipped with tea kettles and many other nice touches, and best of all, overlook the Neva River and the golden spire of the Peter and Paul Fortress. Connecting rooms are well suited to families, and an ample and varied breakfast is included in the price.

The hip international chain has treated the historic city center to some modern indulgence, along with spectacular views from many of the stylish rooms that take in nearby sights: St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Hermitage, and other landmarks. The lively bar, rooftop terrace, and Alain Ducasse restaurant are the places to be seen these days, and guests enjoy a luxurious spa, a fitness center, indoor pool, and many other amenities.