Flying Dutchman (Letuchy Gollandets)

Description:

• The most eccentric of the overpriced ship-restaurants along the north shore of the Neva, the Flying Dutchman has a 24-hour fitness center among its amenities so you can burn off your dinner, and a beauty salon to clean you up afterward. The top-floor restaurant, the dance club downstairs, and the gym have floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the Peter and Paul Fortress or of the river and the Hermitage on the opposite bank. This is a good place for a big party or a special night out, but it's not very subtle or intimate. Though there's no official dress code, hosts may snub you in favor of better-dressed customers. Cuisine is all over the world map, from caviar on ice to duck à l'orange and the ubiquitous sushi. Quality is overall good, but mostly you're paying for location and atmosphere, not the food.

• © Frommer's 2012