Rocco Forte Astoria Hotel is a luxurious hotel dating back to 1912, centrally situated in St Isaac's Square in the heart of St Petersburg, opposite St Isaac's Cathedral.

This seven-floor hotel features 223 guestrooms overlooking either a peaceful inner courtyard or Bolshaya Morskaya Street.

Rooms feature modern décor with parquet flooring, co-ordinated Russian linens and fabrics and marble bathrooms; amenities include interactive satellite television, high-speed Internet connections, minibars, direct-dial phones and ensuite bathrooms with slippers, bathrobes and toiletries.

Guests can workout in the 24-hour fitness centre before relaxing in the Finnish sauna and Turkish steam room or pampering themselves with massages and rejuvenating beauty treatments. Guests can also relax with a drink in the bar, enjoy the winter garden or browse for bargains in the antique shop.

Dining options include traditional Russian cuisine in the restaurant with 1912 period charm, cocktails and caviar in the bar, and light meals or afternoon tea with harp accompaniment in the elegant lounge with nine 11-foot arched windows swathed in Russian linens looking out onto the square.

Families with children can make use of the babysitting service and guests with business needs will benefit from meeting rooms with audiovisual equipment and the ballroom which can accommodate up to 450 people.

St. Isaac's Cathedral with its golden dome, marble and mosaic interior and 43- metre colonnade is opposite the hotel, while other places of historical interest such as the Russian Museum and famous Mariinsky Theatre are just 1.5 kilometres away.

The main shopping area, Nevskiy Prospekt, with its mix of the latest haute couture and traditional Russian grocery shops is a short walk away. Pulkovo II International Airport is 25 kilometres away with an approximate driving time of 40 minutes.