Park-Hotel Khoren's Lake

A clean, lovely place to pause between northern and southern Armenia, and easy on a travel budget. I stayed here last summer on my way toward Goris and Tatev, after visiting Khor Virap and Noravank earlier in the day. The owners' child spoke English really well, which impressed me and made things easier as a traveler who knows very little Armenian or Russian.

It feels remote, there's no Wi-Fi, and the place looks as if it hasn't seen anyone in a long time.

We were the only guests that night, and the place felt a little spooky. It's a row of small mobile homes by a lake, where we stopped for one night on the way to Goris. Finding it wasn't easy because the signs are poor. The manager's welcome was extremely cold. We don't speak Russian, so we couldn't understand why. She came back later with a plate of fruit, perhaps as an apology. The facilities are basic: the fridge is in the owner's lodge, the mattress is too small, and Wi-Fi is available only if you ask. Being so close to the main road also means a lot of noise, and trucks sometimes make the ground shake. It felt somewhat expensive for what you get.

Sonya made our late stop feel welcoming, with evening tea, fragrant coffee in the morning, and a huge bag of tasty local fruit. We slept in one of the cottages and set off again the next morning. The hostess was polite and hospitable, and speaks Russian and German fluently. The modest resort sits by the lake along the Yerevan-Meghri highway. It's quiet and peaceful, with a boat dock and a pier for fishing or swimming. I imagine it would be more enjoyable in summer than in fall.