Petro Palace Hotel

The exterior of the Petro Palace Hotel, once the mansion of wine merchants, has a mansard roof and carved oak entry door. While the facade bears some Old World glamour, the interiors lack the same charm or character. The lobby and other common areas suffers from harsh lighting and faux murals of the city, making some of these spaces more like an airport waiting room than a lounging spot. Some of the common areas aren't air conditioned in the summer either. The on-site chain restaurant, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, offers a somewhat more elegant space with clear glass pendant lights, a blue glass and dark wood contemporary bar, and modern leather stools.  Breakfast is served in Atrium Hall, a large but anonymous room whose narrow mural of the city's historic harbor is its only decorative flourish. The top floor Italian restaurant, Trattoria Settimo Cielo, is its sole design standout with warm wood and glass walls, angled ceilings, and modern leather chairs. A heated indoor pool is a nice touch in the center of an often frigid city, but the space is windowless and uninviting. Guests range from business travelers, to families and couples on vacation. 

The Petro Palace Hotel is centrally located in St. Petersburg, walking distance to many attractions. It's a three-minute walk to Saint Isaac's Cathedral. The State Hermitage Museum is an 11-minute walk. In 12 minutes on foot, one can reach the Kazan Cathedral. For sites farther afield, a metro stop is four minutes away on foot. The Mariinsky Theatre, a music, opera, and ballet venue, is an eight-minute drive or 21-minute train ride. The mosaic-rich Church of the Savior on Blood is a 10-minute drive or a 22-minute ride on public transportation. In 11 minutes by car, there's the Russia Museum with its Late Baroque Stroganov Palace. The Winter Palace is a 12-minute walk. It's a nine-minute drive to the Faberge Museum or a 20-minute train ride. In 14 minutes by car, one can reach The Menshikov Palace, an art museum in a waterside Baroque mansion. It's a 48-minute drive or a two-hour train ride to the Peterhof Palace. The Pulkovo Saint Petersburg Airport is a 32-minute drive or 90-minute train ride.

Rooms at the Petro Palace are classically decorated and have spacious interiors. Dark wood furnishings; thick, textured rugs; and satiny bed throws in olive green give a composed look, and pearl-gray, leather tufted headboards add a bit of elegance. But decor, while tasteful, is also a bit forgettable and falls shy of being upscale. Some guests complain that the double beds are twin beds pushed together and the furnishings don't read as expensive. Many rooms look onto a rather sunless courtyard while some have city views. Some of the upgraded rooms have living areas and balconies and there are two rooms that have balconies overlooking St. Isaac's Cathedral. Each room has air-conditioning, free, though slow Wi-Fi, tea- and coffee-making equipment, free bottled water, and safes. There are flat-screen TVs and guests can rent DVD players and borrow films. The smallish bathrooms have the nice touch of heated floors. These have square, white tiles, chrome fittings, and either tub/shower combinations or stall showers. Hairdryers are included, and toiletries are by Barclay Woodroffe. The property offers several rooms for guests with mobility issues as well. 

Petro Palace Hotel manages to run down the checklist of features expected for its pearl category, even throwing in a few extras, but they vary quite a bit in quality. The hotel's heated indoor pool gives a warm spot for a dip, and guests can have drinks served here. But it's not an inviting space, with dated tilework, no windows, and just two plastic loungers on hand for seating. There's a hot tub in the spa as well, which also includes simply designed massage rooms, a sauna, and a tanning bed. The fitness center is large and features a variety of cardio machines and free weights under bright fluorescent lights. Petro Palace has several dining options, including an American steak house, a trattoria, and a Russian and Western breakfast buffet, with an egg station. Room service is available. There are also two bars, including one modeled on a New York City casual drinking establishment where burgers are served. The hotel's gift shop sells affordable and unusual souvenirs. There are nine meeting rooms with audiovisual equipment. Laundry and dry cleaning services are available. The front desk can aid guests in securing a rental car, exchanging currency, arranging for airport transfers, or storing luggage. Wi-Fi is free and slow throughout the hotel, though guests can opt to pay for faster service.