I was staying at another hotel chain and had to move to the Crowne Plaza St Petersburg Ligovsky because I was joining a tour group.  When I first checked into the hotel, I was not particularly impressed with it.  Crowne Plaza St Petersburg Ligovsky is located on a very busy street and the exterior looks rather old and dusty. But thankfully, it’s just the exterior.

Lobby

The lobby looks very new, clean and modern. I recognised some of the designer furniture that they have in the common area. The design approach to this hotel is very minimalist, focusing on clean lines. However, I felt that the designer furniture fails to shine in its hotel environment.

Check-in & Free Wi-fi

The check-in was swift since they were expecting my friend and I. Unlike other hotels that charge you an arm and a leg for Wi-fi, Crowne Plaza actually offers you free Wi-fi even in your room. This is very much a welcoming gesture from the hotel.

Room 321

The corridor along the guest rooms is clean and wide.  When I entered my hotel room, I was generally happy with it. It’s relatively big and well furnished. Even though the room faces the main street and is on a low floor, I could hardly hear the traffic. Like many other hotels, a glass panel separates the bedroom and the bathroom.  The good thing is that guests are able to draw the blinds when they are taking a bath or shower.

The thing that impressed me the most is that the hotel actually provides all its guests two bottles of “this works: sleep” sleeping aid.  Nope, they are not sleeping pills, but two mini solutions to aid a better night’s sleep.  One bottle contains Frankincense and Eucalyptus oils, and it comes in a roller bottle. You need to apply the oils on your palm and breathe in the scent – it’s supposed to clear your head.  The other bottle is a spray that contains Lavender, Vertivert and Camomile oils. You are supposed to spray the solution on your pillows.  I tried them and they really help to relax and calm you.

The Restaurant

The restaurant on the 2nd level is nothing to shout about.  We had dinner there on the first night as part of the welcome session of the tour.  The buffet selection of food is very limited. When it came to the breakfast, the selection is mediocre and limited as well.  We stayed there for four nights and every day, the breakfast was the same. The selection is so limited that by the second day you could remember the dishes served.

Gym

The gym is big for its size and it’s rather well equipped.  Different from other hotel gym, this gym actually feels like one.  The bright colours do help to make your workout more exciting. The mirror panel on one side of the wall also makes the room looks larger.

The highlight – Convenient location

The plus point of this hotel is its super centralised location.  The train station to Moscow is just directly opposite the hotel, and Galeria Shopping Centre is just beside the train station.  The mall is rather massive.  You have no shortage of choices when it comes to food and shopping. There are also many good restaurants along the street. You can even find food at 11pm. The Nevsky Centre, which is just round the corner, also offers great food and shopping.

There are reputable moneychangers just near the hotel.  They offer much better rates than the airport moneychangers.

The minus

The only complaint that I have is that the housekeeping is definitely not one of the most attentive ones.  They didn’t even make up our room on one day.  We had to call them at 5pm to get them to make up the room. And they missed the face towels on one of the days too.

Overall, Crowne Plaza St Petersburg Ligovsky’s strength lies in its super centralised location and clean rooms. It’s generally a safe area (even though you need to be very careful when you are at the mall or train station).

Crowne Plaza St Petersburg Ligovsky
61 Ligovsky Avenue, St Petersburg, Russia 191040