Am I Just Lucky or Do People Expect Too Much?

Hello everyone!

I had a spontaneous vacation this year, so we quickly decided to visit the city-hero St. Petersburg. We entrusted the cultural and tourist part of the program to the company 'Nevsky Seasons', and we didn't regret it even once! The booking of the hotel was also handled by the tour company. As a result, we spent 5 days and 4 nights at the Cosmos Pribaltiyskaya Hotel ****.

Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, St. PetersburgAddress:14, Korabelstroitelya St., St. Petersburg. Primorsky Metro Station, Vasileostrovsky District. This was our first trip to this magical city, but there were no problems with getting there. From Vitebsky Railway Station, we took the metro, and then it was easy to figure out where to go. From Primorsky Metro Station to the hotel, it's a 20-25 minute walk. Some people might find it far, but we enjoyed walking.

The tour operator took care of our transfer, but we easily traveled around the city on the metro during our free time. My husband quickly figured out the metro lines and didn't have any problems. We didn't come to the city to get lost in the metro!

The hotel's location is very convenient. The Finnish Gulf is nearby, and the city center is not far away - just a 20-25 minute bus ride.

Features:

The hotel is huge! It has 1184 rooms. There are 12 floors (or is it 12? I'm not sure!). The rooms are categorized into standard, improved, improved with a panoramic view of the square, semi-luxury, family room, and two-level luxury. We, of course, had a standard room.

It was built for the 1980 Olympics, but they've done a great job renovating it since then.

Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, St. PetersburgThe location is very beautiful. The building is situated on a hill, and the view is nice to look at.Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, St. PetersburgYou can't help but visit the monument to Peter I.Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, St. PetersburgThere are institute buildings and a lovely pond with ducks nearby. There are also a 'Pyaterochka' store, a 'Lenta' store, and several restaurants nearby.Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, St. PetersburgInterior:

If the theater starts with a coat hook, then the hotel starts with the reception desk.

<\/a> Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4\*, Russia, Saint Petersburg<\/div><\/div> I won't say the lobby blew me away with its unexpected design, but it's all neat, spacious, and convenient. <\/a> Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4\*, Russia, Saint Petersburg<\/div><\/div> As usual, it was either empty or packed, but we got checked in quickly. <\/a> Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4\*, Russia, Saint Petersburg<\/div><\/div> By the way, check-in is at 15.00<\/strong>, and check-out is before 12.00<\/strong>. We weren't kicked out, and no one was waiting at the door. <\/a> Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4\*, Russia, Saint Petersburg<\/div><\/div> For waiting, there are comfortable sofas, water coolers with hot and cold water, and a storage room for luggage. <\/a> Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4\*, Russia, Saint Petersburg<\/div><\/div> And the bar! <\/a> Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4\*, Russia, Saint Petersburg<\/div><\/div> The lifts are new, spacious, and quiet. There are even six on each side of the lobby, that's 12 in total. More than enough! <\/a> Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4\*, Russia, Saint Petersburg<\/div><\/div> Inside the floors, there are light walls and carpet on the floor. Neat and quiet. Although, for people with topographical dyslexia, it's a real stress! I'm talking about myself. I rarely managed to find my room on the first try. I used the apartment number signs to navigate.

Our temporary home was on the 9th floor. The view from the window isn't royal, but it's quite aesthetically pleasing. In the end, I can look out the window at home too. In St. Petersburg, I have other things to worry about. There's no balcony, and the windows don't open fully because they have restrictors on them. And that's correct.

Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, St. Petersburg The blackout curtains were a total game-changer for dealing with the white nights and morning sun (if it was feeling generous enough to peek through the window).I was expecting two adult beds, which my husband promptly rearranged to make room for a kid-sized bed. By the time we checked in, everything was set up and ready to go.

Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg I was a bit surprised by the standard room. The narrow corridor with a closet and a full-length mirror is a bit cramped, but it gets the job done. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg The "bedroom" has a blue wall with a nice print. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg On either side of the beds, there are small lamps and a bedside table with a phone. A notebook and a pen with the hotel's logo are provided. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg There's no overhead lighting, but it's not like we needed it. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg The beds are sturdy and quiet. The mattresses are dense, but not too firm. The bedding is clean and fresh, and the sheets are a perfect white. The fabric is silky and cool to the touch - I have no idea what it's made of, but it's not static-y at all. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg The pillows are super comfy. We slept like babies the entire time - no backaches or anything. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg Right in front of the beds, there's a comfortable armchair and a long table for our tea-and-coffee corner and other essentials. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg The TV was showing some music channel, but we didn't really watch it - we just didn't have the time. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg The furniture is a bit worn out, but it's still sturdy. Nothing creaked or wobbled when we moved around.Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg The closet's a bit small, but with the open shelves, there's still plenty of space for your stuff. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint PetersburgNo fridge or safe in the room. That's worth keeping in mind. But there is an electric kettle, three cups, two glasses, and a tea-coffee-sugar set. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg The tap water gets refreshed daily. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg The bathroom's got a sink, toilet, and shower. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg The 'san-gig' pack included toothbrushes with toothpaste (miniature size), combs, hair caps, body lotion, and hair conditioner. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg I liked the body lotion, but the hair conditioner was a total letdown. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg The 'Natura Siberica' liquid soap was a total winner. I used it with pleasure. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg The shower area's got a glass partition. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint PetersburgCosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, St. Petersburg Inside the room, I found a gel shower gel (same as 'Nature Siberica') and a shampoo-conditioner set. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, St. PetersburgA towel rack. They were for face (smaller) and body (larger) and were changed with each cleaning. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, St. PetersburgA clothes drying line. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, St. PetersburgThe bathroom fixtures and tile weren't new, but they were fresh and tidy. The shower had good water pressure, and hot water was always available without any issues.

Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, St. PetersburgThe toilet...well, it was a toilet. It worked smoothly and efficiently.Upon check-in, I noticed the electric kettle was leaking, and the water in the sink wasn't draining properly. A quick call to the front desk, and the issues were resolved within 15 minutes. If they fixed it, I've got no complaints.

As for the room, the soundproofing was top-notch. We didn't hear anyone, and I hope no one heard us. No cigarette smoke or unpleasant odors were present. Trash and cleaning were done daily.

Food:

Breakfast was included in the room rate, and it was a buffet-style breakfast from 6:30 to 11:00.

The hotel has a bar called 'Luna' and two restaurants: a Russian one and a European one. The Russian one (I assume the names are just for show) is brighter and more spacious, so it's probably busier. The European one, on the other hand, is cozier and more low-key. We ended up going there. It's got high chairs and a play area for kids.

Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg I skipped taking photos of every dish, so I'll tell you about them in words. To put it simply, the breakfasts were luxurious! Believe me, few people at home would go to the trouble of making that many dishes. Yes, they were simple, but satisfying, tasty, and edible. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg The bread zone with baguettes, croissants, and baguettes. Oatmeal and wheat porridge, and chicken broth. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg The omelette station, where you can order an omelette, a fried egg, or something else from eggs. Fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, olives, pickled cucumbers, and sauces. Cheese and sausage platter, and even pickled herring.

Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg Scrambled eggs, hard-boiled eggs, and a fluffy omelette with vegetables. Fried bacon (my husband and son tried it and asked for a repeat), sausages, chicken nuggets, or duck meatballs. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, Saint Petersburg Several types of yogurt with toppings (sesame seeds, sesame, granola, and many more). Juices and juices. Fresh and canned fruits.

Pancakes, pancakes, and thin pancakes with jam. To them, sour cream, jam, honey, condensed milk, and chocolate paste for choice.

Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, St. Petersburg The coffee machines were a highlight - they churned out espresso, Americano, latte, cappuccino, and even hot chocolate. There were a few types of tea to choose from. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, St. Petersburg Pastries and cakes were always available. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, St. Petersburg The food was constantly being refreshed and replenished. Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, St. Petersburg No one left hungry, and we didn't have to worry about our stomachs growling. My partner indulged in pastries, while I stuck to meat, eggs, and veggies. The restaurants were spotless, cozy, and comfortable. There was plenty of clean tableware and utensils, and the staff quickly cleared away any dirty dishes. For a hotel, the food was top-notch!

Additional amenities:

* You could order laundry service separately.

* Each guest was provided with a pair of hotel slippers.

* There was an ironing board and iron in every corridor.

Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya Hotel 4*, Russia, St. Petersburg* The air conditioner in our room worked well and could be adjusted, but not turned off. It wasn't a problem for us.* Wi-Fi was available in every room. We didn't encounter any issues with the internet.

* A hair dryer was provided. (It worked great.)

* Free parking was available. (We didn't use it.)

* A fitness center was on site. (We didn't have time for it.)

* A mini-fridge was not available.

* A balcony was not available.

Service:

The staff was friendly and attentive. They checked us in quickly and efficiently, but we rarely saw them. I already mentioned the tea kettle and sink. They provided a free replacement key card when ours went missing. They were very welcoming and proactive. We had no complaints whatsoever!

The room was cleaned thoroughly.

VERDICT:

This hotel has a great location and offers excellent value for money. Keep in mind that we stayed in the most basic standard room, so it's not fair to expect luxury amenities or a stunning view. But for the three of us, it was cozy, comfortable, and satisfying. Every evening, we'd return to our room to find a clean bed, a hot shower, and sweet dreams in the quiet. I'd definitely recommend it!