Saint Petersburg

[Doctor_Skank]

dusty_bin,

Great report, thanks for the info. I was aware of the principal of "rent" and knew that hotel girls paid $50, but never knew the details. Thanks, helps put perspective on things. Do you know by any chance what policy is at CF and NF in Moscow?

Marstalls:
One of my beefs on Marstalls is that the girls don't change much... not only are the same ones there all week, but I recognize some of the same girls every time I am there... sometimes I'll see the same girl months or even years later! Occasionally freelancers come in, but there quality doesn't seem to be overly high IMHO.

Next time in St.Pete I'll look around Magrib more, I've never been there alone and had a chance to look for women, I had assumed it was a normal bar/disco with very little pro action.

Outside of Marstalls a taxi driver offered me girls for $100, showing me photographs that were so old and ragged they were obviously not of the real girl. I wouldn't care if the picture was fake if he delivered something cute anyway. I realize that normally this is hit and miss at best and often an utter disappointment, but am just curious if anyone has tried this?

[Dusty Bin]

Here is an alternative that we do not often talk about...

On this trip I met girls on the street or at street bars and cafes. Patio Pizza was good as was the Bistro adjacent to Magrib. On the street, the girls will often give direct eye contact be fast, indicate with a flick of the head for her to join you, if not interested you just carry on walking, or eating.

Here's the skinny...

Girls have to pay 'rent' to use the hotels, clubs and bars. On the street the same girls pay no rent. If they keep a low profile thay are also welcome in places like Patio Pizza, Planet Sushi etc. The girls will be alone or in pairs, usually very attractive, but not the most attractive women around. They will be looking around to see potential clients. The going rate for a night is about $100. Be nice and they will be yours for several days for just a 'top up fee'. Downside is that there is no control on quality - if they steal from you, it is tough luck. In the clubs, the girls are kept in line by the security. If you accuse a girl of theft and it is upheld. then she will get a 'customer service lesson' that will cause her to be unavailable for work for a few weeks

Rent in clubs:
Marstall $100 per week, this is why the same girls are there every night.
Magrib $30 per client, encourages regulars to go for short times and amateurs to provide variety.
Tribunal IIRC $20 per client.
Tschaika $10 per client, but the same three girls have been working there since God was in short trousers.

Most attractive girls are in Magrib, but cost is $150 or so, duration variable. Marstall has the old regulars, been shagging them for the last three years or more, cost $100, usually for the night. Two girls for perhaps $150

In most clubs you will find girls who do not want to pay rent, they will often be a bit cheaper, in Marstall perhaps $50 for the night, but older, they will also want to appear to be a 'girlfriend' to avoid the suspicions of the door staff.

BTW, you can get the hotel girls down to about $150 for the night, their target is to get $100 per night, the $50 goes to security. If you want to pay $500 then you are allowed to be rough, as one girl put it to me, 'he offered $500, so I knew that I would not be able to shit properly for a couple of days or sit for a week'. She took the money knowing that it would mean that she would not need to work for the next couple of weeks. Most girls do not want to work every night. (You don't think they all ENJOY it do you?)

[Dusty Bin]

I have stayed in an apartment, completely unrefurbished for $400 for a month. The 'local' price would have been about $200. For this I was staying near Mariinsky THeatre, about 20 minutes from Nevsky, on foot, or 50-100 RBl by cab and 6Rbl by bus. Problem is that these cheaper places are not too pretty, the agents do not speak English and customer service is an unknown concept.

If I were you, I would arrange a homestay and recruit your hosts to help find you an apartment. Good prices will only come with longer term rentals in excess of a month and will become more difficult in the winter as apartment owners return to their homes from their Dacha.

[Across69]

Traveler22,
The websites I gave you were only for example! Some sites have prices from $35 dollars a night. If you stay for 3 months you can definately find cheaper apartments. Haggleing for prices is okay in Russia, to a certain degree.
There are DOZENS of web sites to help you find cheap apartments in SPG. Like I said, the cheapest way to find a centraly located, cheap apartment is to OPEN YOUR LOCAL PHONE BOOK AND CALL A TRAVEL AGENT WHO IS A FORMER RUSSIAN CITIZEN!
The least expensive way to stay in SPG is to rent a room with a family. Even if it for only a couple of weeks and then find an apartment once you are there. Few Russians can afford to pay more than $300 a month rent, even in downtown SPG.
Behind the Kazaan cathedral, VERY convenient to Marstals and Tribunal bar, is the university dorms/hotel. You can stay there for around $14 a night. This is the place if you need a last minute place to get laid, even if you live with a family. Just let the woman (Pro or non-pro) do the talking at the front desk!
The ONLY good thing about the damn bridges is that it is a common excuse to say you were stuck on the wrong side of the river and could not get home for the night, if questioned.
Finally, There are several youth hostels in SPG. Here is the address for the main one:
www.ryh.ru
You do not need to be a "youth" to stay at a hostel. In most youth hostels (worldwide) you can usually only stay for a specific period of time (several days to a few weeks) until you must leave for a brief period.

[Traveller22]

across69,

Thanks for your answer but unfortunately I am not a rich man! I will stay 3 months in Petersburg and I just can't afford to pay between 00 and 200$ dayly as it is asked on those websites!

As far as I undestood you intend to live 2 months in this city. It means that you are ready to pay minimum 6000$ just for the accomodation. It appears to be just out of my league.

According to me the best solution is to rent a room in a family for 100-150 $ downtown. It is not very practical for the girls but I really don't see other possibilities for long term residence in Petersburg.

[Dusty Bin]

Magrib has booths along the side of the main room, these are 'reserved' until you either pay some money, or are recognised as a regular spender, in a party. There is seating just behind the main floor, for diners, usually plenty of space to snuggle down on comfy seats. If all else fails there is the front room mainly for diners and dinkers, good for conversation,, but a little open for much else. There is not, aa far as I know, any private rooms. What there is suffices for most purposes though.

[Doctor_Skank]

Steve,

Although St.P has an overwhelming number of non-pro non-prostitute beauties strolling the streets, IMHO opinion it is more difficult to find the pro super stunners in St.Pete as compared to Moscow, where if you are willing to pay "visiting Japanese business executive" prices of $200+ you can always go to Night Flight and find what you are looking for. For the short term infrequent visitor who has neither the time or insider knowledge to find the same quality girl for half the price, this is a very good option. I don't go there myself as I do follow my own personal rule not to pay more than $100-150 tops, but for those in your situation...and there are very many of you, this is absolutely ok and you aren't ruining any market prices by doing so since Night Flight is a seperate entity in itself and $200-300 is the market price there, also dictated by the club wishing to stay exclusive and a magnet for businessmen.

If any one knows of a surefire solution to this dilemna in St.P, please post, as Steve isn't the first guy to feel the selection at Marstalls/Tribunal and the call-girls wasn't what he was looking for. For me, I really have (almost) always been happy with choices at Marstalls or Tribunal, but you will have to go late. For business travellers I realize this is a hassle, especially if they have to work the next day. Otherwise you can go for the hotel girls and bargain down to $200, which they will do. They may go lower to $150, but they also may not, as sooner or later they probably will find someone to pay their $200+ price.

Dusty,

Yeah, Golden Dolls has gone downhill. Haven't been in it since the renovation, but based on your report and my pre-renovation visits there, it is not worth my time. Too bad, it used to rock. I think as the economic situation in Moscow and St.Pete improves, the quality of girls willing to work as strippers or in the horizontal profession is waning somewhat. Just my impression, maybe wrong.

What kind of "private booths" are you talking about at Magrib...it is just a disco, right? Or do you mean just places to sit secluded?

Across69,

Thanks for your ten commandments, I pretty much agree with what you say.

An 11th commandment might be to try to meet "normal" Russian girls. Even if you don't get laid (although you very likely might) the experience is rewarding.

And a 12th commandment would be to learn a little Russian at least. If you gain exposure to the normal populace, you chances for getting laid for free will explode.

And another tip that works for me, when paying for play, take the girl out for a drink first at a place other than the one you picked her up at. Get to know her (provided you have time). It'll likely improve the subsequent chemistry and sex.

Magrib is just across the street from the Nevsky Palace Hotel, which is often erroneously called the Sheraton. It is in fact a Corinthian Hotel, as Sheraton sold the place.

[Across69]

1. Avoid Golden Dolls and Maximus strip club unless you are very rich and like to be hassled

2. Russian women seem to like foreigners, so getting lucky( for free) here seems to be pretty easy.

3. Marstals and tribunal bar late at night ( after 1am) are great places to find pros and non-pros

4. Never pay more than $150 for the WHOLE NIGHT with ANY girl you meet at a bar

5. Let the woman do all the talking with your hotel security and be prepared to pay $2-$10 hush money

6. There are Pros in almost all SPG hotels but they are usually way overpriced

7. You can avoid the whole hotel/security issue by renting an apartment

8. Taxis are cheap, so use them late at night. Remember the police are NOT there to help you!

9. ALWAYS pay attention to the drawbridge schedule (with a safety margin) if you are going to cross the Neva

10. ATM/ Money machines are everywhere and you avoid the risks of carrying a lot of money. Usually get an okay rate and you don't have to deal with the money exchange assholes!

[Across69]

Dusty!
Sorry man, but you had EXACTLY the same experience I had a year ago at Golden dolls (see my 6/2002 posts). Maxiumus was pretty much the same expeirence as GD in a marbled, new wrapper.

Where is Magrib, exactly, by the way?

The ONLY worthwhile strip club last summer (2002) was Papa Kolorado way out on Valievsky island. Only for the adventurous and careful with the bridges!

Traveler22,
Here are some of the dozens of web sites I found:

http://www.petersburg-lodging.com/apartments.htm
http://www.lodgingspb.com/apartments.php
http://www.petersburg-apartments.com/apartment-vas.htm

but find a local Russian travel agent (in your city!) to get a real deal!
Also, as long as you are south of the river, the metro, taxis and regular citizens cars are cheap and easily available.

[Dusty Bin]

i have just returned from a short trip to saint petersburg.

up until a couple of years ago i was a regular visitor to golden dolls on nevsky. i was often to be found enjoying a private session and had no problem tipping the girls. the club was comfortable and the girls usually had a good attitude. i have recommended this place for many years. i publically apologise to anyone who has been, on my recommendation, whilst the place has been under the current management!

golden dolls has completely changed...

last night i visited the place for the first time since the refurbishment. it can not be recommended under any circumstances. here is the story...

i arrived at about 1.00 am saturday night/sunday morning. a time that should have been hopping.

i entered, the lower floor is now closed, there is now a cash desk there, and worryingly an atm! the entry was 750 roubles ($25). they claimed to have no change and wanted to keep the 50rbl balance, on querying they offered to repay on exit. (first warning!)

i ascended the stairs to the new floor, it is a cold hard place of steel, tile, uv light and glass. i was one of perhaps three clients, all dispersed through a much larger room. (warning two!)

a hostess took me to a seat by one of the runways, where a girl was wriggling in a desultory fashion. the previous enthusiasm completely absent. (warning three and my enthusiasm is also waning!)

a couple of girls approached me and sat with me. they were, by local standards just 'average plus' i can enjoy the company of more attractive girls almost anywhere in town. they instantly started to hustle drinks. i never buy drinks instantly and so refused, within seconds they had made themselves absent, never to be seen again.
feeling a little exposed, i retreated to a booth, worryingly it was no treserved. they have so few clients that they dont even bother to save these for the high rollers any more. my previously ordered drink arrived, cost was now well out of line with even expensive clubs (half litre draft was 255rbl, normal high prices might reach 120 rbl!) i proffered 500 rbl, the waitress disappeared and did not return with my change. i subsequently had to ask another waitress for my change, when she returned, she had the gall to ask for a tip. (what for? not actually stealling my money?) i did not tip and she retired miffed.

ok how many more warnings do i need? (actually just one! read on!)

next a youngish masked girl aproached and gave a half hearted little performance for a few seconds and asked for a 'little gift'. i offered 50rbl, she said 100rbl was minimum and refused my money. at this point i rose, to leave, leaving my beer almost untouched, my exit was blocked by a girl claiming to half been the girl dancing as i entered, she sure looked different though... i peeled off a note, coincidentally a 100rbl bill and left. i had to wait for my 50 rbl change whilst being overlooked by the door monkeys.

now, i am not rich, but i used to think nothing of dropping $60 or more, after the entry fee, in an hour or so. more if i enjoyed a private session. the place sucks big style now. the ambience of comfort and friendliness has been totally destroyed by the attitude of all the staff i met. golden dolls is now an expensive, but fatally flawed con job. i can not imagine who this place now caters for. prettier girls are availble for free, or moderate cost up at magrib, taking a willing lovely into a private booth there beats the nuts off golden dolls any time. it is hard to enjoy a place that constantly reminds the patron that the management and staff have no respect for him. a place like this can only survive by making the patrons feel wanted and warm, no matter how imaginary.

in my opinion, anyone who goes to this place having read this report will be going because he does not believe me, or because he is an eternal optimist!

avoid at all costs, there are much better places to spend money on make believe affection and to stroke the smooth flesh of a willing nubile!

can somebody tell us about maximus? a strip club down the road. i understand the owners are the same as magrib and so i expect that the ambience is first rate, if costly...

[Steve H]

Dr_skank,

Thanks for your comments.

I also tried the escorts services and the results were very disappointing. As mentioned in a seperated report, all three (Liza, Egoist, Elliegirl) sent me girls had nothing to do with the pictures on their WEBs and with qualities several orders lower.

I have no intention to spend more money if I don't have to. I understand authors of several comments complainning I spent too much and all said a real pretty one can be had for less than $150 in St. pete. However, no body provided real clue as where to get the real pretty one for that kind of money. Unless that kind of information is available, lots of people are still going to over pay.

Steve.

[Doctor_Skank]

Steve:

Thanks for providing your reports, these are all of interest to WSG readers, as beyond the regular posters, there are a lot of passive readers who just gather info from the sight.

Allow me to comment on your reports, as I think they are fairly representative of first time mongerers in Russia:

1) Grand Hotel Kempinski: You thought about asking the girls working in the shops for sex... these girls are often very beautiful but are not working girls. You MIGHT get a date with one if you are lucky, but unless you are Cassanova or can offer her something more than dinner and a one night stand I think your chances are quite low. I have taken out girls who worked at hotels but usually haven't gotten very far with them because they were totally into having a (very) serious relationship and I gave up, figuring they weren't worth the time and money (meals, gits etc.) I would have to invest. Sure you could lie to them and probably get into their pants, but for some reason I balked at this. If I was looking for a wife or a serious GF I might go this route, but I'm not. I'm sure a lot of them do end up marrying businessmen...or just being their girlfriends for a while, but they will be expensive one way or the other. Generally Russian girls are more accessible than a lot of the Western girls we are used to, but they are defintely not all turning tricks. The really beautiful are in high demand and are getting much harder to impress than they were a few years back as local Russian giys acquire more money and spoil the babes with gifts, entertainment, holidays etc.

2) Marstalls: It is dead at 11pm, especially in the summer. Not really even worth going to before midnight, or even later. This is true of almost all Russian clubs. At places that cater to expats, the prostitutes usually don't show up until midnight at the earliest. At some places this is club policy.

3) Golden Dolls: Although the quality of girl is still high, IMHO the club has lost some of its appeal. The girls are increasingly aggressive about their tips and you can easily spend as much on drinks and lap dance tips as you would on a whole night of sex elsewhere. But for first timers wanting to see beautiful Russian women up close and personal and feel them up, it should be seen. My first trips there were great and left my star-struck, the recent ones were not so memorable. I just ended up leaving extremely horny and $100 lighter, seriously taking a chunk out of my mongering budget!

4) Strip clubs: ...are a lousy place to pick up working girls as they are extremely overpriced. Beyond the fact that $600 is completely ridiculous it sounds like you got average service. I don't want to detract from your experience...the temptation to fuck something perfect is nearly irresistable, but $200-300 would have gotten you an equally stunning hotel/call girl... and even those prices are high. A girl in the 7-8 category should never cost more than $70-150. And price is not related to quality of service. Most guys on their first trip spend silly money, but those who read this forum should know the basic price structure and stick to it. I haven't spent more than $100 for an all-nighter in 3 years and would only consider spending $150 if she was ungodly hot and I was going to get an all.nighter with all the extras. To make you feel better, on my first Moscow trip several years back I spent $100 on a full nude but no sex private dance in Dolls. She was model quality, but I was still truly idiotic. Live and learn.

[Traveller22]

across69,

Where do you intend to live in Petersburg? I will soon fly to Petersburg and stay there around 3 months. I have heard that it is very , very expensive to rent a flat in the center of St-Petersburg. Maybe do you know some ways to find cheaper accomodation in this city for long term residence?

[Traveller22]

Across69,

I will soon fly to Petersburg and stay there around 3 months. I wanted to ask you about accomodation. Did you manage to find a flat downtown? At which cost? I have heard that it is very , very expensive to rent a flat in the center of St-Petersburg.

[Dusty Bin]

Magrib has no strippers. It has a restaurant in the front, open all day. At night there is a club featuring mainly techno/house/pop stuff. Good sound system. There is always some kind of a show but always clothed. It is a bit more upmarket than Marstall and IMHO the girls are more attractive.

Laugh in the girl''s face? Never, she was very attractive and more than a little drunk.