St Petersburg is a historic city, famous for its old buildings and churches. There is an array of hotels ranging from budget to the uber-opulent, with Hotel 1913, sitting in the middle ground.

It’s a small and boutique hotel, with a very basic check-in. Staff are friendly and attentive, and a bell-boy will escort guests to the rooms. As a very small residence, there are no elevators, and beautiful vintage stairs instead lead to the guest rooms.

The Premiere Suite consists of one bedroom, one bathroom and a separate living area with a sofa bed. There is very ample space with gorgeous chandeliers and fitting artwork throughout the area. Even the furniture – the tables, chairs and bed – all take you right back to the early 1900’s and give the hotel incredible character.

The main bedroom has a very large and comfortable bed, complete with vintage sheets and pillows, as well as artful wallpaper and other décor. There’s also a small work desk with accessible powerpoint.

In the living room, there is another larger desk, as well as a fridge and complimentary tea and coffee. There is a flat-screen TV, however it only provides access to local Russian channels, and there is no English available.

As for temperature comfort, there are separate air-conditioners in the living room and bedroom. Free wi-fi is available throughout the hotel, and operates very well.

The hotel is located relatively centrally, just a short walk from St Isaac’s Cathedral, and about 10 minutes from the nearest Metro station.

Buffet breakfast was probably the low-point of the hotel, with a very small and limited selection on offer. The dining area is rather cramped, and there are very limited wholesome food choices, especially for a Western palate. Nonetheless, it was survivable.

In all, the hotel provided quite a pleasant experience, especially for the very affordable price. Whilst the Premiere Suite was beautiful, it appeared that some of the standard room were of far lower quality.