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Helvetia Suites... formerly known as: Swiss Center Apartment Hotel   J   www.swisscenter.ru
St. Petersburg, Russia   Phone: 7 (812) 325-0979

e-mail: info@helvetia-suites.ru

Rates: Dependent upon the number of guests per suite: one or two = $125, three or four = $160, five or six = $180.

Location Rating: Excellent. Nevsky Prospect is right down the block as well as a metro station. The hotel is in the same building as the Swiss Consulate.

Proximity To Metro: Excellent. Mayakovskaya Metro Station is just a two or three minute walk away.

Lobby Appearance: Go into the courtyard and press the intercom button near the door with the sign that says "Schweizer Zentrum." They will release the lock. Go upstairs to the door with the same sign and enter. An office is located there. That is the reception area. It is a modern and clean area.

Room Appearance: The apartments are fantastic. Big with 70 to 100 square meters. Everything looks new. Beautiful well equipped kitchen with dishwasher and all kinds of other extras; the apartment we saw had two really nice modern bathrooms with heated floors, and two really nice bedrooms. They have 3 apartments now. By the end of May 2002 they will add 15 more.

Useful Nearby Businesses: Since the hotel is located in the heart of the city, you can get whatever you want within walking distance. A Pizza Hut and KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) are right down the block.

Hotel Restaurants: No restaurant, but room service is provided.

Other Amenities: Laundry service, fax/internet access, guarded parking, satellite TV, mini-bar, dishwasher, tea/coffee machine, toaster.

Would I Stay Here? Yes.

Staff Speaks English? Yes.

Comments: This is a great place to stay and for the money it is an excellent value. The apartments are brand new and are loaded full of extras. They're big and comfortable. And the location is superb. The price is almost unbelievable for all that you get. I'd love to stay here.

Swiss Center Apartment Hotel Update: January 7, 2004. Things changed quite a lot here. They went from having just 3 really nice apartments to having a true luxury facility of 40 apartments/rooms. Wow! And they really jacked the prices up. The peak season rack rates are now $250 to $500. The facility is elegant and very secure. The new apartments have ample amenities. I loved the evening lighting in their courtyard. This place is classy. But no air conditioning! The new facility (same location) is a quiet oasis in this very busy part of the city. The older apartments will be noisy in summer. I know because I stayed in one during the summer of 2002. With no AC I had to keep the windows open. Street noise was a problem. On my last night, the mosquitoes drained half the blood out of me. I was miserable. (I believe their new rooms will be much quieter from the apartment I stayed in.) I also felt conned when they charged me an extra 5% for using my visa card (without telling me). After I got home I saw I had been screwed. And all I could get was a promised discount in the future, despite me sending them numerous good customers. I'm still pissed off. The hotel now prefers to be called "Helvetia Suites." 

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