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After a grim period of more demand than available beds, a fresh crop of new smaller hotels is appearing in St Pete’s these days. With our own office on-site in St Petersburg and our Managing Director based full-time in Russia... we hunt them down before they open, and contract them if they hit the spot. But you might not always find these, or the latest info on them, in guidebooks, especially if your guidebook’s a little dated!

Special note about St Petersburg locations: Tsar Peter the Great, for his own reasons of wanting to build a city of elegant Amsterdam-style waterways, built St Petersburg on a bog. Large sections of the city – including even Palace Square and the Hermitage – don’t have a metro station remotely near them, because tunnelling is impossible. Having a metro nearby is not a guide to being central, and won’t always help you get to central places either!

Hotel Vesta 3*

92 NEVSKY PROSPEKT; METRO PLOSCHAD' VOSSTANIYA: Our old friends at Vesta have done it again! They've moved two blocks down the street, doubled the number of rooms and now they've all got air-con and private bathrooms. But still less than 20 rooms, charming family-run service from owner-managers who really care. Oh, and did we mention it has the best location in town? Book now, before the guidebooks find it. All located in a carefully-converted C19th apartment-house in a quiet courtyard 50m off Nevsky Prospekt.

Prices are per person, and include bed & breakfast for 3 nights.

HOTEL ON 15ya LINIYA 2/3*

12 ULTCHAIKOVSKOGO; METRO: VASSILEOSTROVSKAYA: A new private boutique Hotel. The elegant location on St Basil's Island - 8 mins walk to metro, one-stop journey to Nevsky Prospekt, central avenue of the city. Only 8 spanking-new 3* guest-rooms, all with en-suite facilities, arranged in the small town house of a minor C19th nobleman. Breakfast buffet included, internet available, English speaking staff. 15 mins walk from hotel: Prince Menshikov's Palace (oldest in city), Kunstkamera (Chamber of Curiosities). Walk 5-10 mins further to St Isaac's, Bronze Horseman, Admiralty, Palace Square and the Hermitage.

Prices are per person, and include bed & breakfast for 3 nights.

SPICING IT UP!

Linking the two cites together could not be simpler, with frequent, high quality sleeper trains between the two.Please see Spicing It Up, which lists a full range of additional services: which includes train tickets, transfers, and buddy guides.

BROTHERS KARAMAZOV HOTEL 3*+

11A SOCIALISTICHESKAYA STREET; METRO: VLADIMIRSKAYA:  Our on-the-spot staff in Russia spend ages sleuthing the latest hotels, and here's a real gem. An all-new building with lovely large rooms, in the heart of Dostoyevsky's historic St Petersburg, off Zagarodny Prospekt (amidst all the latest restaurants, like Ginger and its neighbours). They only take individuals - no groups, and the charming personal service reflects that.

Prices are per person, and include bed & breakfast for 3 nights.

HOTEL NEVA 3*

Tchaikovsky St; Metro: Chernyshevskaya: This eccentric pre-Revolutionary hotel has 3* renovated rooms but less good public areas - so we gave it a 2+* rating. Superb Old City location five minutes walk from Metro, the main sights are a walk away. (nb this hotel also has lower-grade unrenovated rooms – which we are not using, but have been written-up in guidebooks).

Prices are per person, and include bed & breakfast for 3 nights.