Nearest metro: Admiralteyskaya
Although it is housed in a modern building, the W St. Petersburg is situated in the very heart of St. Petersburg's historic centre, within comfortable walking distance of the Winter Palace and Nevsky Prospekt, close to nearly all the city's major visitor attractions and right next to the fabulous St. Isaac's Cathedral, the city's largest and most impressive church.Admiralteyskaya Metro Station, on the purple line, is around five minutes' walk from the hotel. Moscow Rail Station is around 2km from the W St. Petersburg, and the journey between hotel and station should take around 15 minutes by taxi. Vitebsk Station is a similar distance from the hotel, while the Ladoga and Finland Stations are slightly further afield - 20-30 minutes' drive.
Pulkovo International Airport is approximately 15 km from the hotel, and can be reached by taxi or transfer in 30-45 minutes in reasonable traffic.
Local Sightseeing
The main attraction near the W Hotel is St. Isaac's Cathedral, the fabulous neoclassical church that was the life's work of French architect Auguste de Montferrand. Completed in 1858, the cathedral's interiors are lavishly decorated in marble and malachite, with intricate mosaics, while the gold dome is a city landmark. Equally essential is the cathedral colonnade at the base of the dome, which offers spectacular panoramic views over the historic centre.In front of the cathedral, St. Isaac's Square has a famous equestrian statue of Tsar Nicholas I, designed by de Montferrand and the celebrated German-Russian sculptor Peter Klodt. The square runs across the Blue Bridge, the broadest bridge in St. Petersburg, which crosses the Moyka River in front of the Mariinsky Palace. Built by Andrey Stackensneider, court architect in the mid-19th century, this immense Empire-style building was constructed as a wedding present for Nicholas I's daughter, Maria Nikolaevna.
A few steps from the W Hotel in the opposite direction, the Admiralty building was home to St. Petersburg's first shipyards, and is famous for its elegant gold spire and the fine sculptural decorations on its severe neoclassical facades. In front of the Admiralty, the Alexandrovsky Garden is a pretty small park with several sculptures of great figures from Russian culture and a musical fountain.
