Budget & Tips
The number of hotels, especially in Yerevan, has developed spectacularly since the end of the Soviet era, when it was limited to a few establishments, concentrated in the capital and managed by Intourist (a Soviet state tourism agency which was essential at the time, it organised excursions to the regions, which at the time had very few hotels for locals. One of these was the famous Armenia, which has been displaying the Marriott brand since 1999 and in whose wake a series of hotels (bantog or hüranotz) have sprung up, most of them aspiring to luxury. In reaction to Soviet austerity, local oligarchs have built hotels of high standing, or pretending to be so, with sometimes dubious taste, with swimming pools, spas, saunas and conference rooms. The offer has since diversified, from renting apartments to hotels for small and medium budgets, which are still few and far between, but in any case accommodation remains out of proportion with the standard of living. Prices can double from low to high season (from the end of March, except in Dzaghkadzor, a winter resort where it is the opposite), where you can expect to pay 60 to 100 € per night for a good quality hotel. But you can find small hotels, B&Bs or hostels for less than 40 €, in Yerevan itself and especially in its outskirts, and in the regions even more, when there are some (less than 20 €). In Yerevan, apartments can be found for rent from €100 to €200 per week, depending on the location, while in the regions, rooms in private homes are offered at modest prices.
To be booked
It is strongly advised to book in advance during the high season, from March onwards, when prices are higher; in the resort of Dzaghkadzor, the high season is in winter and reservations are essential.
Booking centres:
- armhotel.am, a local site that allows you to find almost everything Armenia has to offer in terms of accommodation, from luxury hotels to guest houses, some of which are listed on rb&b.
- hyurservice: +374 10 56 04 95, www.hyurservice.com, [email protected], the biggest real estate agency in Yerevan, which will inform you about apartment rentals.
Tourist traps
One should not rely on the outward signs of luxury displayed by some hotels, which do not deserve their stars and whose décor is of dubious taste except for those who love kitsch. For rentals, it is advisable to check, as everywhere.