7 Best Hotels in Vladimirskaya (Lower Nevsky Prospekt), St. Petersburg

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.