includes: bed & breakfast/3 night acc

93a, nab Obvodnogo Kanala: A central, if unlovely location on the Obvodny Canal is home to this hotel – and being named after King Neptune, it’s no surprise it has a king-sized swimming pool and a whole flotilla of extra grand-hotel-type services, as you might expect in a Best Western Hotels property. There are two wings to the hotel, 3* and 4*, but you get equal access to all the facilities wherever you stay – and when we inspected (we inspect all our hotels in person, frequently!) we frankly could barely tell the 3* rooms from the 4* – because the 3* are such a higher-than-average standard. We’ve shown prices for 3* rooms – 4* prices on request.

includes: bed & breakfast/3 night acc

26, Shaumyana pr; Metro Novocherkasskaya: Let us tell you a little secret – this is a 4* hotel. But surely it’s normally the other way around – hotels claim to be better than they are?? Quite right, but Russia isn’t quite a normal country, and in Russia, “luxury” hotels (4-5*) pay a higher rate of tax... but shhhhh! Taiwanese money is behind this bright, full-featured contemporary-styled hotel. Huge rooms in American style and lovely service here. The metro’s 5 mins down the road, and you’re in the centre from there in 10 minutes.

includes: bed & breakfast/3 night acc

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.

includes: bed & breakfast/3 night acc

17 ul Tchaikovskogo; Metro Chernyshevskaya: Looking for the Old St Petersburg? This belle époque mansion is something between a grand hotel and an asylum. The staircases are faded-palatial, the chandeliers are original, the historic-relic lift only works going up, the receptionist once smiled (in the 1980’s). Once safely inside your 3*-renovated room, it’s really very good, and you can walk to the Summer Gardens in 5 minutes down Tchaikovsky St. In a city now populated by bland modern or grim soviet hotels, this is the last of the pre-Revolution hotels left. Rooms are 3* with full modern bathrooms, although public areas cry-out for restoring to their former glory.

includes bed & breakfast/3 nights acc

3-ya Liniya; Metro Vassileostrovskaya: A tiny boutique hotel in the “Left Bank” area around the University – done with huge charm, although you’ll be fighting with actors and other artistic Russians for the 12 rooms they have here. Attractive contemporary décor – almost a Hip Hotel, in fact? Run with verve and enthusiasm by the same team behind the Prestige Sport (below). Located on 3-aya Liniya – these old Lanes (Liniya) are the oldest part of the city. A short walk to Vassileostrovskaya Metro, 1-2 stations to the rest of the centre.

includes bed & breakfast/3 nights acc

14, Dobrolyubova pr; Metro Sportivnaya: Not a hotel – but the best hostel you’ve ever seen? All rooms with brand-new Scandinavian-style bathrooms en-suite. The styling is contemporary-minimalist, and although the lino floors look chilly in winter, in the baking Russian summer they’re refreshingly cool. Friendly modern buffet-café. Great location, just 3 mins walk from “Sportivnaya” metro. The approach (across a rather weed-covered car-park) gives an unfair impression – inside this is a high-quality operation. The windows here are a bit eccentric, but all the rooms have some natural daylight – if sometimes from odd angles? [Breakfast not included – low-priced café on site]

includes bed & breakfast/3 nights acc

3 Torshkovskaya street; Metro Chiornaya Rechka: This is our St Petersburg home – our office is in the hotel. A renovated ex-soviet hotel, it offers tidy comfort for a modest price, and well-run. Low-price café on-site too (and the Golden Arches are across the street). Just 4 minutes from Chiornaya Rechka metro, for 3-stop access to all the sights of the centre. Cult Comedy-Club Halli-Galli is just down the street.