Grand Hotel Europe, St. Petersburg

The list of previous guests says it all; Tchaikovsky and Turgenev stayed here in pre-revolutionary days, while in the modern era the hotel has hosted the likes of Bill Clinton and Sharon Stone. This is the city's premiere and most expensive hotel. The building itself dates back to 1873, but has gone through various stages of renovation since then, including a complete internal revamping in the last decade of the 20th Century. Rooms are predictably luxurious, the staff is thoroughly English speaking and the location couldn't be more convenient.