NEED TO KNOW

• The Grand stands on Nevsky Prospekt among the city's great architectural treasures
• Dining options range from the very finest in international gourmet cuisine to the stunning, art nouveau Caviar Bar and Restaurant for an authentic taste of Russia 
• The Hotel's Planet Health Club and Beauty Room is equipped with the latest exercise machines, a sauna and a plunge pool
• The Grand's own boutiques are popular with St. Petersburg residents as well as hotel guests - they sell designer clothes and accessories, fine jewellery, Swiss watches and porcelain
• The hotel operates a 'Very Important Kids' programme, which includes gifts and treats on arrival, games (including PlayStation), toys and tours of the hotel's own chocolate factory
  

THE HOTEL
The stately Grand Hotel Europe is a genuine historical, cultural and culinary landmark - a stunning hotel in the heart of St Petersburg.  Opened in 1824, it is ideally positioned on St Petersburg's most splendid avenue, Nevsky Prospekt, and surrounded by cultural treasures including the Russian Museum and Mussorgsky Theatre.  It is no surprise to find it has played host to some of the world's most famous names, including Tchaikovsky and George Bernard Shaw.

In terms of design, the hotel's superb, impossibly grand façade gives way to a sumptuous interior - soaring ceilings, stained glass, art nouveau arches and detailing, and superb hard wood features abound.  The 301 rooms and suites are equally wonderful, transporting guests back to the age of the Tsars with restored original features complemented by a butler service available on request. Guest rooms are generally large whilst suites feature rare antique Russian furnishings.

The Grand Hotel Europe's Belle Etage houses 10 newly opened 'historic' suites, each with its own name and an individual interior design that corresponds to this name. Among them are the Dostoevsky, Romanov, Mariinsky, Faberge and Pavarotti Suites.