- Hotels on Nevsky (St. Petersburg; tel. 812/703-3680; www.hon.ru): A local company has renovated sections of buildings around town, including some with views of St. Petersburg's greatest monuments. A range of room sizes and services is available, with the best deals those a bit beyond the tourist-beaten path.
- Galina's Flat (Moscow; tel. 495/921-6038; galinas.flat@mtu-net.ru): As the name suggests, guests here are staying in Galina's apartment, renovated rooms in a historic quarter of the capital, with basic services and a friendly environment allowing a more intimate peek at Russian life.
- Kristoff (St. Petersburg; tel. 812/571-6643): This tidy hotel offers a glimpse of Russian life that bigger hotels can't, since it occupies two floors of an apartment building. It's in a charming, lively neighborhood most tourists don't see, but isn't far from the main sights.
