Herzen House Hotel - cozy hotel in the heart from St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg has hundreds of hotels to choose from, but some of them stand out in terms of their value. For our customers who seek a combination of comfort and price we have recommended to stay in mini hotels. "Herzen House" is one of our favorite mini hotels in the city. This hotel is included in our St. Petersburg tour packages.
So here I am, sitting in the hotel room in the very heart of one of my most favorite cities in the world - beautiful St. Petersburg. I have traveled around the world and around the States and stayed in dozens of hotels, but this, I must say, is one of the best hotel experiences so far. But let's take one step at a time.
The room
My room (Superior Double) is modern and spacious, the king size bed, the white crisp sheets, the modern furniture, the high ceilings - it generally looks and feels like a room of a Marriott Courtyard. The windows are facing one of St. Petersburg's central street overlooking beautiful 18th century buildings. I found a set of gift postcards on the office table, a chocolate bar on the night stand and cold juices in the fridge - they really do pay attention to detail around here. Bathroom with a shower cabin is also very nice and everything seems to be brand new.
The hotel
What makes mini hotel different from a regular hotel is that it does not have a lobby. A mini hotel is similar in its look and feel to an apartment in a lower Manhattan with a concierge and room service, but, unlike apartments in Manhattan, mini hotels in St. Petersburg have additional services. And this hotel has them all.
You will find morning newspapers in English, city maps, Wifi internet and breakfast that is served from 8 to 10 am. In case if you check out before breakfast, the staff will arrange breakfast to go and if you want to sleep in, they will arrange late breakfast too. At the reception desk you will find scanner and a printer in case if I need to print something out, like electronic tickets. There is a bank on the first floor of the hotel with an ATM machine that dispenses Russian rubles or US dollars, so you don't have to worry about exchanging money. Last, but not the least, every Wednesday the hotel has a Russian tea party for the guests.
The neighborhood
This neighborhood is perfect - it really does not get any more central than this. When I step out of the hotel and turn left, in two blocks I find myself on the Palace Square - the center of St. Petersburg. And, if I turn right and walk for two blocks, I find myself next to the St. Isaak's Cathedral. St. Petersburg's busiest street - Nevsky Prospect - is one block way, which means that there is no noise from cars.
This part of town has the best selection of restaurants. Just around the corner, I found a succulent home style Georgian restaurant "NE GORUYI" (price range from 15 to 30 USD with real Georgian wine smuggled to Russia). Another restaurant that I would highly recommend is "OLIVA" (Bolshya Morskaya 31. Tel. 314-65-63) which offers Greek cuisine and "TEPLO" (Bolshaya Morkskaya 45. Tel. 570-19-74) which serves traditional Russian food. The last one is quite popular among the locals and foreigners so it is a good idea to call and book it in advance. The hotel has special discount program for most of restaurants in the neighborhood, just ask for a special card at the reception.
If you feel like grabbing a quick bite, there is a Russian style pancake place called "TEREMOK" where you will find blini with caviar and other great things for just few bucks (price range 5 to 10 USD). And, in case if you want something that is more familiar, there is a McDonald's right next door.
The price
I am staying in a Superior Double Room, which costs from $150 to $170 per night depending on a season and discounts. It is a bit more expensive than a Standard Room, or what they call Classic Room, but it is more spacious. If you want to save few bucks, go for the Classic Room. If it is important for you to have more space, then go for the Superior. Either way, you are saving around 40% compared to staying in one of larger hotels in the same neighborhood. I personally would prefer to save $70 per night for not having a lobby and I would highly recommend mini hotel "Herzen House" for its price, location and amazing service and comfort.
Viacheslav Shirokov is a marketing manager at Travel All Russia & Golden Ring Cruises. He is a frequent traveler and our destination expert. He spent 20 years in Russia, holds two master degrees, from Vladivostok University of Economics and New York University. 
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