Rinaldi on Vasilievskom

The worst accommodation in the RSPB in 10 years. At the reception we were met by an elderly woman - a vivid example of the VOHR regime enterprise or Soviet trade with an appropriate level of empathy and customer orientation. We arrived at the hotel at 12 p.m., check-in from 1 p.m., but we arranged an early check-in with the accommodation service, and we were assured that the hotel had empty rooms and check-in an hour earlier would not be a problem. But this woman has her own idea of the RULES, so she didn't blink an eye and said to wait in the lobby for her check-in. The argument that it was prearranged, the room is empty and there's no big problem if we leave our things an hour early and go about our business she didn't care much. Then she took out one form long and tediously, stressed the word DOCUMENTS many times, and ignored the request for a pen to get rid of it quickly. We ended up moving in half an hour ahead of schedule and she ruined our mood to her delight. Judging by other reviews, we're not the first to encounter this "Chapoclack." The number itself is a solid 2! Mattresses are the cheapest, vibrating beneath you, sleeping like a pioneer camp on a shell net, pillows stuffed with some cotton wool falling down. In the silicone shower cubicle is black mold, the drain is clogged. well the side of the cubicle is high while you wash standing to mid-caviar in the water. Room 2 of the window, both with mosquito nets, but strangely full of mosquitoes in the room, had to put in its fumigator. The audibility is terrible in a hotel. You will inadvertently witness even the quietest conversations, not to mention the TV in the lobby. There is no parking, although the hotel is inside a large courtyard with completely empty parking, but you will not be able to agree to keep the car. Of the pluses, only the proximity to the subway and the cute lady at the accommodation service sent us a payment link. It's never been worse.

There are BUGS in the hotel!!! If you stay for 1-2 nights, you may not notice them, but my wife and I rented a room for a long time in the low season, and during our stay we found a huge bug with blood in the bed linen and informed the janitor. We were moved to another room, but even there we saw a bedbug a few days later, then we heard exclamations from a woman in the next room that she had found a bedbug on the bed. We immediately started looking for other housing, and left ahead of schedule, and the administration refused to return the deposit and the remaining funds even upon application, not to mention the apologies and moral damage: frantically sorting through each item for the presence of bedbugs, damaged items when washed at 90 degrees for disinfection and zero guarantee that we left there without bedbugs. Don't waste your money, time and nerves, better rent another hotel. There are no complaints about the hotel guards, everyone was nice and understanding, but the administration, represented by Oksana Mikhailovna, is boorish to the highest degree, not only did they not even apologize, but they did not return the rest of the money for the unspent days, although we would not have checked out earlier term if bedbugs had not been discovered.

As my daughter was starting at the Uni in St P (which is on this island) booked in here on location and cost grounds. Room was small but comfortable (stayed a week) and the breakfast basic, however, the ability to use the fridge, microwave and kettle in the communal kitchen (only about 7 rooms on the single ground floor, rest is apartment block) was great and we made our own lunches and were able to have a drink and play games there (the room was that small, you needed to). The mandatory RUB1,200 (about £30) airport transfer, both ways is a rip-off and leaves a sour taste given I'd selected the place on price grounds. Net it was probably OK but you can get to the town centre from the airport for about RUB200. The location was great, about 5 mins walk from the Metro and 10 from the Uni, 20 mins from the Winter Palace, 30 mins from Nevsky Prospect (= Oxford St). There are a good selection of local and western restaurants nearby and a couple of supermarkets. A good place to use as a base and felt I got good value for money. The reception staff (only 1 at any time naturally) were very polite and helpful. Summary, watch out for the mandatory airport transfer, but on balance not sorry I stayed there.