Saint Petersburg (Sankt Petersburg) has always been a very beautiful and romantic European city. With such fame comes hefty costs and even now, years after the Soviet Union fell, the city is still considered pretty expensive. However, with careful planning, there are ways to find cheap hotels in St. Petersburg.
Russia’s second largest city is particularly known for the Hermitage (or Winter Palace). It is one of the world’s most beautiful museums and the center of attraction for all those visiting St. Petersburg. The city is located on the Neva river, offering a very romantic feel to it. Besides visiting the museums, tourists can also check out the bridges spanning the river, take a cruise, visit the fortress or the numerous Orthodox cathedrals.
Probably more than in other former communist cities, in St. Petersburg it’s very obvious where the cheap hotels are located: as far away from the city center as possible. It is virtually impossible to find cheap hotels in St. Petersburg if your dream is to be within walking distance of the city center. Unless you plan to spend at least $100 per night in a 3 or 4 star hotel right by the Hermitage, you should definitely consider staying in a hostel in St. Petersburg . Even the 3-star hotels located further from the center can be quite expensive.
Some of the mid-range hotels in St. Petersburg include: Polustrovo Hotel (3 star, near the Ploschad Lenina metro station, TV, bathroom), Central Inn (3 star, located opposite the opposite Isaakievsky cathedral, within walking distance of the Hermitage, little cheaper than other hotels in the area but very basic) and Saint-Petersburg Hotel (close to the city center, 410 rooms , old Soviet look, private bathrooms).