When I heard about the new Four Seasons opening in St Petersburg I knew it was reason enough to visit Russia. The Lion Palace, as it is now known, was built in the 19th century for the royal family in the neoclassical style. The grand main entrance is marked with an eight column portico and guarded by two white marble Medici lions by Italian sculptor Paolo Triscorni. Like many of the Four Seasons hotels, an historic building has been transformed into a luxurious place to stay, eat and relax… embracing its former features and adapting where necessary to ensure guests have everything they could require.
The hotel is located in the Admiralteysky district, close by to the Hermitage Museum, Nevsky Prospekt and Mariinsky Theatre, perfect for tourists hoping to see all the sights. There are 183 guest rooms including 26 suites; we were in a lovely terrace room with a balcony overlooking the magnificent St Isaac Cathedral. The room was subtly decorated in sophisticated shades of cream, brown and pale blue, with a huge plush king sized bed, a dark wooden desk for business needs and an armchair for relaxing. Thick white curtains concealed the cold outdoors. The bathroom was spacious and indulgent, clad in marble with a huge bath, power shower and ‘his and hers’ sinks. The toiletries were of a really good quality and smelt wonderful, coming all the way from Lorenzo Villoresi in Florence.
The food at Lion Palace will satisfy the palates of the prestigious guests and also wow visitors who are not staying at the hotel. We sampled the fine Italian restaurant, Percorso which is headed up by acclaimed chefs Andrea Accordi and Valerio Andrisani who create modern creative Italian dishes. This eatery is impressive especially in comparison to St Petersburg’s other fine dining establishments. We indulged with delicious cheeses, top quality meat dishes and authentic desserts. I can still recall my tender roasted lamb with pumpkin, pecorino, mint and Avola almond.
We also ate in the Tea Lounge where breakfast is served. This gorgeous open plan parlour is decorated in bright pastels – yellow, green and pink. It is the perfect place for a tea party. We tried lots of intriguing Russian specialities here, including the tasty little Sirniki (farmer’s cheese pancakes) made with cottage cheese or ricotta. I can also recommend the French toast dusted with icing sugar and accompanied with caramelised baked apple segments.
For the ultimate relaxation there is the four storey Luceo spa, with a small pool, eight treatment rooms and a VIP couples suite – the talented therapists here look after you from head to toe. We had massages on the final day, a relaxing conclusion to three days of frantic sightseeing! Walking in such cold weather definitely builds up tension in the legs but I felt the knots melt away with the masseur’s skill and warm aromatic oils.
Russia can be a daunting place, and knowing where to start is tricky. Four Seasons St Petersburg will be your guide, your friend and your concierge, guiding you towards the sights which make this city so special. It was a palatial home for us for three days and I breathed a sigh of relief every time I stepped from the cold street into the lovely Lion Palace lobby.
More information and book a room here: www.fourseasons.com/stpetersburg/