A small boutique hotel Elpida is located in the village of Krasnaya Polyana. This place has long been chosen by lovers of alpine skiing and snowboarding. There are all conditions for a comfortable winter holiday. The hotel offers cosy rooms, a warm ski dryer and a free shuttle service to the ski lifts. In summer, the hotel also welcomes guests who come to breathe the mountain air and see the sights. But the main emphasis is on the winter season. At this time, there is a restaurant, there are ski passes, including walking passes, a system of discounts for accommodation.
Location and history
The distance from Adler Airport to the hotel is 35 km. From Adler to the hotel can be reached in several ways. First, the administrator accepts orders for the transfer. The service is paid, but they will meet, deliver, place. Secondly, there is public transport (buses 105, 135 to the stop “Megafon”) and the train “Swallow”, which stops at the station “Esto Sadok”. From the railway station, the hotel car will deliver guests absolutely free of charge, you only need to leave a request. From the railway station of Adler, you can take any bus going to Krasnaya Polyana and get off at the stop “Mountain Air”. Walk from the bus stop to the hotel to walk literally 1 minute.
The hotel building was built in 2012. The reconstruction, as a result of which the interiors have become more cozy, and the amenities are brought to European standards, took place in 2015. Wi-Fi is available throughout the property and free parking is available for guests’ cars. The level of comfort and services is slightly better than average, but quite acceptable for people without special requests. Check-in time at 14.00, departure at 12.00. In case of early arrival or delay in departure, the guest pays half the cost of daily accommodation in the room. Pets are not allowed.
“This hotel guarantees a great stay in the mountains. There are few neighbors, because there are few rooms, the café works, it is warm, cozy. What else do you need after skiing from the mountains? Only a warm clothes dryer. And it’s here. By the way, ski passes are sold without extra charge. Apparently, the owners do not earn on this. Excellent service for delivery to the lifts. I am satisfied, I will stay only here” Denis, Russia
Room stock
The fund has 20 rooms with all amenities. They are equipped with furniture necessary for the accommodation of a specified number of guests. Refrigerators are available in all rooms except Standards. Kettles are installed everywhere. Not all rooms have access to the balcony. Not all rooms can accommodate an extra bed.
The number of rooms includes:
- Deluxe Mountain View – Double Room with Double Bed and Balcony. Extra bed is not provided (another bed can not be put). Conditions are created for accommodation of 2 people.
- Family triple is designed for 2-3 people. For the fourth place, the area is not enough. For convenience, you can connect two single beds.
- Large double room with access to the balcony. An extra armchair bed can be installed.
- Superior standard with balcony – small in area, but cozy room with a double bed for 1-2 guests. If the need arises, an additional armchair-bed will be installed on request.
- Double standard without balcony. Economy class room. There is no extra bed.
All rooms have their own bathroom with shower. Children under 6 years old are accepted free of charge if they do not need a bed.
“Perfect place to stay. Even feather pillows reminded of the holidays at my grandmother’s cottage. Here, too, cats walk around the yard, it seems that roosters will sing in the morning, and delicious porridge, butter, jam and pastries are served for breakfast. The prices were frankly pleased. Much lower than in other small hotels” Anastasia, Russia
Meals and restaurants
The restaurant/café is open only during the winter season (from 19 December to 1 April). The rest of the time, guests have the opportunity to prepare their own meals in the shared kitchen. Continental breakfasts are included during the winter season. The service can be refused and eaten independently in other cafes (the common kitchen in high season is not allowed). An à la carte menu is available throughout the day. In the yard there is a barbecue area, where it is possible to fry meat on coals, make barbecue or vegetables on the grill.
100 metres from Elpida is the Honey kitchen bar. It works at the Hills Hotel, presenting author’s cuisine from the chef. Prices are above average, but spending an evening there is quite acceptable. In addition to interesting dishes, the assortment has a large selection of cheeses, which is ideal for a glass of good wine. If products with honey cause an allergic reaction, then the waiter should be warned about this.
Cheaper menu in Cafe (300 meters from Elpida). The kitchen specialises in Italian pizza. The institution works with food delivery to all hotels of Krasnaya Polyana. The dough is made according to a special recipe on natural sourdough. It is infused for 3 days, and the Italian pies themselves are baked in a wood-burning oven. In the assortment of pizza with meat, fish, mushroom and vegetable filling.
Coffee shop “Buns in the mountains” is a good place for breakfast. There are a lot of pastries of its own production, good coffee, including takeaway. You can buy and take with you buns, pies, croissants before a trip to the mountain slopes.
Cafe BROSTO COFFEE is another cozy place with an inexpensive assortment of dishes and pastries. It is 200 metres from Hotel Elpida. It is also worth visiting such top places as the Trikoni tavern, the restaurant of Caucasian cuisine Mimino, the authentic pub “Kenny Pub”. There are many other cafes, grocery stores in the area, there is a supermarket that sells ready-made food.
Leisure and entertainment
Tourists staying in Elpid come here to go skiing, tubing or winter sports. The closest to the hotel are the lifts of the resort area of Gorki Gorod. During the winter season, the hotel offers free access to the gorki Gorod, Rosa Khutor and Krasnaya Polyana cable cars. After skiing, skiers can dry clothes and boots in a specially equipped room, and leave equipment in the ski storage.
Using the transfer, skiers can get to all the slopes, which means to get to all the trails of interest. On the resort slopes built 4 independent ski resorts. Each of them has a developed infrastructure, its own group of lifts, marked according to international standards of the route. Near the ticket offices there are medical centers, pharmacies, restaurants, playgrounds, shops. There are rescue services everywhere.
Rosa Khutor is of interest to already established skiers. Basically, blue trails are presented here, but the interesting relief of the slope made it possible to equip zones for freeride. Here is one of the longest trails of increased complexity, which originates at the top of the ridge and ends almost at its foot. It is better for novice skiers not to practice alone, but to join any group. The fact is that the easy “green” routes here intersect with more complex ones. At any moment, a collision can occur.
The Gazprom zone is served by 6 cable cars. There are 15 ski slopes and cross-country skiing areas. During the Olympics, the ski and biathlon stadium “Laura” was built here, which today is fully provided for the use of vacationers. Descents for beginners begin from the top of the ridge. “Red” and “black” open in February-March. They are at the bottom of the slope. All routes have fences, lighting, snow cannons are installed in all directions. They provide a constant cover of snow. Thanks to the lighting, it is here that the evening skiing on Krasnaya Polyana takes place.
The mountain carousel is the zone of Olympic venues. It is attractive because it is closest to the village of Esto Sadok with its hotels, entertainment infrastructure, restaurants and shops. But it is in this part of the ridge that the snow melts the fastest. The “red” level has only one uppermost track. There the snow is preserved best. In total, 36 tracks of different levels of difficulty were marked, including 4 freeride zones. The complex is served by 13 lifts. The resort is divided into 4 skiing sectors: central, eastern, Circus-2 and Circus-3. There are also slopes for tubing, if skiing does not attract, and you want thrills.
Alpika-Service is the most popular slope among experienced athletes and freeriders. Almost the entire upper part of the ridge has black and red markings. Here are the areas of virgin skiing and backcountry. At the bottom there is a small area equipped for skiing novice skiers and lugers. Upstairs there is the highest mountain bath of the resort called “#Непростобаня”.
In summer, the hotel does not provide a transfer to the beaches of the Greater Sochi coast. From Krasnaya Polyana to Adler regularly and often runs public transport, private carriers work. In the area you can use the walking trails, go to the casino, go to the cinema, bowling, visit the water park, karting. Thrill-seekers are provided with all the possibilities of the skypark – jumping from a height, flying over a gorge, a rope park, paragliding. Romantics can take the opportunity to fly in a hot air balloon (in good weather).
Recreational opportunities for children
Children are waiting for a lot of adventures in Krasnaya Polyana. Schools for beginners and snowboarders are open for them. Experienced instructors will teach children to stand on skis or snowboards, to make the first descents on the slopes created specifically for them.
In the ski area Rosa Khutor there is a children’s club, on the basis of which a safe lift “Magic Carpet” is equipped. According to the principle of action, it is similar to an escalator. From lifts the children to the slide, and from there they go down on skis under the guidance of a coach. While the child is mastering the first skills, his parents can ride nearby on the track “Forest”.
In Wonder Land Adventure Park young guests of the resort are waiting for fairy-tale heroes, quests in the magical forest, master classes and performances, in the production of which the children themselves take part. Year-round water park is located in the shopping center “Gorki Mall”. Here, at any time of the year, the temperature is +30, you can lie on the warm sand, ride on water slides, play games with cheerful animators.
Children will not leave indifferent communication with nature and animals. Husky Farm will introduce kids to the culture of the Russian North. For them – the site “Archaeological excavations of dinosaur skeletons”, the game-quest “Gold Rush”, riding sled dogs. All sites are open in good weather without precipitation.
Excursions and attractions nearby
People come to the resort of Krasnaya Polyana not only to ride, but also to breathe the mountain air, improve their health, and at the same time get acquainted with local attractions. The most optimal solution in this case will be a hike in the mountains accompanied by a guide. The service is provided by tour desks and private entrepreneurs. At the same time, private owners sometimes have very interesting tours, both on foot and on jeeps or kayaks. It is good if they officially guarantee security by signing the agreement. Otherwise, it is better to insure yourself and contact a travel company.
Of the local attractions usually visit gorges, caves, mountain lakes, waterfalls. The path passes through high-mountain meadows, relict forests, suspension bridges over turbulent rivers. The hike will give an overnight stay above the clouds and fantastic photos. The hotel does not have a tour desk, but the receptionist will tell you where to turn.
