With the advent of cold weather, lovers of skiing and snowboarding begin to look for a place where they can enjoy a winter holiday. Our compatriots, like many foreign tourists, often opt for the Rosa Khutor Group of Companies. Reviews about skiing and accommodation, he receives one of the most flattering, although there are exceptions. However, every lover of ski holidays should make a choice, depending on their personal preferences.
Rosa Khutor: geographical location and climate
Rosa-Khutor Group of Companies is located near the village of Krasnaya Polyana (Adler District), which is part of the municipal formation of the resort city of Sochi.
“Rosa Khutor” reviews are positive due to the large area and sufficient elevation. The lower point of the resort is located at an altitude of 575 m above sea level, and the upper - at 2509 m. The total area of Rosa Khutor is 1820 ha.
The border of the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve is 15 km from the resort, and the city of Adler is 42 km away. On all sides, Krasnaya Polyana is surrounded by the Mzymta River and its tributaries - the Melnichniy stream and the Beshenka river, as well as high mountain ranges.
The resort has a mild, relatively warm mountain-sea climate. In summer, the air temperature here can rise to + 38 ° C, and in winter days - drop to -22 ° C. In December-March, snow with a depth of 50-150 cm covers the slopes of Rosa-Khutor GC.
Reviews of employees and ski lovers say that the best month to stay at the resort is February - during this period the snow cover is quite sufficient, and severe frosts are already behind.
How to get there
In order to reach your destination, you can use almost any type of transport - by plane, train, bus or your own car. In Adler there is an airport that accepts flights from different regions of the Russian Federation, the same applies to the railway station. It should be noted that it is the train most often chosen by Russians who want to relax in the Rosa Khutor resort. Traveler reviews agree that rail transport is the cheapest, and is also the most reliable and safe.
From Adler it is easy to get to Krasnaya Polyana. To do this, you can use, for example, an electric train that follows the route "Airport-Krasnaya Polyana". This is especially convenient for those who have arrived in Adler by air, since you can immediately go to the railway station from the airport via a covered gallery and be there in an hour. There are also buses and minibuses with the message “Sochi-Krasnaya Polyana” and “Adler-Krasnaya Polyana”.
Equipment rental
Equipment rental points are located at the lower stations of the cable cars , so tourists can not take bulky ski equipment with them, but take it in place.
Many vacationers live in cities from which Krasnaya Polyana (Rosa Khutor) is located quite far from. Reviews of tourists note that employees of rental offices pay special attention to the selection of equipment for each person.
In rental points, tourists are offered skiing, snowboarding, sports shoes, clothes and other equipment in a wide range. Most of the equipment collections are made by such well-known companies as Rossignol, Volki, Salomon, Fisher, Berton. At the same time, the assortment is constantly updated with new models, so guests of the resort can rent the most modern models of snowboards, skis and accessories to them.
Equipment at rental points is divided into FANS and Pro groups. The first is intended for use by entry-level skiers for skiing on medium difficulty trails. And the second - for experienced athletes who prefer routes of higher than average difficulty, which are available in sufficient quantity at the Rosa Khutor GC. Reviews about skiing tourists, using the quality equipment of local rental points, leave only positive.
Lift pass: price and discounts
In the current ski season, the cost of ski passes ranges from 1,000 to 3,000 rubles during the First Snow period (until December 25), from 2,500 to 13,500 during the Peak period (December 26-10, 01), from 1,700 to 9,700 in the high season (11.01-31.03) and from 1,400 to 7,700 in the Spring Snow season (from 1.04). The cost of a contactless card will cost 100 rubles, regardless of the season.
There is also a discount system for skiing at the Rosa Khutor Group of Companies. Reviews of winter holiday lovers claim that there are very good offers. So, discounts are provided to the following persons:
- students under the age of 25 years with a passport and student card;
- Children under 17 years old with a school ticket or birth certificate;
- for school groups of 10 people and more when purchasing an excursion subscription (it is obligatory to present certificates from the school);
- families consisting of 2 adults and children (no more than 4) under the age of 14 years, or 1 adult and at least 2 children.
In case of violation of the rules of conduct on lifts or slopes, the ski pass can be blocked without the possibility of renewal, since its purchase implies the knowledge and acceptance of existing rules.
Trails and lifts
Holidaymakers leaving reviews about the Rosa Khutor Group of Companies especially praise the extensive and varied cable car network. There are all types of lifts. Thanks to their wide selection, skiers can easily and quickly get to the farthest slopes, as well as transport even very bulky equipment. In total, there are 18 ski lifts in the ski center.
Numerous Roza-Khutor routes are famous for their variety. Guest reviews say that everyone can find a suitable slide here. The total length of the tracks in the resort is 77 km. The longest is a 5 km track. Most of the slopes have snow cannons, so even with insufficient natural snow you can organize full skiing here.
Extreme park and kids club at Rosa Khutor GC
In addition to numerous pistes for skiing in the territory of the ski center under consideration there is also an extreme park, which is a real paradise for thrill-seekers. The 2014 Olympic Games were held here, as well as numerous Russian and European snowboard and freestyle competitions.
Do not have to miss the smallest tourists at the resort. The Egorka Club offers its services to children, whose employees can teach skiing and entertain children aged 3 to 12 years. It was opened in 2013 on the territory of the Rosa Khutor GC. Parents leave positive reviews about skating children after classes in this club. Kids are taught to ride on a specially equipped slope for this with the use of a special children's program. It is worth noting that in the summer period the club also works and organizes cycling, hiking and all kinds of sports for small tourists.
Accommodation in local hotels
Modern buildings, comfortable rooms, proximity to cable car lifts - all this distinguishes the Rosa Khutor hotels. Reviews living in all hotels of this ski center are full of flattering epithets, but they all agree that this pleasure is not cheap. The cost of living in a local hotel is approximately 3000 rubles per day per person. However, no one denies that it is worth it.
The following hotels are most popular among the guests of Rosa Khutor Group of Companies: HELIOPARK Freestyle 3 *, Park Inn by Radisson 4 * and Mercure Hotel.
HELIOPARK is located just 100 meters from the ski lifts and is an ideal place to stay. Guests are offered rooms of the DBL, studio, twin classes, the windows of which offer magnificent views of the majestic snow peaks surrounding the Rosa Khutor hotels. HELIOPARK guest reviews mention delicious and varied cuisine.
At the same distance from the ski lifts is the Mercure Hotel. Guests are offered 153 rooms with a unique design.
A little further from the ski lifts (at a distance of 200 meters) is the Park Inn by Radisson hotel with its 211 modern rooms, a fitness center, a drying room for ski clothes, shoes, equipment, as well as an underground parking.
Restaurants, bars and cafes
After an active day spent on the ski slopes, almost every tourist wants to treat themselves to a hot drink and delicious food. And Rosa-Khutor GC provides its guests with all the possibilities for this. So, on the left bank of Mzymta, next to the Golden Tulip, Heliopark and Radisson hotels, there is a Cipollino restaurant, Choco Chestnut coffee shop, Baskin Robbins cafe, Branche, Black Bar & Grill, Luciano and Amsterdam restaurants, as well as Modus pizzeria.
On the right bank of Mzymta, near the lower stations of the Tyrol, Strela and Olympia ski lifts, there are McDonald's, Bierkeller and Barsky table restaurants, as well as O'Hara bar, which is famous for its huge selection of alcoholic drinks.
If you want to have a bite to eat or warm up a bit by drinking a cup of tea or coffee while skiing, then at your service is the Zima restaurant, located in Rosa-Priyut, located between the Gondola Forest and Olympia gondola lifts. Restaurant "Winter" has its own buffet lounge and a huge outdoor terrace with a magnificent view of the winter nature.
Guest reviews about Rosa Khutor GC
Tourists who visited the Rosa Khutor Group of Companies leave numerous positive reviews about the condition of the slopes, about lifts, about the architecture of buildings and the level of service, about the cleanliness and well-groomed area. Everyone claims that Krasnaya Polyana has changed for the better since the opening of the Rosa Khutor complex. The ski resort receives negative reviews only because of too high prices. To many, the cost of living seems to be overstated.
Tourists write that such prices for souvenirs, as in the local shops, have not been met either in Austria, or in France, or elsewhere. The same goes for nutrition. The average tourist can only afford to eat at McDonald's; in other cafes and restaurants, prices are similar to Moscow prices. However, in all other aspects, the resort is called the best.