The history of Grand Hotel Europe is strongly tied to that of the city.
In 1917, at the height of the Bolshevik Revolution, the hotel was used as an orphanage. During the 900-day siege of Leningrad in World War II, Grand Hotel Europe was converted to a 1300-bed hospital.
Over the years, Grand Hotel Europe absorbed smaller buildings, adding to its vast size. Today it is a place of luxury, the closest travelers can come to overnighting in a true Russian palace.
Romantic and literary-minded guests might imagine it as a place where the fictional Anna Karenina could have met with her lover, Count Vronsky, for assignations.
From the elegant façade that stretches down Mikhailovskaya Street to the jewel-like Caviar bar inside, the Grand Hotel Europe is St. Petersburg's premier place for seduction and romance.
