The ancient Turkish city is located at an altitude of 1900 meters above sea level. It was founded in the 1st century BC by the Armenian Arsakids in a valley near Mount Palandoken. For thousands of years, the settlement passed from state to state, until in the 20s the right to it was secured by Turkey. Due to the special climatic conditions, Erzurum is considered the coldest city in the country. Since the beginning of the 21st century, it began to actively develop as a center of winter sports. Along with investments in sports facilities, new hotels began to appear.
What to see?
The territory is rich in historical and natural monuments. In addition to the ski resort with the steepest slopes in the world, it is recommended to pay attention to the following objects:
- Ylyca and Dumlu – geothermal springs;
- Pasinler – hydropathic on mineral water;
- mountain lake Tortum and the waterfall of the same name.
In Erzurum there is a huge number of mosques of different centuries of construction. The oldest of them is the Lal Mustafa Pasha Mosque (1562). In addition to mosques and madrasahs, there are medieval fortresses, tombs of the great rulers of the city, the Tashkhan caravanserai, ancient inns, ancient Turkish baths. You can learn about the history of the area in the Archaeological Museum of Erzurum.
Infrastructure of Palandoken
Just a few years ago, the resort was chosen for the training of the national alpine skiing team. Today it is a developing center with a rapidly growing infrastructure. In recent years, the Universiade in winter sports has been held here. There are few tracks so far – only 22. Of these, only 2 have a high level of difficulty. The rest belong to the red and blue class. Extreme skiers independently master unequipped slopes, arranging off-piste skiing.
The slopes are served by:
- cable car with trailers for 4 people;
- 6 chair lifts;
- 2 rope toads, one of which is designed for children.
Lighting is not carried out, the tracks are available only until 16.00.
In the evening, you can visit one of the resort’s many spa complexes, a wellness centre with a swimming pool, local bars and discos. Palandoken is considered a youth resort, so hotels offer leisure activities for this category of tourists. For example, a fire show and a night dance floor.
Where to stay?
Today, almost all hotels in Palandoken and Erzurum are switching to the all-inclusive service system.
Sway Hotels
Five-star mountain hotel offers service on the system “All inclusive”. Double and family rooms,deluxe suites, junior suites and presidential suites are available for accommodation. The complex is served by 2 restaurants. “Ipek Yolu” works on the system of the Swedish line, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner for guests. Diet meals are available on request. The spa center is equipped with a sauna, Turkish bath, Jacuzzi, specialists in oriental health practices. There is an indoor swimming pool.
“The hotel is very close to Erzurum airport, you don’t even realize you’ll be in the mountains in a few minutes. When you arrive at the hotel, you may think that it is close to the city center, but from the windows of the room you will discover a beautiful landscape and excellent ski slopes. The staff is very helpful, young guys work around the clock to help children and adults put on and remove ski equipment. The food is also excellent, I would recommend you to choose full board. The hotel and slopes are very safe, if you don’t want to ride on the slopes every day, you can just sit on the terrace or take advantage of other hotel facilities that are excellent (if you like to swim, bring a swimming cap). You’ll have to fly domestic from Istanbul for another hour and a half, but it’s definitely worth it. Customers Booking.com are not yet eligible to travel on a shuttle bus, but taxis are expensive, only for one trip had to pay 70 Turkish liras, which is about 10 pounds sterling” Gulgun, UK
Dedeman Palandoken Ski Lodge Hotel
The four-star hotel is located just 1000 metres below the top of Mount Palandoken. The stylish interior of the rooms,the elegantly decorated restaurant hall with a fireplace and huge panoramic windows create a unique atmosphere of exquisite relaxation. To accommodate guests prepared 66 rooms of different comfort levels. It offers guests – fitness center, covering an area of 412 sq.m. and an indoor pool. Concierge services, ski equipment and car rental are available 24 hours a day. Currency exchange is available at reception. In the evenings, events are organized with the participation of artists and animators.
“Since we were traveling with our twin children, we were given a spacious corner room with a balcony. The rooms look old but clean. The maids change towels daily and clean the room. The location is great, right in front of the ski area and slopes. Only 2-3 minutes walk from the gondola and ticket office. The hotel has a ski rental service, you can simply use the elevator from your floor to enter the ski storage room. The hotel staff is very welcoming, friendly and helpful. They always try to help and please you. Wi-Fi works very well. A good breakfast with a variety of dishes is served every morning. The reception has a fireplace where you can have a snack and have a good time in the evening. Overall a good choice according to the benefit-cost ratio” Sdeniz80, Turkey
Dedeman Palandoken Resort Hotel
A mesmerizing landscape, trails of different difficulty levels and comfortable rooms await guests in the 187-room ski hotel Dedeman Palandoken. It is located at an altitude of 3278 meters 6 km from the center of Erzurum. Bright original buildings are built on the snow-capped slopes of Mount Palandoken. It offers a spa with sauna, hammam, swimming pool and massage room, gym, free parking. Children have their own equipped play area. Ski passes can be bought at the reception and ski equipment can be rented. On the territory are open: the main restaurant and three bars-cafeterias. Breakfast is served in the morning and Turkish and international cuisine is prepared in the evening. To buy food or drink, it is not necessary to go to the city. There is a supermarket nearby. Within walking distance there are stations of two lifts at once – Gondol Lift and Telesiyej.
“Excellent food: nourishing, varied. Polite, professional, friendly and attentive staff. Clean rooms. Location at the foot of the slopes. Meals are included in the price. Drinks on request (with / without alcohol), sauna. It is a fairly friendly hotel where many tourists come, who mainly show interest in its exceptional location among the ski slopes and slopes” Pierre, Turkey
Ve Hotels Palandken
Another high-altitude hotel,which offers panoramic views of the mountains and Erzurum. For meeting and accommodation of guests prepared 25 standard, 8 family rooms and 9 detached villas for companies of 6 people. The restaurant serves swedish cuisine and serves Turkish cuisine. The dormitory has a lounge area and the chalet has living rooms with a fireplace. Parking spaces are available free of charge.
“Frankly liked it! The villa is exceptionally clean and cozy. The view is amazing! Good breakfast and helpful staff» Saad, Saudi Arabia
Borapark Otel
The four-star hotel is located in Erzurum, 2 km from the city center. According to the concept – this is a bed-breakfast hotel, but on request it can be decorated with half or full board. On 5 floors there are 74 rooms,a good half of which (32) belong to the category of “luxury”. The rest are standard. 2 rooms are specially equipped for the disabled. The restaurant is the main point of food for guests of the complex. Also at their service: a club of wellness procedures, a spa with an Ottoman bath and a heated pool, a fitness room. The wellness centre covers an area of 1150 sq.m. The ski slopes can be reached by taxi or bus.
“It is noticeable that the hotel was arranged on the site of a former residential complex. He doesn’t look very good. The rooms are spacious and well equipped. We occupied a deluxe with an extra bed for our son. The location is not suitable for skiers – far from the ski lifts» Wilhelm, Austria
Atlas Otel
This B&B is located in Erzurum. Double and triple roomsare offered for accommodation. Free parking is available for guests’ convenience. Travelers are attracted by the low price for accommodation and meals, the opportunity to stay with family or a group of friends. In the lobby of the hotel there are temporary exhibitions of art works. The city centre can be reached on foot. The distance is 1.1 km. The same can not be said about the ski slopes, which will have to overcome the distance of 6 km. In addition to the unfortunate location for athletes, the level of service is estimated by the highest scores. Guests note the cleanliness, comfort, work of the staff and the availability of amenities.
“Lovely breakfast. Very clean rooms, no extra furniture and decorations. 10-15 minutes walk to the center, the mosque can also be reached on foot in 30 minutes» Vladislav, Kazakhstan
Atatrk niversitesi Turizm Fakltesi Uygulama Oteli
The hotel,managed by the Faculty of Tourism of Ataturk University, welcomes guests throughout the year. The fund has modern rooms,a conference hall, a restaurant on site. There is also a lobby bar. The lounge area is located on the terrace. À la carte dishes can also be ordered here. The hotel offers free parking, a ski school and car rental. The price for accommodation and breakfast is extremely low. This is due to the fact that the hotel was built specifically for the internship of university students.
“Despite the fact that the hotel is well located, there is a terrible service. Wi-Fi is there, but different passwords on each floor. The rooms are clean, but the comfort is not felt. There are facilities, but there is no comfort. Food so-so” Huseyinakar, Netherlands
Saltuk Hotel
Almost in the heart of Erzurum there is a six-storey hoteloffering quick accommodation and breakfast included in the payment for accommodation. Nearby are the busiest streets of the city, shops, food markets, historical sights. The bus station, airport and ski resort are a 20-minute drive away. The fund has 20 single, double and family rooms. Interior without frills. As a compliment from the administration – free drinks (coffee, tea, water). Prices are affordable. This is one of the budget accommodation options in Erzurum.
“The staff was very helpful and nice. They recommended a lovely fish restaurant nearby where we had dinner every day. Great location for bus pickups. Good proximity to restaurants. Nice but small room. Good Wi Fi» Neil, Australia
Tourists associate Turkey with the concept of “All Inclusive”. In this regard, Sway Hotels and Borapark Otel are perfect. Their infrastructure will allow you to relax on full board, at the same time visit health centers with restorative procedures.
