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The W St. Petersburg is Rather Pretty But Rather Expensive Too

A few weeks ago, The W St. Petersburg in Russia finally opened and thanks to a very friendly tipster, we've got an inside look at some of the public spaces and a guest room.

Given that W Hotels have missed the mark a few times in the last couple of years as far as design (W Boston, W London), we're quite relieved to see that this W is just downright pretty. We particularly love the cozy warmth of the Living Room and the kailedoscope lights that hang from the ceiling in the guestroom. But the TV stand is a little funky and there may be a bit of an anti-view.

But how is it actually spending the night here? Our tipster reports back:

The hotel is fantastic! Design is cool, stuff are very professional (which are not typical for the new hotels especially in Russia). Everything is opened now (Bliss, Restaurant, Bar). The roof top terrace (the best part of the hotel with unforgettable view will be opened in June). Unfortunately there is no W party mood now but I hope they will change it soon. The worst thing is the price - from 600 USD for wonderful room.

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Hotel Delays / W Hotels / Russia Hotels / Hotel WiFi / St. Petersburg Hotels / → All Tags

W St. Petersburg Nyet Happening Until March

Where: 6 Voznesensky Prospec, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, 190000

While we track down the elusive W scent, there's one place you won't be smelling anytime soon--The W St. Petersburg, W's first location in Russia and in Eastern Europe.

Set to initially open on September 1, a commenter alerted us to a new opening date on the hotel's website--March 1, 2011. Now, how do you say "Bummer" in Russian?

Nevertheless, when the hotel opens in March it promises "spectacular views of St. Issac’s Cathedral" and a happening bar scene where "mingling and cocktails are the new social glasnost." (Note: fortunately the phrase "communist cool" is not found anywhere on the site.) You can also expect a terrace bar, a spa and a WET pool on-site.

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Hilton Garden Inns / Russia Hotels / → All Tags

Hilton Garden Inns Expands Into Russia, They Pick Perm

Where: Mira Street 45 B, Perm, Russian Federation, 614022

Russia's sixth biggest city, Perm, may not be too famous yet, but it is at least notable for being the first Russian city to get a Hilton Garden Inn. Perm is 700 miles east of Moscow and is an important city industrially with lots of rail and shipping links; it's also on the famous Trans-Siberian railway route.

Incredibly, they say that the city of Perm and its one million people have been served by only 500 hotel rooms in the whole city until the Hilton Garden Inn Perm opened, so it certainly sounds like it was needed. The Hilton brand--not just their Garden Inns, but standard Hilton and Doubletree hotels too--is focusing on Russia as a growth region and we reckon they're pretty on target with that.

Perm's Hilton Garden Inn has 102 rooms and all the Hilton Garden Inn stuff we like, and it's got free WiFi too in guest rooms and other areas. Room rates begin at RUB 2900 (US$115) a night. Doesn't sound like much but it's probably a fair bit pricier than the other 500 rooms in Perm.

[Photo of Perm Station: musatych]

Russia Hotels / Moscow Hotels / Ritz-Carlton Hotels / Luxury Hotels / → All Tags

Not-So-Shocking News :: The Ritz-Carlton Moscow Has an Expensive Wine List

Where: Tverskaya Street 3-5, Moscow, Russian Federation, 125009

We've grown accustomed to the Ritz-Carlton Moscow having extraordinarily expensive rooms, food, drinks, and basically everything. But they seem to have a knack for finding even more pricey stuff to make us feel jealous of.

This time it's one of the most exclusive champagnes you'll ever find. Two hundred bottles of 1907 champagne was recovered from a 1916 shipwreck and these bottles are now on the wine list at Moscow's Ritz-Carlton.

Naturally the price reflects their rarity ... you'll find 700,000 rubles (just over US$27,000) added to your bill if you drink this stuff. We're wondering if it even tastes any good after being buried at sea for most of a century.

[Photo: Eole]

Cubicle Dreamin' / Russia Hotels / → All Tags

Cubicle Dreamin': On the Siberian Shores of Lake Baikal

Where: 295b Baykalskaya Street, Irkutsk, Russian Federation, 664050

Cubicle Dreamin' is a feature in which we ask the hotel mavens to take some time out of their busy work day, surf the Internet, and tell us what hotel they wish they could beam themselves to right that very second--all on the slave driving companies dime, of course. Oh, like these people aren't surfing aimlessly anyway--at least now their purposeless clicking will be cobbled together into useful hotel stories--we hope. Have a destination hotel you are just dying to leave your cube for? Send the story our way.

In this episode, Hotel Maven Amanda K fantasizes about Siberia. Enjoy.

The last time I stopped by Siberia's splendid Lake Baikal--don't be fooled into thinking Siberia's just freezing, because a summer spent next to the world's deepest lake is something special--I bunked in at a cold-water-only B&B. Next time round I want something a little more comfortable but 5-star luxury hasn't quite hit the shores of Lake Baikal (yet). The best I can find is the 4-star (Russian stars) Sun Hotel in Irkutsk, the nearest large city to the lake. One comment from a previous guest sums it up: "Everything is relative. This is an excellent hotel for Siberia."

But in fact, it really does look OK. It has all the usual features of a Western hotel, include internet facilities, satellite TV, a sauna and solarium, two restaurants, a café and guarded parking. And another satisfied guest had this to say:

No difference with Holiday Inn in Europe or some mid range hotels in the US. TV has BBC, CNN and stuff. Generous bathroom, king size bed, condition, everything very clean. Restaurant with easy to digest food. Definitely the best deal for the money. Even the most expensive room is not so expensive compared to prices in Europe.

The goal of your stay at Lake Baikal might be a break from a Trans-Siberian journey or just to see a different side of Russia to the big cities, and the Sun Hotel definitely seems a worthy enough place to stay: remembering, of course, that it's all relative.

[Photo: ChrisFlyer]

Related Stories:
· Sun Hotel reviews [TripAdvisor]