Author: Igor
I have been to St. Petersburg twice. I can say for sure that this city is definitely worth visiting for everyone. In the text I will tell you about the main areas where you can inexpensively stay in St. Petersburg, and give advice from myself: for this I have made a selection of good and inexpensive apartments, hotels and hostels.
To summarize the entire text super succinctly, it will be like this: go to RoomGuru or Sutochno.ru - on the first hotel, on the second apartment - set the price range, open the map and explore the available options where to stay in St. Petersburg!
Areas of St. Petersburg - where to stay?
With St. Petersburg, which is changeable in everything - from the weather to the position of bridges - one thing is clear: for tourists in terms of accommodation, the central districts near attractions (for example, Nevsky Prospect and the Hermitage nearby) are better suited. After all, this is not Moscow, and for 3 days inexpensively in St. Petersburg you can stay in the thick of all the events.
So, where to stay inexpensively in St. Petersburg in the center?
- Nevsky Avenue Is one of the widest and main streets. It is convenient to live and start walking around the city in any direction. As befits a central location, many hotels and hostels are “registered” on Nevsky.
- Embankment of the Fontanka River and the Moika River - these two rivers, each with its own embankment, run parallel and, one might say, throughout central St. Petersburg. It is impossible to walk around the city and NOT go to one of them. These areas are noisy, bustling, touristy - with many cafes and hotels. If you are looking for an area to stay in St. Petersburg, for example, for a weekend, then Fontanka and Moika are very good.
- Petrogradsky and Vasileostrovsky districts - unite several islands and are located across bridges from central Petersburg: a little higher - Petrogradsky, a little lower - Vasileostrovsky. A tourist who chooses the islands is likely to be attracted by either the price or the cultural attractions. In the first - the Peter and Paul Fortress and the cruiser Aurora, in the second - the Erarta Museum and the Kunstkamera.
- Kirovsky and Moskovsky districts - also have a place to be on the list of those who come to see the city. Here you will get the most budgetary Peter in terms of housing, but in exchange you will have to sacrifice time spent in transport. Although you can choose and as close to the center as possible, not just the outskirts?
At the end of the article, I will leave a map on which I will mark in different colors the districts of St. Petersburg where it is better for a tourist to stay. To consolidate the material, so to speak :)
Nice apartments in St. Petersburg
Renting an apartment in St. Petersburg for a few days is a common thing. I do this myself both on trips in Russia and abroad, simply because it is more comfortable.
- I use Airbnb to search - you've probably heard of it and even already used a welcome discount of up to 4000 rubles (it's on the link)?
I ignore Avito, because a couple of times I "flew" with apartments right on the spot. I agree that Avito is irreplaceable for the long term, but Airbnb wins for a short time. Yes, here housing is paid immediately upon booking, but in return you get "protection" from an unscrupulous owner, real photos of the apartment and - most importantly! - honest guest reviews that cannot be edited or deleted.
I'll tell you a little about the specifics of Airbnb. In general, here you can rent an apartment in St. Petersburg inexpensively, within the range of 1,700-2,000 rubles per day. Some apartments can be rented not daily, but, for example, for at least 2 nights. Also, the cost of an apartment in St. Petersburg depends on the dates chosen (for example, the price at the beginning and at the end of the month may differ by 30-40%). Plus, there are cleaning fees, but they are more often than not adequate in amount.
So, a selection.
# 1. COMFORTABLE STUDIO IN THE CENTER
Photo via Airbnb
Here is a link to the apartment, and here is a discount of up to 4000 rubles for beginners.
This is a spacious studio that can accommodate as many as five people. Bright and clean. The "feature" that many people notice is the view from the windows to the facade of the same pretty house opposite. There will be no problems with the car - there is free parking in the yard. There is also a washing machine (for example, other things being equal, I always opt for the option with a washing machine). There are several metro stations nearby (Sennaya is a 2-minute walk away).
Accommodation for five.
134 reviews with a rating of 4.83.
Price: from 2000 rubles / night.
# 2. APARTMENT NEAR NEVSKY PROSPECT
Photo via Airbnb
Here is a link to the apartment, and here is a discount of up to 4000 rubles for beginners.
A cool option where to stay in St. Petersburg - the reviews are excellent, the price is generally a godsend. A small, cozy studio on Bakunin Street, which intersects with Nevsky Prospekt. Inside there are all the amenities, space is "saved" by the bed under the ceiling (look at the photo, you will understand). And most importantly, you can walk around the city from here.
Accommodation for four.
34 reviews with a rating of 5.00.
Price: from 1600 rubles / night.
No. 3. APARTMENT NEAR GRIBOEDOV CANAL (CENTER)
Photo via Airbnb
Here is a link to the apartment, and here is a discount of up to 4000 rubles for beginners.
Very nice loft overlooking the Griboyedov Canal. Unusual layout, bare brick walls. About 20 minutes on foot, and you can walk to the historic center of St. Petersburg. The apartment may seem cramped, but if there are two of you and you are coming for 2-3 days, the option is excellent.
Accommodation for three.
92 reviews with a rating of 4.87.
Price: from 3000 rubles / night.
The owner has another apartment in the same building. (from 2900 rubles / night, 119 reviews with a rating of 4.87). Take note if you are looking for where to stay in St. Petersburg in the center of the company.
No. 4. APARTMENT AIRBNB PLUS IN THE STYLE OF OLD PETER
Photo via Airbnb
Here is a link to the apartment, and here is a discount of up to 4000 rubles for beginners.
So, now just go and see the photos of this apartment, even if you will not book it! :) Firstly, Airbnb Plus is a luxury apartment, equipped inside and out and with a designer interior. Secondly, there are tall ceilings and the style of old Petersburg. For me, the minus seemed not very central location. But, for example, from Rubinstein Street you can walk here in 25 minutes.
Accommodation for four.
106 reviews with a rating of 4.86.
Price: from 3300 rubles / night, but due to the "status", a large collection and cleaning fee are added, it is more profitable to rent for several nights.
No. 5. ANOTHER APARTMENT FROM AIRBNB PLUS (IN A NEW STYLE)
Photo via Airbnb
Here is a link to the apartment, and here is a discount of up to 4000 rubles for beginners.
Description of the apartment in English, at the same time you can learn :) The apartments are located on Nevsky Prospekt, in the very center of St. Petersburg, near the metro. Inside - brand new renovation, dishwasher, washing machine; many tourists note the thoughtfulness of the details. The windows face the courtyard, so the apartment is quiet. If you want to stay in an atmospheric location close to the main attractions, this is your option. The negative point is the high cleaning surcharge.
Accommodation for four.
149 reviews with a rating of 4.95.
Price: from 3000 rubles / night.
No. 6. APARTMENT IN HISTORICAL CENTER
Photo via Airbnb
Here is a link to the apartment, and here is a discount of up to 4000 rubles for beginners.
And here - 10 out of 10 for me! The location is next to the Fontanka river embankment, the interior is stylish and clean. The size of the apartment is 32 sq. Km. Here, guests also highlight interesting interior details and walking distance to all the central attractions of St. Petersburg.
Accommodation for three.
83 reviews with a rating of 4.88.
Price: from 3100 rubles / night.
Central hotels in Saint Petersburg
Of course, there are a lot of hotels in St. Petersburg. I won't list everything - it's easier to go to RoomGuru or Booking and dive into the variety, so to speak, in practice. I recommend the first service, as it monitors offers for all accommodation booking systems at once, including Booking.
Temporarily, but beneficial: Until July 2021, you can save a lot on a hotel or a tour to St. Petersburg! Rosturizm has once again become generous in cashback for trips across Russia.You book a hotel or a tour to St. Petersburg, pay with a Mir card - and after 5 days you get 20% rubles back to the card. Therefore:
- If you are traveling on your own, select the hotel on Onlinetours (be sure to tick the "only hotel" checkbox, because by default this is a tour search engine). Booking and Rumguru do not participate in the promotion, so we get out as much as we can :) To be fair, on Online Tours hotel prices are lower even without cashback.
- Tours (flight + hotel) look at Travelata.
Photo taken from RoomGuru website
Here are five good hotels in St. Petersburg:
- 4 * Hotel Saint Petersburg (that's what it's called, yes) - popular for the nice view from the rooms. It is located not quite in the center, next to the Finlyandsky railway station, but you can reach the Hermitage and the historical center on foot, tourists confirm this. There is breakfast, you can (and should) pay 500 rubles for it - the reviews are extremely positive!
Price per night: from 2700 rubles. The rating of the hotel is 8.5 (6500+ reviews). - 4 * Holiday Inn Express - to be honest, I love chain hotels, and if I have a choice, I will give preference to them. This hotel is quite "fresh", if it matters, it is about 2 years old. It is located in the center next to the Griboyedov Canal. Breakfasts are included in the price. Ideally stay for 2-3 days. There is also a patio where you can sit in comfortable chairs and drink coffee.
Price per night: from 4000 rubles. The rating of the hotel is 9.2 (2400+ reviews). - 3 * ArtApart Hotel - this mini-hotel is interesting because it is both an apartment and a hotel at the same time. For those who are looking for a place to stay in St. Petersburg with a dog / cat, the option is suitable (but just in case, check). The owners of the aparthotel have a cat. Good location, near a metro station, furniture from Ikea - according to tourists, they like it. It takes about 15 minutes to walk to Nevsky Prospekt, and there are many good cafes nearby.
Price per night: from 3700 rubles. The rating of the hotel is 9.0 (330+ reviews). - 4 * Park Inn by Radisson is another chain hotel, so there won't be any surprises. Located on Vasilievsky Island, so if you wanted to stay there, the option is great! Tourists note the good furniture, design of the rooms and the view from the window.
Price per night: from 5000 rubles. The rating of the hotel is 8.6 (2700+ reviews). - 4 * Best Western Plus (former Oktyabrskaya hotel) - located next to Moskovsky railway station, and around the corner - Nevsky Prospekt. Spacious, clean rooms, there is a left-luggage office downstairs (it is convenient to leave things after check-out before departure). Also a good view from the window and good breakfasts (you can take a room with them / without them).
Price per night: from 3700 rubles. The rating of the hotel is 8.6 (3300+ reviews).
Photo taken from RoomGuru website
Photo taken from RoomGuru website
Cheap hostels in St. Petersburg
Photo taken from RoomGuru website
The cheapest accommodation in St. Petersburg is a hostel. But I will give advice from myself, first look at the options for apartments on Airbnb: you can often find a good option for the price and quality (especially if there are two of you).
- Hostel Netizen - the location of the hostel definitely has no problems, the very center, near the Moika embankment. What I also liked right away, a double room costs only 2,000 rubles. And a sleeping place in an 8-bed room - only 600 rubles, very budget! The interior is clean and well thought out: there are lockers for storing clothes with a lock, lamps. Breakfast can be taken separately for 250 rubles.
Night in a shared room from 600 rubles per person; rating 9.3. - Railway Capsules is a good modern hostel in the center of St. Petersburg. From the name it is immediately clear that the rooms are made in the style of a railway compartment. Sleeping place starts from 500 rubles per person. A double budget room can be rented from just 1300 rubles. Therefore, if there are two of you, then the choice is almost obvious.
Night in a shared room from 500 rubles per person; rating 9.1. - Hostel "Friends on Sennaya" - what is the advantage of hostels apart from low prices? Location, of course. This accommodation is also located in the most central area of St. Petersburg, the metro is a 2-minute walk away. The hostel is clean, comfortable, according to tourists. Of the minuses - "permanent residents", so there is always someone in the rooms. But if you choose a double room or plan to walk all day and come to sleep, then this is not a problem. Oh yes, there is also a view of the Griboyedov Canal, and there are many different cafes and shops nearby.
Night in a shared room from 500 rubles per person; rating 8.8.
Photo taken from the Booking website
My review about Peter
The most favorite city in Russia - from May to August - I definitely have St. Petersburg! Recently, our friend, who lives in the city, wrote a great review of the sights of St. Petersburg, I advise you to read.
I have one piece of advice ... I would have come in handy on my last trip.
If you are planning to rent a car to go out of town or, for example, to Helsinki, I advise you to do it AT LEAST a couple of weeks before arriving in St. Petersburg. Foolishly, we were looking for a car already on the spot and spent a WHOLE day on it, traveled about 6-7 offices! And then, we were just lucky that someone handed in ahead of schedule. Therefore, now - only in advance on RentalCars.
- By the way, even the excursions in St. Petersburg are unusual - see the author's tours around the city on Tripster and Sputnik8.
