Angleterre Hotel, St Petersburg

Location

Set on the northeastern corner of a leafy square, the hotel looks out onto the magnificent golden dome of St Isaac’s Cathedral. As the largest orthodox basilica in the world, its neoclassical columns and 19th century grandeur are a perfect introduction to St Petersburg’s history. There’s also the world-beating Hermitage museum just ten minutes’ walk away. After you’ve climbed the cathedral’s 43-metre high colonnade, cross over the waters to Vasilyevsky Island’s museums or pay a visit to the Nevsky Prospect whose palaces and boutiques are Russia’s answer to the Champs Élysées. Just around the corner from the hotel, you’ll find the tsar residences of Palace Square and the historic sights of the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Accommodation

The hotel’s austere brick façade belies an elegant lobby, whose grand, contemporary design sets the tone for modern rooms. All feature designer eggshell-white furnishings and Italian marble bathrooms – themselves complete with both a shower and bathtub – along with complimentary WiFi. Classic and larger Executive Rooms look out onto the inner courtyard garden while Deluxe and Superior Deluxe offerings enjoy views over the plaza and onto the cathedral. For the best sightlines, the luxurious Junior and Deluxe Suites come with separate lounges and are decorated in carefully selected artwork.

Dining

Newly renovated, the superb Borsalino Restaurant serves homemade Italian dishes to yet more of those gorgeous views. Open for all three meals, you can expect pasta, pizza and risotto classics along with excellent seafood dishes, including pan-fried scallops complemented by a savoy cabbage puree. Alternatively, tuck in to a freshly baked focaccia or round off your meal with a limoncello or raspberry panna cotta. The bar is a particular highlight with an extensive spirits menu and a lengthy wine list that spans both New and Old World vintages.

Facilities

When the hotel’s art gallery opened ten years ago it exhibited classical paintings by Egor Ostrov, Igor Cholaria and Mikhail Lenn. Today, it follows the Angleterre’s design notes by displaying modern concepts from St Petersburg artists, refreshed every two to three months. The hotel also features a fourth floor Fitness Club where guests are invited to exercise in the high-tech gym and pool or relax in the sauna or solarium. On Sundays, younger guests can take a cooking lesson in the restaurant while all are treated to live music and drinks deals each Thursday.