Hotel Matisov Domik  J& http://www.matisov.spb.ru   Phone: 7 (812) 318-7051  
e-mail: matisov@lek.ru

Peak Season Rates: Single $60; double 100; half luxury $120; luxury suite $150.

Location Rating: Poor. All the buildings in this district are old and in desperate need of renovation.  And the metro is a major hike. But you can walk to the world famous Mariinskiy Theater in about 15 minutes.

Proximity to metro: Very poor. It probably is at least a 35 or 40 minute walk to Sennaya Ploshchad Metro Station. Depending upon the route you take while walking to the metro, it can be a very interesting stroll. You will need a map. You might be able to get a water taxi home during the warmer months since a canal is in front of the hotel.

Lobby Appearance: Small and inviting.

Room Appearance: A positive surprise.

Useful Nearby Businesses: You can walk down to the corner gas stations and pick up some snacks. There are also a few other "product-ee" shops on Dekabristov ulitsa. This is the interesting street in this neighborhood.

Hotel Restaurants: They have a small, clean, comfortable-looking cafe.

Other Amenities: Shuttle service to the metro station for 50 rubles per person ($1.67 -- quite reasonable). Internet access and a new business center expected to be available summer 2002. The sauna is also expected to be repaired soon (I believe them).

Would I Stay Here? Yes.

Staff Speaks English? Yes.

Comments: What a surprise it was to discover this small, 25 room hotel. The neighborhood looked quiet and beat. Plenty of old buildings and all of them in sad shape. When we saw the Matisov Domik, we laughed because we thought it was just this tiny little house and getting there was quite a chore without a metro stop nearby. To get in beyond the fence you need to press a button and state your business, then the magnet holding the gate shut releases. There is a small courtyard. You walk up to the house structure and inside is the reception area. Natalia was very accommodating with us and she readily spoke English. I became quite impressed with this little place. It is very interesting and unique to this city. The corridors twist and turn and it is a process of discovery to see what is there. The corridors look brand new and are tastefully decorated. And the rooms are fine. Tanya described it as a paradise in this neighborhood, and I would describe it as a real gem. It is a very quaint hotel. Quiet. And a quality place. Their suites are quite a pleasant surprise with a large kitchen, bedroom, living room, office or study, and modern bathroom. They expect to install an elevator soon. Right now getting up to the third floor is a bit of an adventure with their unusual staircase. The only big negative it has is no easy metro access. The second negative is the appearance of the neighborhood. A mental hospital is next door; that might be a negative too. It is one of three the city has and young men who want to get out of forced military service on psychological grounds are brought there, among other patients. It is an undesirable neighbor for a hotel, but front desk person Natalia downplayed it as a concern. Overall, inside the hotel it is so pleasant and quaint, it warrants a big thumbs up from the both of us. You'll just have to use taxis or their shuttle service a lot. (On our first visit we paid a private driver 50 rubles to take us to the metro. During my second visit, after a 10 minute walk I encountered the number 3 bus, which provided a comfortable and interesting ride to Nevsky Prospekt for 7 rubles.) I really liked the Matisov Domik. Very comfortable. (They have plans to add 5 more guest rooms and expand the size of their cafe.)

Hotel Mercury   J   No website or email.  Phone: 7 (812) 325-6444

Rates: Three single rooms available for $63. Seven double rooms available for $75. Three other rooms available for $95. Two suites available for $114. One suite available for $126.

Location Rating: Good.

Proximity to Metro: Fair. 15 minutes walking time. Chernyshevskaya Metro Station. The deepest in Saint Petersburg. Wow - huge escalator! It's amazing. To get there you enjoy a nice stroll through a park, then proceed down a very pleasant street with very interesting buildings.

Lobby Appearance: Small and curious.

Room Appearance: Their updated rooms are fine with really nice bathrooms.

Useful Nearby Businesses: It is in a sleepy area not far from the action. A Soviet style food store is down the block. (Soviet style means you select what you want, but you can't touch it. A clerk gives you a slip with the bill. You go to a cashier and pay. Then you bring proof that you paid back to the clerk, and then finally you can have that bottle of soda. Geez!) Walk through the park and you'll find yourself in a really interesting neighborhood where the US consulate is, along with the German consulate and a couple marriage palaces. A nice place to walk. Keep walking and you'll soon be back into an exciting hustle and bustle area where there are plenty of shops and eating places. The Barracuda Bistro is also there - which is a good cafe.

Hotel Restaurants: They have one small bar/restaurant. Ivan (hotel director) says the food is excellent.

Other Amenities: Ivan says because they only have 16 rooms, every guest is a special guest. And I think that's nice. They also have a small atrium room on the third floor where you can relax.

Would I Stay Here? Absolutely.

Staff Speaks English? Yes.

Comments: This small hotel is not privately owned. It belongs to the city. There is no hotel sign outside. In fact, when I studied Russian here in the summer of 2000 at the Smolney Cathedral, I walked by this hotel constantly and I never knew it was there. It's a secret. And a hidden jewel for travelers. Room number 2 is just fantastic for the money with a huge living room type area and a separate bedroom. The other rooms are of suitable quality. And I really like the rooms with new bathrooms. Very nice bathrooms. And Ivan was among the most pleasant hotel people we have met. And even at a hotel this small, they have well-dressed security in place. The conference rooms are so so. But overall, considering price and location, I believe this is an excellent place to stay. With no sign out front, I never knew it was there. And when we arrived, as we stood right outside the entrance, we asked a local where this hotel was. That's how hidden it is. The Smolney Cathedral, a very unusual architectural sight, is nearby. Just go to the corner and look rightwards. There it is. If you want a room at the Hotel Mercury, my advice is "book way ahead." I think this little place is great.

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