The ancient Greek lighthouse Foros today is quite small, about two thousand inhabitants, but an exceptionally pleasant resort village, which is part of the Yalta urban district. Humid subtropical climate, a lot of vegetation, tranquility, slowness plus stretching from the Soviet past traditions of sanatorium-resort treatment made it a Mecca for family holidays. Foros is not a place for a noisy reeling with casual acquaintances, there is little interesting for advanced youth and office plankton, and the percentage of saunas per square meter is much lower than in the same Alushta.
Of course, not without drawbacks: to get to Foros is still a quest, rest here will cost more than in any other town of the South Coast, and for entertainment you need to go to Yalta. But all the difficulties are surmountable, and the Foros holiday will be remembered forever.
History
In the minds of a post-Soviet person, Foros is associated with Gorbachev’s dacha, where the first and only president of the USSR was isolated in August 1991 during a putsch. However, the dacha itself – the object “Dawn” is located a couple of kilometers from Foros and territorially belongs to the Sevastopol district.
Sanatorium Foros Wellness & Park
The city-forming enterprise and the basis of the economy of the village is Foros Wellness & Park,the former departmental sanatorium “Foros”.
This is in every sense a stunning place, the history of which goes back to the middle of the XIX century to the famous tea king Alexander Kuznetsov, who was seriously ill with tuberculosis and vitally needed the sea air. An oligarch of his time, he built a Crimean dacha with the involvement of the most fashionable architects, bought a nearby park and turned all 300 hectares into an amazingly beautiful place. With the advent of Soviet power in the Crimea, the estate automatically became a sanatorium for the working class, and from 1945 until the collapse there was a health resort for the highest party ranks with all the ensuing, including security and material base.
In “Foros” rested:
- Maxim Gorky;
- Yuri Gagarin;
- Lyudmila Zykina;
- Yuri Lyubimov;
- Sofia Rotaru.
The famous 14-storey building, which can be seen from anywhere in Foros, was completed in 1988.
In 2016, the sanatorium was bought by new owners, quickly carried out repairs, reconstruction of rooms and infrastructure. The number of rooms (223 in total) was standardized and brought closer to the hotel 4 stars. We expanded the base of healing procedures, focusing on aesthetic medicine: perhaps this was the mistake. Having abandoned the Crimean post-Soviet identity, the sanatorium, and especially its staff, could not rise to the high-quality faceless service inherent in popular networkers. Do not forget that laudatory odes to nature, the sea, the park and the air do not concern the sanatorium itself, food, service, procedures. Namely, with what the staff should provide, everything is crimean unimportant.
A trip to “Foros” with a child is a good idea, which, however, you need to approach responsibly:
- the sanatorium is actually in the park – this is 70 hectares, albeit well-groomed, but wooded area, where the child may well get lost;
- the rooms have a lot of dangerous for children interior items – floor lamps, frames on the walls;
- balconies with low fencing;
- there is no children’s menu, as well as diet tables, in the sanatorium, but from an adult it is quite possible to choose acceptable dishes for a child of any age;
- for children offer not cribs, and euro-folding;
- the sanatorium does not provide babysitting services.
On the territory of the sanatorium there are several children’s rooms, game rooms, cinema rooms, animators work. Olga Andreevna, Moscow: “We were with children, 5 and 8 years old, in the summer of 2019. We were promised a team of professional educators. It turned out to be students of the pedagogical college in practice. They looked at the children with apprehension, and the parents looked at these educators with apprehension. The declared dances-dances-competitions somehow deflate, the young child on the third day just howled in his voice that he did not want to go to the nursery. The elder endured, but without joy.”
The main advantage of the sanatorium is the nature of Foros. Small-pebble buckle, calm sea, quiet visitors, a really beautiful park with rare trees – this will appeal to a preschool child, with whom you will have to walk, holding your hand tightly. For older children, there are no classes in Foros, except for bad Internet and cable. Returning from the beach, they will lie stuck in the phone or TV, until dinner or lunch. How useful such a healing rest is for parents. In principle, for those who wish in the sanatorium there are specialized programs from 5 years, but parents know that it is quite difficult to force a child to attend procedures.
Sanatorium «Yuzhny»
The southernmost point of the Crimea is the sanatorium “Southern”,which was opened back in 1979 as a health resort for the highest ranks of the CPSU, suffering from diseases of the upper respiratory tract. During the work “Southern” received guests from 120 countries! Nature, sea, highly qualified personnel are not everything. The buildings are connected by unique glass galleries, and exclusive elevators bring guests to the sea. Rooms were originally designed according to individual design, but now they have been standardized.
In the mid-90s, “Southern” was not visited even by a few guests a year, the prospect was vague, debts on wages and communal services were accumulating. It was a sanatorium where there was never hot water. Since 2015, Yuzhny has been owned by the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation. Own bay, Cape Ai-Yuri, still Soviet, but still quite high-quality buildings: life in the sanatorium went well. At least in the season, the fullness reaches a record 80%.
Andrey, Chelyabinsk: “I was with my daughter of 7 years in August 2018, the ticket was given at the enterprise. Impressions are the most positive, such oily thick coniferous-sea air, quiet clean sea. Feed in the sanatorium specifically, very old-regime, but the daughter even liked it. It’s not Turkey, but it’s hard to say whether it’s better or worse. Otherwise. When the opportunity arises, I will come again.”
Advantages of “Southern” for children:
- beautiful territory, unique park;
- pools with sea water (without chlorine);
- strong, very hearty cuisine with traditional dense dishes;
- wide half-empty beach;
- 2-3 times a week children’s animation right on the beach;
- a normal educator in the building.
The territory of the sanatorium is still decorated in the old Soviet style, without any playgrounds and playgrounds. However, it’s a really good place where everyone cares where your child is going (parents will understand).
Villa Foros
Small – only 16 rooms, of which two – detached cottages – villa-hotel “Foros” is remembered by all vacationers. First of all, and this must be understood, everything is remembered on Foros, the place is such. And, of course, villa “Foros” is a pleasant hotel,where they are not rude, always meet and are seriously concerned about the leisure of guests. A small hotel is an individual approach, care for each guest and, albeit a little provincial, but entertainment:
- competitions for children, which are organized by local animators;
- an ordinary playground, where animators go out and just play with children;
- green fenced area, children can walk on it;
- master classes from educators who occupy children for long hours while parents can meditate near the pool.
The restaurant serves ordinary post-Soviet cuisine without frills. From the menu you can choose something for children, but there is nothing specialized (except for sadikov’s delicious casserole).
One of the disadvantages of the hotel (which at the same time and plus) is the distance from the sea. You need to go for at least half an hour. But because of the distance from the beach entertainment in the rooms is quiet – this is one time, and on the way you can breathe in juniper, which overgrown slopes – this is two. But it will be more difficult to climb back: the hotel is located on a hill.
The villa does not have its own entertainment resources, except for the pool – this is rather a place for an overnight stay, not pastime, but the administration will always advise interesting places in Big Yalta. By the way, on the territory live cats, able to melt even the most callous hearts.
Mini-hotel “Grand Fleur”
The case when size matters: a small, only a few rooms hotel “Grand Flair” – a chance to sleep in comfortable conditions, breathing the wonderful air of Foros. It seems that we began to forget that the hotel is just rooms, without additional excesses and intrusive service. “Grand Flair” will remind.
The hotel settles children under 4 years old free of charge, the rest are welcomed as adults. On the territory there is a café with a standard menu for the Crimea without children’s dishes. We are not talking about any animators in the hotel: this is a typical hotel for an overnight stay, its function does not include something to occupy guests the rest of the time.
In the high season, when the Crimea is packed with tourists to the eyeballs, the Grand Fleur Hotel is also possible to sell out. But why go here at another time, when for the same money you can rent much more attractive rooms, it is not clear.
Sanatorium «Mellas»
Landscape park, palace, almost 2 kilometers of coast, 3 dormitories and 3 cottages with 111 rooms – this is a sanatorium “Mellas”,a secluded place, beautiful and sad. Almost like everything in the Crimea. People over 40 come here, sometimes with small children. Doing something other than reading books in Mellas is simply impossible.
From Golitsyn to Perovsky and Alexei Tolstoy, the Mellas estate (by the way, now it is the village of Sanatorium) was owned by everyone who is not lazy, even the CPSU (b), which kept its own health resort on the territory of the current sanatorium. A place that you just need to love has been shared for decades. As a result, everything ended in the devastation of the 90s, unsuccessful for the sanatorium “Crimean Spring”, resales, several new owners and the prospects for a complete renovation after a multimillion-dollar repair: since mid-[y], the most popular sanatorium of the South Coast is being reconstructed. Deadlines are constantly being pushed back, despite the concerns of fans and regulars.
Green Hill Guest House
A private household that receives and arranges guests – this is how the Green Hill guest house in Foros positions itself. The hotel is located in the northern part of the village in a juniper grove near a mountain spring – this is an undeniable plus and its main competitive advantage, because there are simply no others.
Milena, St. Petersburg: “How easy it is to breathe in a hotel! Any shortcomings are lost against the background of the fact that Foros is the best place in the universe. Very few rooms, it is almost impossible to notice the neighbors – this is also not bad when you want to relax from the hustle and bustle. On the territory there is a bar, they say that you can eat there, but with a child this is from the category of nonsense. We went to the canteen in Foros and took yogurt and fruit to the room.”
Among the 20 rooms of Green Hill there are several apartments with a kitchen – this is an ideal choice for a family, especially if the child is not alone. Mom, of course, will not be able to rest, but everyone else will be satisfied. For children there is a playground on the street and a playroom in the building. But, as usual in such a level of institutions, rarely anyone sends children there.
Mini-hotel “Rosemary”
Traditionally, for Foros is not the cheapest place, but, quite possibly, the most cozy: the direct owners are constantly in the hotel “Rosemary”,monitor the garden, the work of the staff and respond to complaints.
Advantages of the mini-hotel:
- mountain view;
- own clean beach;
- gazebos and a lot of greenery;
- self-contained apartments;
- rooms with epic and photogenic design (canines, alcovets, many curtains, carpets, flowers).
In the courtyard of the hotel between the buildings there is a small area for children’s games, but you will have to feed either independently or in foros catering establishments.
Tatiana, Ufa: “The best place in Foros! We were worried that there would be nowhere to put the car, and then you can lead into the yard. In general, of course, amazing cleanliness and silence. The rooms are large, towels are changed every day without reminders. 5 minutes to the pharmacy-shop. Delight, in general, especially when you consider your own piece of beach. “
Mini-hotel “Green Corner”
One of those tiny (9 rooms!) hoteliers who occupied their small but coastal strip and now monetizes it with all desperation. “Green Corner” is a hotel where the owner can be met every day and, everything can be, it is he who will bring luggage into the room. He prepares guests barbecue at exorbitant prices in the courtyard, he wateres roses from a hose and makes sure that competitors do not take anyone away. By the way, you can buy red onions and homemade wine on the cheap – and if not, then he knows exactly who can.
Advantages of the hotel:
- by prior notice, you can check in with pets (this is rare);
- breakfast in the room;
- tolerable Wi-Fi.
As such, there is no infrastructure for children – no menu, no playground, even the territory is fenced very conditionally, so the child needs to be closely monitored. The beach is too small – as in front of the gate of the boat garage, it will be difficult to relax with a child.
Interestingly, on the private beach sunbeds are paid even for guests. O Crimea, you are Crimea.
Guest House “Pistachio”
While competitors lure guests with whites and striped umbrellas for 300 rubles on the beach, the guest house “Dacha “Pistachio” decided to go the other way. For starters, all the trees were left during the construction, so many old Crimean oaks, needles, hornbeams and junipers remained on the territory of the hotel operating since 2011. The name of the institution received from the thickets of pistachios – just not the one that is delicious, but the one that is beautiful, with resin and essential oils.
In fully equipped rooms you can spend a good vacation, if too much do not stay and spend more time at sea. If the family does not carry servants with them, mom will have to hunchback in a medium-equipped kitchen without a dishwasher, oven and extractor. But there is a chance that everyone else will successfully rest.
Despite the prices and all that, Foros is a special place. To come here for a summer vacation with a child is the right decision, but in order not to overpay and not to rake up problems, it is advisable to choose the right hotel on the shore, that is, on the mainland, as the Crimeans say. If a child under 10 years of age is sick or recovering, and the older generation goes with him, then it is difficult to find a place better than the sanatoriums“Foros”or“Southern”. Tranquility is their main characteristic, it is on it that you need to focus. In addition, they have their own not too full beaches, which are a stone’s throw away – that is, three minutes of slow travel or a quick descent by elevator. Fans of sanatorium rest in the Crimea (and there are many of them), can wait for the completion of the reconstructionof “Mellas”.
If you plan to spend a lot of time on free village beaches, then a variety of private hotels are quite suitable. Average service, conditionally edible food, nuances on each item and a small saving on renting: after all, the Crimea is not Venice, there are many moments that will have to be overcome. All private hotels in the Crimea sell what is already free – air, parks, sea, sun. Service and other buns at the same time – so, a trifle that is not worth attention. Therefore, many mini-hoteliers and allow themselves not too much of this to bother. Still, tourists, like a fish in Putin, will arrive in the Crimea in the summer, obeying some of their internal cycles.
