Accommodation in St. Petersburg

Your best bet is to stay in one of St. Petersburg's bed & breakfast hotels. There are plenty along Nevsky Prospekt and you can get a double room there for $50-$100 / night. Our favorite one is Griboedova B&B run by our friend Taddeo and Swiss Star B&B run by an amiable Swiss guy Andre. There are also many great hostels (all listed below) to the point that it's hard to choose from. The local hotels are a bit overpriced, especially if you travel during the peak White Nights season, so book ahead. Otherwise, renting an apartment for short-term is also in Moscow, but be prepared that if you pay less than $80 / night you might end up in some Soviet style shack, unless you're into authentic experiences. As for the location, we recommend anywhere along Nevsky Prospekt for tourism and Vasilievsky Island if you want something not as busy and more authentic.