Hello, friends! During our autumn trip, we lived in the Gorki Gorod resort. It's time to tell you how the level of 540 meters differs from 960 and where it is better to book accommodation.
Before the trip, I specifically consulted with experienced travelers so as not to miss. All the same, there were 6 of us on the trip, including a four-month-old baby. Now I have my own opinion 🙂
Gorki Gorod is the first resort on the way from Sochi. This is an impressive complex with an infrastructure of hotels, apartments, cafes, a cable car, shops and equipment rentals. During the Olympics, journalists covering the sporting event lived in Gorki Gorod.
I am attaching a schematic map of the resort.
The lower level of the resort is at 540 m, and the upper level is at 960 m. In fact, there are still 1500 and 2200 meters, but these are observation platforms with cafes, so we will only consider 540 and 960.
The official website of the Gorki Gorod resort is https://gorkygorod.ru. See all special offers only here.
Gorki Gorod 540 meters
The first thing you notice in Gorki Gorod is the architecture of the resort. The project was developed by two architects - Mikhail Filippov (540m) and Mikhail Atayants (960m) with the participation of the Frenchman Pierre Diener, who had a hand in Courchevel. The architects drew their creative ideas in the Middle Ages and wanted to create a city of that time.
The central square, where the cable car station is located, has a semicircular shape and is very similar to an amphitheater, which offers a view of the mountains and the Mzymta River. The residential part is isolated from the highway, which is very convenient for pedestrians.
The main promenade of the town is a favorite place for an evening walk. On the left is the Gorki Mall shopping center, on the right are the apartments. Shops and cafes are located on the ground floor. There is a small market in front of the shopping center, where there is a brisk trade in various tourist goods.
In the evening, during a walk, we reached the casino, but did not go inside. They just stared. Somehow I didn’t think over the option with “tuxedo and bow tie”)).
And this is Masha and I showing off on a morning walk. It's amazing how few moms use a sling. Basically, everyone hangs out with strollers.
The main advantage of GG 540 m, in my opinion, is the presence of a large shopping center with Perekrestok, a cinema and a bowling alley. Since housing in the form prevails at the lower level of the resort, the issue of buying groceries is especially relevant. Well, the lower level itself is bigger and bigger.
Here is a view of the Mzymta embankment from the cable car. Surprisingly, it is this part of GG 540 that is the most sparsely populated. The main pandemonium is near the shopping center.
There are only two hotels in GG 540 - Gorki Plaza 4 * and Marriott Krasnaya Polyana 5 *. It's great to live in the Marriott in the summer, there is an outdoor pool. I read that guests of Gorka Gorod can visit the pool for a fee, but I personally did not check this possibility.
Right behind us is the mountain carousel cable car. Gorki Gorod 960 meters is not even visible from this point.
Where to eat in Gorki Gorod 540m?
You can eat relatively inexpensively in Gorki Gorod 540 in the Pechka and Ugli cafe. This is a la luxury dining rooms. Salads for 70-80 rubles, soup - 150 rubles, the second - 150 rubles. The average check is 250-300 rubles per person. In Pechka, Russian cuisine prevails, and in Uglii, a menu with a Caucasian bias.
Harats Pub serves a pretty good business lunch from 12.00 to 17.00. For 270 rubles, you can choose two dishes (soup, main course or salad). There are three types of each dish on the menu, so you won't get bored quickly. Breakfasts in Harats from 8.00 to 11.00 (230 r). The price tag is very similar to the stove, but at least there is service.
The Verona restaurant offers breakfasts for 150 rubles, there is a children's menu. In general, I recommend walking through cafes / restaurants and looking at special offers. They probably change from season to season. I can say for sure that almost every cafe offers something as a bonus - a bun for coffee, beer for the main course, etc.
We mostly ate at Harats Pub and at home. Products were bought at Perekrestok and Agrocomplex (the store is located opposite the shopping center). And here and there there are ready-made dishes, so it is not necessary to bother with cooking. You can just heat up the food and cut the salad.
Gorki Gorod 960 meters
The Upper City has a completely different mood. The architecture repeats the lines of antiquity, the buildings look more respectable, and the town itself is much smaller in area.
The scale of the town is clearly visible from the cable car. Close-up to the right - Gorki Gorod 960, and far below and to the left - Gorki Gorod 540 meters.
During our walk it was pretty deserted. But what views! Guests of GG 960 can relax in a sun lounger and enjoy the view of the mountains.
By the way, no one will check the card key, so anyone can privatize a sun lounger and relax.
At the level of 960 m, the cable car splits into two. One branch leads up to the Black Pyramid peak, and the second branch leads to the Polikarya waterfall. Above 960 meters you can only climb by paying for a ski pass.
The cable car connects the levels with each other. With a room key card, you can travel back and forth for free as many times as you like. Also, an asphalt road leads to 960m, and in the evening, late guests are brought up by a bus. If you do not live in Gorki Gorod, then you can go upstairs only for a fee. I draw your attention, when you check in at the level of 960m, you can climb the cable car for free without a key card, if you present a security voucher.
GG 960 already has many more hotels and fewer apartments. Hotels of level 960 m: Gorki Hotel 5*, Gorki Hotel Suites 5*, Dolina 960 4*, Rixos Krasnaya Polyana 5*, Gorki Panorama 4* (excellent hotel with a swimming pool), Gorki Grand 3*, Gorki Art (nice hotel with an unusual interior). As you can see, luxury housing dominates the upper level of Gorka Gorod.
So, what is still better - Gorki Gorod 540 or 960?
Let's break it down point by point:
- If you want action, nightlife, festivities, noisy gatherings in a cafe - choose GG 540m. Well, or you can live in GG 960, and come off at the lower level. Then you need to think in advance about the options for a late return to the hotel. The cable car does not operate at night.
- If you like a relaxing holiday, you want silence, nature and the purest mountain air, then GG 960m is waiting for you.
- If you come to Gorki Gorod with children, then I recommend the lower level. It has a great playground, a mall with a play area, and a lot more food options.
- If you choose a more economical option for yourself, then this is definitely GG 540m.
- Slides Gorod 540 or 960 can be chosen solely because of the hotel. For example, you definitely need a spa complex. Then this is the Gorki Panorama hotel. Do you want to while away the time by the outdoor pool in the summer? Then choose Marriott at 540m.
- If you are planning to spend time actively and explore other resorts besides Gorka Gorod, then it is more convenient to rent accommodation at the level of 540m. The highway passes below. It is here that taxi drivers hang out and public transport runs. Of course, you can always ride the cable car down or call a taxi, but it will be a little longer and a little more expensive.
And for today I have everything. I hope it became much easier for you to make a decision 🙂
Wherever a tourist rests, regardless of the time of year, the question is always relevant - “How would a hearty and inexpensive meal?” After all, many do not have a special desire to cook on vacation, and rightly so. For example, when relaxing in winter or summer in the resort of Krasnaya Polyana, Sochi, under the program “Open South 2016 2017”, it is worth taking note of several options for budget cafes, where both tasty and inexpensive.
Budget cafes in Krasnaya Polyana
1. Cafe "Daily Bread" on Rose, in the Crossroads store.
For fast food lovers, this is the best option. McDonald's is not very big, but there is enough space for everyone. At least you can drink a cup of a fragrant cafe with a croissant in the morning, and immediately from here you can take the Strela cable car up to 1600 m.
3. Canteen "Polyanka", Estosadok, st. Berezovaya, 134.
A proper nutrition establishment, on the ground floor of which there is a budget cafe-dining room where you can have a quick and tasty meal, and on the second floor there is a restaurant.
4. Suvlachnaya "Greco Megusto" st. Defenders of the Caucasus, 78-a.
Note that souvlaki is a Greek fast food such as shawarma. This place belongs to the Greeks and therefore all the dishes prepared here have a great taste.
5. Food court on the 2nd floor of Gorki Gorod Mall. Nearby - Subway and sushi.
6. Children's cafe "Cartoon in Gorki Gorod", 3rd floor of the shopping center Gorki Gorod Mall.
A good place to eat delicious meatballs, mashed potatoes and various salads. For dessert: pancakes, cheesecakes, cake.
7. Street food "Old Boys" on Gorki Gorod 960 m.
You should not count on plentiful food here, but eating a delicious burger and drinking honey punch or tea with jam is quite affordable. In between skiing, this is the best option for a good meal.
8. Cake Shop, Gorki Gorod, Gorki Gorod Mall, 1st floor.
Great place for sweet lovers. There are always delicious and fresh desserts, good coffee and tea. In addition, every day, an hour before the opening, all sweets are sold at a 50% discount.
Of course, there are VIP-class restaurants for sophisticated tourists, which are located in expensive hotels, such as the Peak Hotel or the Grand Hotel Polyana, and others.
Where to drink beer
You can have fun and drink a glass of beer or wine:
1. Irish pub "OʼHara" on Rosa Khutor, Lavender Embankment, 2.
This pub offers a variety of beers and whiskeys, a cozy atmosphere and friendly staff. Prices are not the cheapest, but a glass of beer with friends for a good ascent and descent from the top is worth a drink.
1. "Kenny Pub" Krasnaya Polyana, st. Pchelovodov, 23.
Great pizza, lots of tasty beer, whiskey and good hookah.
2. Restaurant "Wine House Winehouse", which is located in the hotel "4 peaks" per. Ski, d. 10.
Good restaurant with a nice fireplace and good food. Pizza cooked in a special oven and wines from our own winery are especially popular.
Definitely, you will definitely not stay hungry in Krasnaya Polyana.
Restaurant-bar "LUDI" is a respectable restaurant in the heart of the all-season mountain resort "Gorki Gorod". Its luxurious interior is stylistically consistent and embodies the status of our Guests. Captivating with its sophistication is the atmosphere created from such decorative elements as natural wood, glass, copper, leather framed by soft light.
The basis of the menu consists of carefully selected author's meat dishes, one of which is Prime category steaks cooked in the Josper oven from the products of the best domestic producer - the Miratorg company.
We are guided by several rules. Firstly, meat cuisine is not only steaks. Finding a recipe for each type of meat that will emphasize all its advantages - this is the concept of the menu. Secondly, meat is not only beef, but also lamb, pork, poultry.
When creating the restaurant menu, Mikhail Mamin and his team of cooks tried to take into account the different tastes of the guests and make each dish unique.
"PEOPLE" is not a place where you get by chance, such lunches and dinners are worth planning, and for this you can always book a table at a convenient time for you.
During the day, it is a place suitable for business meetings and family dinners, where, thanks to attentive and unobtrusive service, spectacular presentations and a calm atmosphere, you can enjoy your time among beautiful and successful people.
In the evenings "PEOPLE" is an ideal place for a pre-party. This includes a bar where you will find a large selection of drinks from your favorite alcoholic hits to signature cocktails and an extensive wine list. It has created a special atmosphere that emanates from the bar counter. Friendly bartenders will respond to any request and will gladly share the secrets of mixology with you.
Musical recipes from DJ Sochi on Fridays and Saturdays will help you tune in to the right wave.
We are in love with meat and the right cocktails. We will be very glad to see you in our restaurant!
Peculiarities:
- large selection of steaks and meat dishes
- cocktail bar, extensive alcohol list
- separate VIP zone
- pre-party parties on Fridays and Saturdays
In total, the resort has more than 60 food outlets. Based on the results of the inspection, the ski resort received a high rating from the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers. The "Restaurant landing" project was held under the auspices of the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers and included secret checks according to methods developed by independent and impartial experts of the Center for Skills and Competences in the Hospitality Industry (St. Petersburg).
It took specialists 6 working days to conduct a qualitative examination of 32 establishments in the "mystery guest" format. Inspection of the main part of the enterprises was carried out by independent experts who arrived at the resort before the rest and worked incognito. The "star" team of the landing party had one day the day before to pay a visit to the leading restaurants of the Gorki Gorod resort as "mystery guests" and personally check the level of service and the quality of the dishes served. All project participants are owners and managers of popular and successful restaurants in St. Petersburg, recognized authorities of the professional community.
Igor Bukharov, President of the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers of Russia: “I saw how this resort was built when there was nothing at all. Do you understand? That is, everything was at the very beginning. Today we visited at an altitude of 2200m - the last time I was there during construction. And today I was already sitting in a magnificent restaurant and looking down, admiring the view .. Serving dishes, service - I really liked everything. Everyone smiles, everything is fine. There is a big dynamic in the development of catering services”.
The practice of checking food outlets for Gorka Gorod is not new. "Mystery guests" used to work at the resort, by order of the management. But they decided to make the task more difficult. And they brought food points to the judgment of the capital's experts. In other words, they personally invited the "restaurant troops" to visit. Lyudmila Kuznetsova, Deputy General Director of the Gorki Gorod resort: “How is this project useful for us and what experience do we get? First, we really wanted to prove that we are the best. Secondly, we really wanted to understand for ourselves whether we are moving in the right direction by developing the resort's food outlets. Thirdly, we wanted restaurateurs and chefs from Moscow and St. Petersburg to visit our cafes and restaurants and appreciate it.” If in the 2015/2016 season there were a little more than 20 food outlets in the resort, then this season there are already 3 times more! Starship Troopers checked half of them. And the risk of the resort management was justified. Metropolitan gourmets said that their aftertaste was more than pleasant. Leonid Garbar, President of the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers, St. Petersburg: “I liked everything very much, the service is very customer-oriented, which is nice. Friendly, hospitable staff. Everyone sincerely smiles and you understand that they are waiting for you here. ”
Kirill Ziminov, restaurateur: “After our checks, visits to various cafes and restaurants of Gorki Gorod, I have a wonderful aftertaste. Because I did not expect such a level - it seemed to me that it was impossible in principle - to reach such a high level in such a short time. Luxurious menu, exquisite dish, unique surroundings… Almost all restaurants, cafes and bars of the resort have received recognition from the capital's experts. And the recommendation is not to lower the bar.
Reference:
The winners were awarded Diplomas in Nominations: - for 1st place in the nomination "Best Service" restaurant "Vershina 2200" - for 2nd place in the nomination "Best Service" restaurant "Petersburg" - for victory in the nomination "Best Restaurant" - restaurant "Vershina 2200" - for 1st place in the nomination "Best Cuisine" restaurant "Vershina 2200" - for 2nd place in the nomination "Best Cuisine" cafe "Gorki House" - for the victory in the nomination "Best Establishment of National Cuisine" - restobar "Frau Marta" - for the victory in the nomination "Best concept" - the restaurant of Soviet cuisine "Gorchitsa" Stopochnaya - for the victory in the nomination "Best pastry" - cafe-bakery "Cinnabon" - for 1st place in the nomination "Best serving dishes" restobar "Frau Marta" - for 2nd place in the nomination "The best serving of dishes" the restaurant "Sirtaki" - for the victory in the nomination "The best interior" - the restaurant of Soviet cuisine "Gorchitsa" Stopochnaya - for the victory in the nomination "The best street food" - cafe "BURGMAN 4" - for the victory in the nomination "Best Coffee" - "Surf Coffee" - for 1st place in the nomination "Best Menu" cafe "Gorki House" - for the 2nd place in the nomination "Best Menu" restaurant "Medora" - for the victory in the nomination "Best wine list" - restaurant "Medora" - for the victory in the nomination "Author's dish" - cafe "Gorki House" LLC "Taste of Life"
