The view from the room of the river Neva and the city of St Petersburg including all the historic landmarks, including the museum ship Aurora are amazing. Some attractions are in walking distance. Uber taxis are excellent value and readily available. Shops are also in walking distance and people are very friendly and helpful. Staff at reception speak excellent English.This hotel was amazing!! I read several of the reviews before making my reservation and selecting our room. Pay more for the room with a river view, we went for a tour to see a panomaric view of the city, but it was not as beautiful as the view from our room. We stayed in room 925. The beds were so comfortable and the view from our room was so amazing we didn't even want to leave the hotel. The breakfast was good. Staff was helpful. This is a HUGE hotel - manage your expectations - breakfast WILL be overcrowded and the hotel will be noisy at times. All my requests from my reservation email to the hotel were met! Enjoy this lovely hotel!!