"We arrived with our family and stayed four nights in a three-person apartment (a double bed and a fold-out sofa in a separate kitchen-living room). The aparthotel essentially consists of two buildings: one parallel to the Makarova Embankment (presumably the rooms with a view of the Neva) and one at an angle (where we stayed). The second building doesn't have such a spectacular view (the bridge exit, garages in the distance, and houses), but we liked it: the same beautiful sunsets, wildflowers, and pine trees outside the windows.
What we liked:
1) The staff. We arrived in the evening, around nine. Thanks to the signs, we quickly figured out where the reception was, and we quickly got our keys. Towels were changed every day except the last day (for some reason, some were replaced and some were left behind; perhaps we folded them too carefully). Water was provided daily, one 0.33 bottle per guest, and the trash was taken out then. They snuck into the room like ninjas: not a single thing was moved, but the towels and water were in their places, and the trash disappeared :)
2. Furnishings. Loft-style, everything is well-appointed and beautiful. The small chips and cracks in the walls, in my opinion, only added a touch of loft to the ambiance. I've never encountered an aparthotel with impeccable repairs, but our room here was quite nice.
3. Cooking facilities. Seriously, everything I needed. Because of the therapeutic ”table 5” diet, my daughter couldn't eat out, so she cooked at the hotel. The room had a 4-burner cooktop, a microwave, an electric kettle, and a refrigerator with a freezer. All were Bosch, which was surprising. They worked flawlessly. Cookware (from Ikea): a saucepan of about 2 liters with a lid, a small saucepan, and a frying pan (over 20 cm in diameter) with a lid. There's also a knife and cutting board, a set of cutlery and various ladles, cups, glasses, goblets, shot glasses, plates, and bowls (like a salad bowl).
4. Real laundry facilities. Zanussi washing machine (but no detergent or capsules; the staff says to ask for them) + a floor-standing drying rack for hanging clothes. There's also an ironing board and iron.
5. Very quiet. You can't hear road noise unless you open the balcony, which is also a window. There were no sounds from neighboring rooms, even in different rooms of the same room with the doors closed.
What I didn't like: 1) metal keys; 2) there were dishwasher tablets and dishwashing detergent in the room, but no sponge; 3) no scissors (kitchen scissors, as it's inconvenient to open food packages with a knife) or kitchen towels; 4) the shower is half-enclosed by glass, the threshold is low, and a lot of water leaked onto the floor.
It's hard to judge whether the lack of mosquito nets on the windows was a good or bad thing. On the one hand, there was air conditioning, and they didn't block the view. On the other hand, not only mosquitoes but also huge flies, bees, and the like were flying outside, and the open window was simply an invitation for them.
Now about the location.
I'd rate it as ”very good.”
The metro isn't easy to find—it's only for those in the know or using maps—but Primorskaya station is indeed a leisurely 20-minute walk through the courtyards. From there, you can take direct trains to Nevsky Prospekt (Gostiny Dvor metro station) and Moskovsky Train Station (Mayakovskaya metro station, a 15-minute walk). Trolleybus and bus stops are also nearby (about 10 minutes away), from which you can get to Universitetskaya Embankment, for example. In theory, you can walk there, too, in about an hour (we walked to the Spit of Vasilievsky Island). There's a Hyper Lenta in the neighboring building. There's plenty of choice if you need to cook in your apartment."