They say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Well my pictures say a million. But I can summarize it in two: FALSE ADVERTIZING!
What we were given was not even close to what is shown on the website. In fact, upon confirmation with their own booklet of available apartments, the one we were provided was not even listed. Last minute sublet? Hidden to entrap vulnerable tourists? Who knows. All I know is that it was NOT what was shown on the pictures.
Furthermore, none of staff were helpful. We were told the cost was final, non-refundable and that no other options were available, even when I offered to pay more. We were trapped. With no other affordable alternative.
Oh, and did I mention that the cleaning staff never showed up once during our whole stay to tidy up the room or refresh towels? Or the five flights of smoke-filled stairs? Or the drunks at the entranceway? Or the...you get the idea.
The only saving grace about this whole experience was the helpful staff at hotels.com that tried everything in their power to negotiate with the apartment manager, and find us other accommodations, but to no avail. White Nights in St. Petersburg is the busiest time of the year...
So buyer beware. I would never use this apartment service again or trust their pictures. And, for the sake of full disclosure, friends of ours also had booked an apartment that week with the same service. Their apartment was a moderate improvement over ours, but not by much.