V&T Daily
The latest travel news
|
|
Russian revolution
By Lisa Perkovic
Published in the October-December 2011 issue.
Throughout its history, St Petersburg has attracted travellers with its grand, often garish, architecture and mindboggling art museums. Today, a growing cache of design-driven restaurants, shops and hip hotels is casting the Russian city in a new light.
St Petersburg is no stranger to change. The city, founded by Peter the Great some 310 years ago, has altered its name three times over the last century, and locals joke that a fourth (Putingrad) might be on the cards if ex-President and St Petersburg native Vladimir Putin has his way.
Russia’s cultural capital has also been called the “Venice of the North” – historically for its canals and bridges; nowadays for its new hotels, restaurants, bars and shops, injecting cutting-edge culture into a city once smothered by political restrictions. And the people have flung off their heavy furs to fully embrace the city’s sass and style. Here, our guide to the latest places to experience the new face of St Petersburg.
Where to sleep
There used to be no escaping the bling of St Petersburg. Glinting off gold-domed churches, plastered all over palaces and flashing on the fingers of locals, costume jewellery literally covers the city. In the past, it was all about flaunting what you had – and hotels were the most extravagant of all, with towering marble statues, austere imperial portraits and a lot of red carpet. Now locals and visitors alike are seeking out hip new treasures that are less about show and more about showcasing the best in modern design.
W St Petersburg is leading the charge. Throwing open its doors in June, the intimate 137-room property has the city talking with its trademark “whatever, whenever” attitude. Guests step off the street into the Living Room, where an eclectic mix of art books, modern matryoshka dolls and rabbit figurines line the walls. Splashes of colour and spots of sparkle pay homage to Fabergé eggs, St Petersburg’s smallest and most valuable treasures. Guest rooms are more subdued, with the only glitz coming from contemporary 24-carat gold chandeliers casting patterns of light across the walls. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer views across St Isaacs Cathedral and bathrooms come with heated marble floors – essential if you’re visiting during winter.
Around the corner, the Hotel Astoria’s motto is “never out of fashion” and its freshly minted SPA Decléor is a testimony to that. Guests can sweat it out for free in the Finnish sauna or pocket-sized Turkish hammam or enjoy beauty treatments using skincare products from the French Decléor range. The hotel’s more traditional rooms and lobby are set to undergo extensive renovations in December but in the the meantime, the spa is the perfect spot in which to seek refuge from the cold.
At the Crowne Plaza St Petersburg-Ligovsky, everything is brand, spanking new. Opened in May, the hotel, with its modern amenities, makes a working city-stay in St Petersburg a breeze. The conference facilities and business centre have character but not at the expense of comfort, and guest rooms are decorated in earthy hues of beige and chocolate. It’s also conveniently located across the road from Moscow Railway Station and the new Galleria shopping centre.
For something more novel, Sokos Hotel Palace Bridge on Vasilievsky Island has gone for Rococo-themed rooms, while NasHOTEL counts gas masks among the “artworks” decorating the property.
Where to eat
Working up an appetite in Russia’s tourist capital is an easy feat – there are literally miles of museums to explore. Savouring the work of old masters has its appeal but in St Petersburg’s kitchens, a wave of new artists is at work. Forget borsch and blinis: Ribeye serves steak with style. The eatery sits in the shadow of Kazan Cathedral and sticks to low lighting for its barn-house design. Multicoloured steer sculptures hang from the ceiling in one room; aged prosciutto and salami decorate another. Rustic and relaxed, it’s the perfect venue for the city’s country singers, who perform here throughout the day. On the top floor of the same building, Terrassa also enjoys good views over the cathedral; head to the terrace for particularly stunning vistas. The timbered eating hall offers everything from Italian and Thai to Chinese and Japanese, but the French macarons in the dessert display case are hard to look past.
Offering dining rooms of a different sort, The Flying Dutchman occupies a ship on the northern bank of the Neva River. The galleon sits high in the water and has been converted into a lifestyle centre, complete with 24-hour fitness centre, nightclub, hair salon and several restaurants. Grab a table in the bow of the ship to enjoy hearty Brazilian churrascos and the best views of The Hermitage Museum at Paluba Restaurant, or head to the stern for Japanese-Russian fusion fare in Panorama Restaurant. A trendy spot for business lunches, the Dutchman’s unofficial dress code is sailor-chic.
Cutting-edge cuisine is on the menu at Mansarda, a new mover and shaker designed by Italy’s PiuArch (+ARCH) studio, known for their work with Dolce&Gabbana. Looking out at St Isaac’s Cathedral, the restaurant’s modern dining room takes its cues from international trends, as do the dishes – try the superb seafood pelmeni (dumplings).
More child-friendly is Luzhaika, a relaxed café that offers open-air cabanas, a fishpond and petting zoo. Cotton candy, ice cream and popcorn are on the menu, as well as today’s catch.
Equally understated is Other Side Gastro Bar & Refuge, run by American expats with a taste for hummus and French fries. It’s a great place for a quick bite, although you’ll want to linger longer if there’s live music on the agenda.
Where to drink
White, black, straight, shot or shaken… there’s an art to drinking like a Russian. Any St Petersburg establishment worth its salt will have a long list of vodka available; the hotspots will offer this and more. Start early at Charlotte Café, across the road from Ribeye and Terrassa, where a clutter of vintage hat stands, watercolours and chandeliers create cosy spaces. The glitterati sip sangria in the Parisienne-style window seats while snacking on pastries.
Summer is one of the hottest spots of the moment from which to watch sunset over the Neva River. The café, restaurant, bar and nightclub sits in the lee of Peter and Paul Fortress, the city’s original fortification. The 180-degree views are best enjoyed from the low lounges by the windows.
Extravagant vaulted ceilings, ruby-red walls and mosaic tiles create a decadent North African-style setting for late-night socialising at café-club Magrib. Tucked into the southern end of Nevsky Prospekt, the complex has something for everyone, from embroidered pillows to lounge on with hookahs to an extensive cocktail list in the heaving nightclub. A similar vibe can be enjoyed at BarAnka, a stylish spot for smoking shisha water pipes, with food and drink available in the dining room or bar throughout the day.
Where to shop
There’s more to Russia than matryoshka dolls and Fabergé eggs. Several urban renewal projects have been set up to create new community spaces, and emerging designers are answering the demand for cutting-edge creations to fill these spots. One such place is New Holland Island, occupied by an 18th-century fortress before being abandoned many years ago. In its new guise, the space plays host to a “Summer in New Holland” scheme that sees shipping containers transformed into temporary shops and galleries showcasing the work of young Russian and international artists and designers. The courtyard of the old naval gaol building is now the summer home of über-cool bar-cum-café Holland, complete with jet-flame heaters and space-age chairs, and there’s a brilliant kitchen garden with crops for some of the city’s top restaurants, growing under the watchful eye of a stylish scarecrow.
Back on the mainland, St Petersburg’s busiest shopping strip is Nevsky Prospekt. Big-name brands including H&M and Zara line the crowded street. Look out for Babochka, stocking international heavyweights including Valentino, Bottega Veneta, Chloe and Jimmy Choo.
In winter, the new Galleria Shopping Mall is the best place to shop and shelter from the cold. Thirty years ago, Russians had been known to buy the jeans straight out of tourists’ suitcases; today, Polo Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger join Karen Millen, United Colors of Benetton, GAP, Marks & Spencer and Ecco in this colossal centre. The lovingly restored building is also home to a cinema, bowling alley and indoor pool for those who want more than retail therapy. •
Photography by Lisa Perkovic.
TRAVEL FACTS
Getting there
Emirates, Air France and Finnair fly from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth to St Petersburg on a daily basis.
• Air France. 1300-390-190; airfrance.com
• Emirates. 1300-303-777; emirates.com
• Finnair. 1300-798-188; finnair.com
Getting around
Bentours offers a range of guided trips around Russia, taking in St Petersburg among other destinations. 1800-221-712; bentours.com.au
When to go
Rarely receiving more than 50 days of sunshine a year, St Petersburg is often cloudy and gets extremely cold in winter (December to February).
Where to stay
• Crowne Plaza St Petersburg – Ligovsky. 61 Ligovsky Prospekt; 7-812/244-0001; ichotelsgroup.com
• Hotel Astoria, St Petersburg. 39 Bolshaya Morskaya; 7-812/494-5757; thehotelastoria.com
• NasHOTEL. 50, 11-ya Liniya, Vasilievsky Ostrov;
7-812/643-0081; en.nashotel.ru
• Sokos Hotel Palace Bridge. 2-4 Birzhevoi Pereulok (Vasilievsky Island); 7-812/335-2200; sokoshotels.fi
• W St Petersburg. 6 Voznesensky Prospekt; 7-812/610-6161; wstpetersburg.com
Where to eat & drink
• BarAnka. 5 Chapaeva Ulitsa; 7-812/332-0777.
• Charlotte Café. 2 Kazanskaya Ulitsa; 7-812/571-8287; sharlotcafe.ru
• The Flying Dutchman. 6 Mytnenskaya Naberezhnaya; 7-812/313-8866; dutchman.ru
• Luzhaika.16 Aptekarsky Prospekt; 7-812/324-7094.
• Magrib. 84 Nevsky Prospekt; 7-812/275-7620.
• Mansarda. 3-5 Pochtamskaya, Ulitsa; 7-812/946-4303.
• The Other Side Gastro Bar & Refuge. 1 Bolshaya Konyushennaya St.; 7-812/312-9554; theotherside.ru
• Ribeye. 3 Kazanskaya, Ulitsa; 7-812/912-9621.
• Summer café. Peter and Paul Fortress; 7-812/922-2296.
• Terrassa. 3 Kazanskaya, Ulitsa; 7-812/937-6837; terrassa.ru/en
Where to shop
• Galleria Shopping Mall. Ligovsky Prospekt.
• Babochka. 153 Nevsky Prospekt; 7-812/717-4675; babochka.ru
• New Holland Island. 2 Admiralteysky Channel embankment; 7-812/971-0510; newhollandsp.com/en
Further information
The Embassy of the Russian Federation has more information on visas, accommodation, tours and activities. australia.mid.ru
|
|
|
V&T Takeoff
Updates from our editors and writers
 |
The team from the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau were in town last week to update Australia on some of the BIG things happening in the Texan state. |
 |
V&T mag dropped into Bali last month and helped the W Retreat & Spa celebrate their 2nd anniversary and what a splash it was. With local and international fashion designers on display, the W Lounge was transformed into a catwalk party zone. 2500 people flowed through the resort late into the night, moving to NYC DJ Sandy Rivera. This was the biggest ticket in Bali for some time and the resorts pulling power is a testament to just how hot this property and international hotel brand actually is.www.vacationsandtravelmag.com/Mca/874/765/3/0/0/#takeoff1 How did we cope the next day? Poolside. Don’t wait until their 3rd anniversary as the vibe, sound and style of this resort makes for a very cool holiday. In the heart of Seminyak and right on the beach, Bali beckons. |
 |
Thanks to our friends at Air France we got out of the office for the day and enjoyed a great round of golf at the annual Financial Markets Charity Golf Day and Gala Dinner. Held annually in February, this event as well as the Financial and Media Markets Charity Sailing Regatta in October raises AU$1.2 million for a wide range of charities.The ASX Group and Thomson Reuters Australia (formerly Reuters) joined forces in 1999 to form a Charity Foundation with the objective of helping Australian-based children, disability and medical research charities by organising fundraising events in conjunction with the Financial Markets. Pictured here: Thomas Reeves Air France, Middle, Patrick Benhamou, Atout France; Anthony Gallagher Vacations & Travel magazine. |
 |
Vacations & Travel magazine rubbed shoulders with local and international buyers and sellers of travel from around the globe at 2013 AIME (Asia Pacific's Incentive Meeting Expo). This is the biggest event on the Australian travel industry calendar, where key decision makers congregate to network over a three-day event of hosted parties, trade and leisure travel meetings and press conferences. |
 |
The who's who of Sydney's entertainment industry turned up for the recent opening of the city's newest hotel to receive a makeover, The Parkroyal. Located in Darling Harbour, the property has just emerged from a milt million-dollar makeover to reveal striking rooms and seriously sexy public spaces. Speaking of sexy, some of the celebs on hand to celebrate the re-launch included Casey Burgess, Danielle Blakey and Amy Milne, not to mention Timomatic who entertained the crowds into the witching hours… |
 |
 |
|
|
