Pros

  • Impressive Old World ambience with an extravagant Empire decor
  • Rooms feature molded ceilings, chandeliers, and handmade Italian furniture
  • Art reproductions showcased in the public spaces and guest rooms
  • Located a short walk away from the metro
  • Two on-site restaurants serving Russian and Italian cuisines
  • Free shuttle bus to and from the Hermitage Museum
  • 24-hour lobby bar and room service
  • 24-hour business center
  • Guests get free access to the on-site gym
  • On-site spa and pool (extra fee)
  • Free Wi-Fi throughout
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Cons

  • Few tourist attractions are within walking distance
  • Decor may be too “stuffy” for some tastes
  • Use of the pool and spa comes with an extra hefty fee
  • Some rooms lack coffee- and tea-making facilities
  • Elevators are small and can be slow
  • Limited shuttle service to the museum (not within walking distance)
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Bottom Line

This luxury hotel in the center of St. Petersburg recreates the ambience of the Winter Palace, once the residence of the Russian royal family and today home to the Hermitage Museum. The hotel's historic building dates from the 1830s, and it was completely renovated in 2013, when it opened as the official hotel of the Hermitage Museum. There are 126 rooms and suites decked out in an Empire style complete with art reproductions. A free shuttle bus takes guests to and from the museum, and staff can assist with booking entrance tickets. There are two on-site restaurants: The first draws inspiration from the Winter Palace; the second focuses on Italian cuisine. Other features include a spa, gym, pool, 24-hour business center, and free Wi-Fi. Travelers who prefer a contemporary scene could try the Radisson Royal Hotel, which offers competitive rates.

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Amenities

  • Cribs
  • Fitness Center
  • Internet
  • Jacuzzi
  • Pool

Oyster Hotel Review

The State Hermitage Museum Official Hotel

Scene

Old World ambience with a fine art theme

The State Hermitage Museum Official Hotel is a large stately building located on a wide St. Petersburg street. Its facade is neo-classical and dominated by a row of Ionic columns. The building dates back to the 1830s, when it was the home of a local merchant. The impressive lobby area, completely covered in white marble with gold accents, is spacious and bright. The round glass-ceiling atrium supported by Doric columns lets in plenty of light, highlighting a reproduction of a famous vase from the Hermitage Museum collection displayed below. The lobby also showcases several other reproductions of fine art works and sculptures, the originals of which are displayed in the museum. A large grand piano occupies a section of the lobby, and there are several seating areas made up of elegant sofas upholstered in tones of ivory and light beige. The hotel attempts to recreate the atmosphere of the Winter Palace, and it succeeds, without going over the top. Even the doormen uniforms are inspired by the costumes once worn by the servants of the Russian royal family. The hotel will appeal to art lovers and history and architecture buffs, but it may be a bit too “stuffy” for travelers who prefer a more contemporary scene. Most guests staying here are traveling as couples or together as families, but the hotel is also popular with business travelers. 

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Location

In the center of St. Petersburg, a drive away from the Hermitage Museum

Though this is the official hotel of the Hermitage Museum, it's not situated anywhere near the museum, which is a 15-minute drive away. The hotel operates a shuttle bus to ferry guests to and from the museum. Most of the city's attractions are not within walking distance either, but the area has good transportation links, with the Vladimirskaya Metro station a short walk away.

  • Seven-minute walk to Vladimirskaya Metro station
  • 14-minute walk to Nevsky Prospekt
  • 11-minute drive to Mariinsky Theater
  • 12-minute drive to Lion Bridge and the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
  • 14-minute drive to St. Isaac's Cathedral and to Peter the Great Statue (Bronze Horseman)
  • 15-minute drive to the Winter Palace, home of the Hermitage Museum
  • 15-minute drive to Peter and Paul Fortress
  • 16-minute drive to Palace Square
  • 17-minute drive to Menshikov Palace
  • 25-minute drive to St. Petersburg Airport
See More Location

Rooms

Elegant rooms decorated in an extravagant Empire style

The 126 rooms and suites at the State Hermitage Museum Official Hotel are decorated in an extravagant Empire style, featuring tall molded ceilings, chandeliers, handmade Italian furniture, rich fabrics in tones of ivory, gold, and beige, patterned carpets, and art reproductions.

The entry-level Premium Rooms cover 269 square meters (almost 3,000 square feet) of floor space, with the Superior Rooms at 333 square meters (almost 3,600 square feet), while the more spacious suites range from 44 to 116 square meters (474 to 1,248 square feet) in the case of the Presidential Suite. There are also two Residences made up of two-bedroom apartments.

All the guest rooms come with air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, safes, and minibars stocked with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The spacious bathrooms feature elegant Italian marble vanities, illuminated magnifying mirrors, bathrobes, and hairdryers. Suites include extras like Nespresso coffee machines and electric kettles, and bathrooms with separate walk-in showers and bathtubs, double sinks, and Hermes toiletries.

See More Rooms

Features

Two on-site restaurants, 24-lobby bar, spa and wellness center

Features at the State Hermitage Museum Official Hotel appropriately reflect its grandeur, but they're often attached to extra fees. Breakfast is served buffet style (for an extra fee) at the Catherine the Great restaurant, and guests give it good reviews. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, and features a menu inspired by the meals that were once served to the royal family at the Winter Palace, including dishes like smoked salmon, beef stroganoff, and filet mignon. The other on-site restaurant is the Michelangelo, serving traditional Italian cuisine for lunch and dinner. The hotel's lobby bar is open 24 hours and is popular for its afternoon tea. Room service is also available 24 hours.

An extra fee is required for the on-site spa and wellness center, which includes a plunge pool, sauna, and hammam. Access to the fitness center is free, but it's small with a limited number of machines.

Hotel staff can arrange for tickets to the Hermitage Museum, and the shuttle bus service takes guests to and from the museum free of charge, but service is limited. The business center is open 24 hours, and the hotel also has eight meeting rooms available, ranging in size from 31 to 215 square meters (334 to 2,314 square feet). Wi-Fi is available for free throughout the hotel. There are a few souvenir and jewelry shops located in the hotel lobby, as well as an ATM machine.

See More Features

Oyster Hotel Review

The State Hermitage Museum Official Hotel

Scene

Old World ambience with a fine art theme

The State Hermitage Museum Official Hotel is a large stately building located on a wide St. Petersburg street. Its facade is neo-classical and dominated by a row of Ionic columns. The building dates back to the 1830s, when it was the home of a local merchant. The impressive lobby area, completely covered in white marble with gold accents, is spacious and bright. The round glass-ceiling atrium supported by Doric columns lets in plenty of light, highlighting a reproduction of a famous vase from the Hermitage Museum collection displayed below. The lobby also showcases several other reproductions of fine art works and sculptures, the originals of which are displayed in the museum. A large grand piano occupies a section of the lobby, and there are several seating areas made up of elegant sofas upholstered in tones of ivory and light beige. The hotel attempts to recreate the atmosphere of the Winter Palace, and it succeeds, without going over the top. Even the doormen uniforms are inspired by the costumes once worn by the servants of the Russian royal family. The hotel will appeal to art lovers and history and architecture buffs, but it may be a bit too “stuffy” for travelers who prefer a more contemporary scene. Most guests staying here are traveling as couples or together as families, but the hotel is also popular with business travelers. 

See More Scene

Location

In the center of St. Petersburg, a drive away from the Hermitage Museum

Though this is the official hotel of the Hermitage Museum, it's not situated anywhere near the museum, which is a 15-minute drive away. The hotel operates a shuttle bus to ferry guests to and from the museum. Most of the city's attractions are not within walking distance either, but the area has good transportation links, with the Vladimirskaya Metro station a short walk away.

  • Seven-minute walk to Vladimirskaya Metro station
  • 14-minute walk to Nevsky Prospekt
  • 11-minute drive to Mariinsky Theater
  • 12-minute drive to Lion Bridge and the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
  • 14-minute drive to St. Isaac's Cathedral and to Peter the Great Statue (Bronze Horseman)
  • 15-minute drive to the Winter Palace, home of the Hermitage Museum
  • 15-minute drive to Peter and Paul Fortress
  • 16-minute drive to Palace Square
  • 17-minute drive to Menshikov Palace
  • 25-minute drive to St. Petersburg Airport
See More Location

Rooms

Elegant rooms decorated in an extravagant Empire style

The 126 rooms and suites at the State Hermitage Museum Official Hotel are decorated in an extravagant Empire style, featuring tall molded ceilings, chandeliers, handmade Italian furniture, rich fabrics in tones of ivory, gold, and beige, patterned carpets, and art reproductions.

The entry-level Premium Rooms cover 269 square meters (almost 3,000 square feet) of floor space, with the Superior Rooms at 333 square meters (almost 3,600 square feet), while the more spacious suites range from 44 to 116 square meters (474 to 1,248 square feet) in the case of the Presidential Suite. There are also two Residences made up of two-bedroom apartments.

All the guest rooms come with air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, safes, and minibars stocked with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The spacious bathrooms feature elegant Italian marble vanities, illuminated magnifying mirrors, bathrobes, and hairdryers. Suites include extras like Nespresso coffee machines and electric kettles, and bathrooms with separate walk-in showers and bathtubs, double sinks, and Hermes toiletries.

See More Rooms

Features

Two on-site restaurants, 24-lobby bar, spa and wellness center

Features at the State Hermitage Museum Official Hotel appropriately reflect its grandeur, but they're often attached to extra fees. Breakfast is served buffet style (for an extra fee) at the Catherine the Great restaurant, and guests give it good reviews. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, and features a menu inspired by the meals that were once served to the royal family at the Winter Palace, including dishes like smoked salmon, beef stroganoff, and filet mignon. The other on-site restaurant is the Michelangelo, serving traditional Italian cuisine for lunch and dinner. The hotel's lobby bar is open 24 hours and is popular for its afternoon tea. Room service is also available 24 hours.

An extra fee is required for the on-site spa and wellness center, which includes a plunge pool, sauna, and hammam. Access to the fitness center is free, but it's small with a limited number of machines.

Hotel staff can arrange for tickets to the Hermitage Museum, and the shuttle bus service takes guests to and from the museum free of charge, but service is limited. The business center is open 24 hours, and the hotel also has eight meeting rooms available, ranging in size from 31 to 215 square meters (334 to 2,314 square feet). Wi-Fi is available for free throughout the hotel. There are a few souvenir and jewelry shops located in the hotel lobby, as well as an ATM machine.

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Airport Transportation

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Basic Television

  • Business Center

  • Cabanas

  • Cable

  • Concierge

  • Cribs

  • Dry Cleaning

  • Fitness Center

  • Internet

  • Jacuzzi

  • Kids Allowed

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Mini Bar (with liquor)

  • Pool

  • Poolside Drink Service

  • Rental Car Service Desk Onsite

  • Room Service

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

  • Supervised Kids Activities

  • Swim-Up Bar

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.