Herzen House Hotel St. Petersburg

Top marks for location and value

No hotels are cheap in Russia's main cities, and anything approaching luxury commands huge prices but with so much to see and do in St Petersburg, time spent in a hotel room is likely to be pretty minimal, so location and a comfortable bed at a reasonable price were our main criteria. The Herzen House Hotel filled both bills admirably.

The hotel occupies the top floor of a building on Bolshaya Morskaya, a once-again -fashionable street lined with some grand houses that runs in to the top end of Nevsky Prospekt, just a few minute's walk from some of the city's main landmarks - St Isaac's Cathedral, the Winter Palace and the Admiralty.

That was our first requirement met.

A comfortable bed? The room was fine, nothing special but very clean, quiet ( we did have one of the back rooms), a bed I could sleep in very well and a perfectly adequate bathroom.

A reasonable price? Very - currently (2010) a rack rate of 5800 roubles for a Superior twin room in high season is quoted - that's about US$195, A$220 or 140 euro and compared to the prices quoted by other hotels in the vicinity, this is is very reasonable. Special offers at different times include things such as discounts for booking on line, free tickets for the Hermitage, free airport transfers, etc. Check the website for all rates and special offers.

The breakfast buffet offered plenty of choices and - a nice touch - once breakfast was over tea, coffee and biscuits were available all through the day in the breakfast room. English-speaking staff, free wi-fi and free use of a computer in reception all added to amenities. This is definitely a hotel to be recommended, so much so that, following our initial vacation visit, MrL and his colleagues have returned more than once when work commitments in Moscow have given them time off for some St Petersburg R&R.

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Unique Quality: The Herzen House makes no pretensions of being anything but what it is, a 3 star hotel offering 3 star amenities in the best way they can - and it does it very well indeed - with a smile and a friendly helping hand.

The hotel's regular Wednesday afternoon Russian teaparty is another nice touch

The location could hardly be better - so much of what you will want to see in St Petersburg is within walking distance, albeit a longish leisurely stroll at times.

• Opinion of Price: less expensive than average

Herzen House Hotel St. Petersburg Photo: Grand houses line Bolshaya Morskaya

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