Between the city of Sortavala and the famous Ruskeala Park is a new eco-hotel of the network“Point on the map”. It was built near Lake Puyoralampi, a kilometer from the A-121 highway.
The hotel is relatively young, the decoration of the rooms has not yet had time to “get tired”. It is aimed at tourists who came to rest in Karelia, as well as traveling to Finland or back.
In this place there are all conditions for a good rest: the circle is quiet, picturesque nature, comfortable living, there is a center of active leisure. Fishermen who came to fish in the “country of 1000 lakes” will be able to relax here and put themselves in order, fry kebabs in a comfortable gazebo.
Location and rooms
Families with children love this place very much, because they love this place. there is a children’s playground and eco-trails for walking. In addition, the convenient location accompanies a family holiday: proximity to waterfalls, Ruskeala Park and the city of Sortavala.
The hotel offers 60 rooms in the Scandinavian style with an area of 20 m2 with an attached balcony (another 4 m2). These are double rooms with a king-size bed or two single beds. There is also a bathroom with a shower and a large mirror. On the balcony of furniture there are armchairs with a table, in which in the summer it is good to enjoy the view of the lake, sipping coffee or something stronger. Balconies are located in the rooms on the second floor, and on the first floor there are terraces with a separate exit.
The room facilities include: plasma with cable TV, refrigerator, kettle, hairdryer, towels and slippers. But the bathrobe and dental kit are not included, so you need to bring them with you. There is also a safe for valuables and free unlimited wi-fi.
Prices for renting rooms vary depending on the time of year, the availability of weekends and holidays. In the range from 4500 to 11000 rubles per day. The price includes breakfast with an unlimited number of approaches to the distribution line, but accommodation with pets is not provided.
Dmitry Eremin writes a review: “There is not enough infrastructure, but there is a Ruskeala Park nearby. I also advise you to go to the zoo – children will like it there. People passing by can see what you are doing in the room, so pull back the curtains tightly. No alcohol – it was a minus for us. Overall I liked it.”
Meals and restaurants
The place where breakfasts are held is located 700 meters from the residential buildings on the highway. The eco-path to the café is laid through the forest: birds sing, cicadas chirp, around the unique forest aroma. Such a walk before breakfast is very useful. The interior of the institution is made in the Western style with panoramic windows and leather sofas. Cafe-dining room “Point on the map” is open from 8:00 to 21:00. Therefore, if it happens late, it is necessary to take into account the early closing time. Drink a glass of cognac for the night or have a snack after 21:00 in the hotel or on the highway will not work, but there is an option to buy food with booze in the city, and in the room to eat, looking at the lake in the romantic moonlight. A vending and coffee machine is installed at the reception.
Breakfast in the café is offered in buffet form: choose dishes, they are imposed by an employee, then, if necessary, you can once again come for food. From the assortment can be noted: cheesecakes, sausages, eggs, buckwheat porridge, pasta, ham, canned beans and even chicken nuggets fried in oil. There were also pancakes with jam, which were offered to a cup of freshly brewed coffee beans. In other words, breakfast is delicious and hearty, but without frills.
Lunch and dinner à la carte offer to taste in the same roadside dining room for extra money, but you can visit one of the restaurants in Sortavala, which is the most preferred option.
Entertainment and recreation
Guests take walks along two well-groomed eco-paths with lighting: around the lake and through the forest to the dining room. The nature of Karelia brightness of colors and northern uniqueness is very different from other places of our vast country. On the territory around the hotel you can fully enjoy the picturesque landscapes, picking up mushrooms and wild berries. On the lake itself there is a pier from which you can fish.
For children there is a playground with wooden objects, swings, slides, a house, sand and a bench for parents.
For those who like to steam, it is proposed to rent a sauna with a panoramic view of the lake, a comfortable relaxation room and a shower. In addition, it is attached to a spacious terrace with outdoor furniture, where it is so convenient to drink tea after the steam room, inhaling the forest air and admiring the landscape. The cost of 2 hours of rent is 6000r (up to 4 people) and 7500r (5-6 people). Every additional hour 2000r. The price includes textile accessories, slippers and a broom.
For those who like to fry meat in nature, 2 large gazebos with barbecue and barbecue inside are built. The gazebo is located on the shore of the lake, includes a roof from the rain, lighting, wooden floor, protection from mosquitoes. It can accommodate up to 8 people, costs 2000r for two hours of rent. It is advisable to book in advance, because in the warm season, both gazebos are popular with guests and are rarely empty.
Vitaly Tikhanovsky wrote a review: “picturesque, clean, the rooms are decent, quite quiet. The only thing that disappointed me was the café. For breakfast is quite suitable, but for dinner we went to Sortavala. Had a great rest! I recommend Karelia – there is something to see here.”
Extreme territory
For active leisure near the café built entertainment center “Terra Nordica”, where you can rent equipment and buy tours. Bicycles, scooters, fishing gear and more expensive entertainment are offered for rent:
Buggies are extreme on cars on thematic routes. We need the rights of category A2, the age of passengers from 12 years. After payment, a dirt suit, helmet, boots and gloves are selected. Next, you need to decide on one of the 6 routes, each of which has a different length of 2, 10, 20, 35 and 65 kilometers. Its history, unique landscape and price. For example, the trip along route number 6 to the marble quarry and waterfalls lasts from 4-6 hours (65 km). Costs for two 16000r. Passenger + instructor only 5000r. This is the most expensive and longest route. A trip to the “volcano” with a length of 20 km (30-60 min) will cost 4500r, and with an instructor 1500r.
Buggy here is an all-terrain vehicle that develops a speed of over 100 km / h, having two sports seats and 80 hp.
The trip will be very refreshing, if not extreme. Mythical landscapes will flash around: Karelian forests, lakes, rivers, abandoned Finnish villages, waterfalls and even the mouth of an ancient volcano. On potholes shakes, dirt and stones fly from under the wheels, the wind whistles in the ears. This entertainment will remain in memory for a long time.
ATVs are offered for riding on the same tracks. Requirements: A1 category rights, age from 12 years. Otherwise, everything is the same as on the buggy, only a little cheaper. Maximum speed 95 km/h.
Snowmobiles on the same routes ride in the winter, when the necessary layer of snow falls. This is an unforgettable adventure that is worth the money spent on it. Renting one snowmobile for two will cost about 7-8 thousand rubles per hour of riding. The longer the chosen track, the cheaper. For example, a route of 40 km (2-3 hours) will cost 11000r for two. The price includes a protective suit with a helmet and instruction.
The rope track in the park “Tarulinna” is a real extreme almost “for a penny”. At an altitude of 10 to 16 meters, a rope track with a length of 700 meters is stretched, along which enthusiasts pass over the tops of pine trees. There is such entertainment 1000r per person. Holding on to the cord you need to go along a narrow grid, and around the emptiness and the wind walks. The brain understands that there is a reliable insurance, that there was promised “complete safety” downstairs and even issued a helmet, but in the hands of only a thin cord and 16 meters under you … Here the most beautiful moments from life are briefly recalled. In addition, there is a breathtaking view of Ladoga and the picturesque Karelian forests.
Restrictions: weight up to 120 kg, height not less than 140 cm Birthday make a discount of 100r.
Natalia and Alexey Timchinsky write a review: “first about the good: stones with lighting, a mountain like a fairy tale, lawns like carpets, a magical lake. Beautiful and well-groomed area. Of the cons: in the summer there are many guests. Children at 7 am screaming rush to the river. It’s not really good to sleep because of them, and it’s very good to sleep here in nature.”
Arriving on vacation in this region, be sure to visit these attractions:
Ruskeala Park
A real miracle of nature with a marble canyon and underground grottoes attracts tourists from all over Russia. Such beauty is nowhere else to be found – the best place for photo shoots and romantic dates. The park is decorated with artistic lighting, underground grottoes are equipped with surface passages. Excursions are inexpensive: from 500 to 1500r. There is a developed infrastructure: several cafes, parking, souvenir shops, etc. Additional entertainment: catamaran rental, diving, rope park, snowmobiles, etc.
Valaam Island
On the one hand it is a monument of architecture and piety, on the other the spiritual center of the Russian north. Many hermitages, temples, the majestic Transfiguration Cathedral and the central estate are open for excursions. The monastery is beautifully restored, there are divine services, the bell rings. In the temples you can pray, listen to the Valaam ingn, submit notes, put candles, buy icons and souvenirs. Believers can confess to the best monastic confessors and elders, take communion at the liturgy, which is served every day. Monks and laborers make quality products that you can buy with you. Wonderful cheeses according to Italian technology: monastico, grueir, cacciotta, ricotta, etc. Smoked trout from his farm. Fresh pastries, kvass, lingonberries, cranberries, mushrooms and northern Russian cuisine in the café. A large comfortable and inexpensive hotel for pilgrims was built. Valaam can be reached by modern meteors and ships from the marina of Sortavala.
Excursions around the island with unique northern nature and rich history are inexpensive and leave impressions for a lifetime. No wonder the President of the Russian Federation and the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church come here on vacation every year.
Sortavala
This very Finnish city in Russia does not look like the Central Russian and looks European. The historical center has not lost the charm of the 18-19 centuries. Wooden buildings in the style of Northern Art Nouveau and Classicism were built mainly by Finnish architects. The city park “Vakkosalmi” is a traditional place of festivities and spectacles. There is a “singing field”, where concerts, choral performances, competitions of cantelists, singing festivals are held. Wonderful views of the panorama of Ladoga and the surrounding area open from Mount Kuhavuori. It is a park with wildlife of a pine forest, where birds sing and large birds meet.
A large exposition of wood carving is presented in the museum of the artist Kronid Gogolev. There are more than 100 sculptural bas-reliefs, author’s paintings, crafts made of wood 17-20v.
To get acquainted with Sortavala, it is better to book a tour of the historical center, where they will talk about the bright and difficult fate of this city, which is more than 360 years old.
