Grand Hotel Europe

There are some hotels about which, simply by pronouncing their names, you’ve said just about everything there is to say. The Grand Hotel Europe in St. Petersburg is one of these. It’s the very picture of the classic European luxury hotel, from the days when its guests traveled by horse and carriage, and never laid a hand on a piece of luggage.

In the intervening years a lot of things have changed, and some have changed so much that they’re back to how they were. St. Petersburg is reunited with Europe, for one thing; and the clientele is once again drawn from the upper crust — though they most likely arrived via motorcar, and may have troubled themselves with a suitcase or two along the way.

That’s the last trial they’ll endure. Each of the three hundred rooms is lavish in a way that’s not exactly common anymore — each one has an entrance hall, in case you’d like to formally receive your guests. Furnishings are antique, bathroom floors are heated marble. And while the standard rooms are nothing to turn one’s nose up at, the suites very quickly scale the heights of luxury — presidential suites are one thing, but the Historic Suites, named for the likes of Stravinsky and Dostoevsky, are among the most lavish anywhere.

Butler service is available to guests in the better rooms, and everyone benefits from the Grand’s comforts. Not just restaurants, bars, the spa, but proximity to all the sights at the heart of St. Petersburg, and some crafty concierges who can procure just about anything — from opera tickets to restaurant reservations to a boat ride on the city’s famous canals.

• 301 Rooms
• Style: Traditional Elegance
• Atmosphere: Lively

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