The vast Russian expanses provide an excellent opportunity to create a variety of places for leisure or recreation. And many of us are looking for something new and amazing abroad, sometimes without even suspecting that no less interesting places can be found in the domestic open spaces. This is especially true now, at a time when travel abroad is significantly limited. We bring to your attention 7 non-standard hotels where you can relax without going abroad.
1. Forest tower Astashovo
Terem Astashovo is unique in that it is the only hotel-museum in Russia, where the furnishings of the 19th century were meticulously restored. The wooden building itself was built in 1897, and during its restoration, historical technologies and materials from that period were used. To decorate the interiors, the restorers specially searched for pieces of furniture and original artifacts from abandoned villages, or purchased them from collectors.
Entrepreneurs Andrey Pavlichenkov and Olga Golovicher became the authors and ideological inspirers of the creation of this hotel. It was they who, during a trip to the Kostroma region, discovered the house in a very decadent state. In an effort to preserve a vivid example of Russian wooden architecture, they did not limit themselves to their own financial investments, but also turned to local historians and volunteers for help. In addition, the architect Alexander Popov, a specialist in wooden architecture in Russia, was involved in the restoration work.
The restoration work began in 2011, and they approached the issue of restoration thoroughly: the authors of the idea and volunteers not only looked for old objects and made the interior of them, but also preserved the original elements of the building's structure as much as possible. So, for example, even logs that had not become decrepit were restored to a suitable state. But the wallpaper was printed over a new one, but the drawing on them is an exact copy of the patterns on the surviving scraps.
All in all, the restoration work lasted for four long years, but as a hotel "Lesnoy Terem Astashovo" was opened only in 2018. Thus, the owners not only try to preserve vivid examples of wooden architecture of pre-revolutionary Russia, but also allow guests to plunge into the atmosphere of the life of the domestic province of that time.
2. Tent mini-hotels "Forest and Sea"
Ecohotel "Forest and Sea" is the implementation of a new format for the Russian hotel business - the creation of comfortable living conditions even within the framework of outdoor activities. In fact, the territory of the eco-hotel provides an opportunity to live in the middle of a forest or on the banks of a river in tents or tents, but with all the comforts of civilization.
Interesting fact: the concept of the new format can be traced even in the name of the eco-hotel. "Forest and Sea" is an ironic allusion to the famous phrase of the architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe "Less is more", which means "Less is more." “Less” in this case represents the desire of the authors of the concept to use tents and pavilions instead of full-fledged buildings. And "more" hints that even in such seemingly unprepossessing living quarters, you can comfortably accommodate in its modern concept.
As of the end of 2020, there are two eco-hotels "Forest and Sea". The first is located on Spirovsky Island on the banks of the Volga and consists of nine comfortable tents with a total capacity of twenty people. The second hotel can be found in the Altai expanses, in a taiga forest on the banks of the Yedygem mountain river. So far, there are only six tents there, which can accommodate up to fifteen guests.
3. Art hotel CHE
In Moscow, next to the Chekhov House, the CHE art hotel opened in 2016 - an example of a new trend for the domestic service sector. The location of the hotel is quite good: Pushkinskaya Square is located nearby, and it is also within walking distance to the Hermitage Garden.
However, its main feature is the idea itself: to pay tribute to the talent of the great Russian writer Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. Each issue contains either his original portraits or quotes from his works. Thus, the owners and designers decided to allow clients to see a completely unexpected reading of Chekhov's creative legacy.
In addition, a separate emphasis was placed on the dissimilarity of the works of Anton Pavlovich. Each story of the writer is a completely original story, therefore, each issue, despite the general idea, has its own design and color scheme. All this makes it possible for guests to feel like a character in one of Chekhov's works.
4. Creative community "Village"
Not far from the village of Znamenka near Moscow, the brainchild of specialists from the Flacon design plant is located. They decided to create an original territory that would combine the opportunity to retire and go about their business, while not being limited by walls and fences. This effect is achieved through the use of non-standard architecture: in the "Village" you can live in domed and container houses.
The creative community has a huge number of services provided: from active leisure activities or excursions to attending master classes and various thematic events that are regularly held there. In addition, it is an excellent platform for self-expression and creativity: guests can try their own furniture or sculpture, as well as join the intricacies of landscape design. This place will also be of interest to business people who are tired of office walls and boring meetings, because in the Village you can find separate offices on the river bank and even lecture halls for holding full-fledged, but, nevertheless, original conferences.
5. LeapRus Capsule Hotel
The LeapRus hotel can be safely called unique in its kind. And all because it provides an opportunity for recreation for climbers, skiers and mountain extreme lovers, which has no analogues on the planet, because it is located directly on the southern slope of Elbrus, at an altitude of 3912 meters.
LeapRus consists of four hotel modules, similar to space capsules, two of which are residential. One of the remaining ones is technical, there are bathrooms for guests and warehouses for storing equipment. There is also one residential carriage on the territory of LeapRus. The total capacity of the complex is 35 people, each of whom has the opportunity to rest there and prepare for the further conquest of Elbrus.
Another feature of the hotel's residential modules on the mountainside are its panoramic windows. Thus, guests can not only relax in front of a difficult ski trail or climb to the top of Elbrus, but also enjoy stunning views of the mountain landscapes, and in comfortable conditions.
6. Eco-camping "SFERA"
Another modern hotel complex that allows you to live with all the delights of civilization, while enjoying active recreation in nature, is the SFERA eco-camp. He, in turn, is a vivid example of a vacation format that is still rare in our vast expanses called glamping, or glamorous camping.
SFERA provides a decent range of accommodations that will satisfy even the most sophisticated hotel guest. So, you can settle in tents, yurts, huts, Indian teepees and even geo-domes. All of them are built in the middle of a forest on the banks of the river, but at the same time they have the necessary set of charms of civilization, creating a comfortable platform for living in nature.
7. Ikarus-house ICADOMRUS
On the territory of the natural rehabilitation complex "Gnezdo", not far from Tyumen, on the coast of the Pyshma River, there is either a house on wheels or an original art object. But in fact, he is nothing more than the familiar to all of us "Ikarus", in which they arranged a full-fledged residential building.
Inside the bus, which, moreover, was on the move before becoming a hotel, can accommodate up to ten people. The salon is equipped not only with a bed and soft armchairs, but even with a stove, which allows you to live there even in the cold season. Ikarus-house ICADOMRUS is an excellent place for holding friendly gatherings or team building of a small company.
In addition to the topic: in the domestic open spaces eco-hotels are just starting their activities, but, for example, in Scandinavia, they are already very popular - An eco-hotel has opened in Norway, the rooms of which are "hugged" by huge pine trees