A Night at the Sevan Writers’ House: What It’s Like to Stay at Armenia’s Iconic Soviet Hotel

Hanging over the lakefront like a concrete-and-glass spaceship, the Sevan Writers’ House is an icon of Armenia.

I must admit that it was this piece of Soviet-era architecture and not the nearby 4th-century Sevanavank Monastery that drew me to visit Armenia’s Lake Sevan.

On my first trip to Sevan, thinking the hotel was abandoned, I did what most tourists do and walked down the peninsula to peer up at the cantilevered structure from below.

When I returned to Lake Sevan years later, I discovered that there is a functioning hotel inside the Writers’ House, and that it is in fact possible to stay there.

I have frequented several Soviet-era hotels in the past, including the former Iveria Hotel in Tbilisi (now the Radisson Blu) and Legends Tskaltubo, a renewed sanatorium. The Writers’ House is an entirely different experience because it has not been heavily refurbished.

In fact, it looks and feels as if it has barely been touched.

This wasn’t just any old hotel, either: Back in the day some of the USSR’s most prominent authors, poets and translators climbed the glazed stairwell and lounged on the scalloped concrete terrace. Artists and intellectuals from abroad, most notably Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, also stayed here.

If you’re interested in this period of history, spending a night on the Sevan Peninsula and sleeping in the 1930s Writers’ House is a once in a lifetime experience. Here is a recount of my stay plus everything you need to know before you go.

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A brief history of the Sevan Writers’ House

The Sevan Writers’ House or Sevan Writers’ Union Resort was built in 1933 on the northwestern edge of Lake Sevan. It was among the first new structures built atop a peninsula that was previously an island, formed when the lake was drained for a Stalin-approved irrigation project.

The building’s original function was as a guesthouse for the Armenian Writers’ Union. Similar to the Composers’ House in Borjomi, Georgia, it was a sort of retreat where artists from across the Soviet Union and abroad could gather to get their creative juices pumping, work and collaborate.

There are two parts to the complex: The older Residence Hall, a four-storey Constructivist building embedded in the cliffside, was designed in 1932 by Gevorg Kochar and Mikael Mazmanyan.

The more recognisable Modernist structure that juts out towards the shoreline – what many people, including me, mistake as the hotel – was and still is a cafe. Known as The Lounge, it was added later in 1963 and was designed by the same duo.

A lot happened in the intervening years between the construction of the Residence Hall and the addition of the Lounge. For starters, Kochar and Mazmanyan were both arrested on political charges and exiled to a Gulag in Siberia. The fact that they returned to work on the building again after their release is kind of mind blowing!

The opening of the Lounge marked a new chapter for the Writers’ House. Authors and intellectuals from abroad including Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir penned their names on the ledger before the resort was shut down following the breakup of the USSR.

Today the property still belongs to the Writers’ Union. Several attempts have been made to restore the buildings (not so long ago a Getty Foundation grant was set aside for its rehabilitation, but apparently that never eventuated) – but for now the Writers’ House remains in a sort of limbo.

It’s not in terrible shape considering its age, but it is in need of some TLC. The current tenants are doing their bit to keep things tidy and functioning, but the hotel itself is much closer to a cheap motel than the inspirational artists’ retreat it was designed to be.

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My experience staying at the Sevan Writers’ House

Knowing full well that I was probably in for a showerless and sleepless night, I still couldn’t have been more excited to book a room at the Sevan Writers’ House. My dad, who I was travelling with at the time, was even more eager than me. Our Georgian driver, Mindia, was less enthusiastic.

We arrived at Lake Sevan in the late afternoon, parked our car away from the rain under the floating concrete platform, and lugged our bags up the concrete stairs. The only other car in the lot obviously belonged to the party of six seated in the Lounge, who were apparently on their fourth or fifth bottle of Ararat by the time we arrived.

The next morning I awoke to find their car was gone and the metal chain had been drawn across the parking lot entrance (it remains closed until 9am, so if you’re thinking of making an early break for it, be prepared to wake the hotel caretaker up). Turns out that on this spring evening, we were the only guests.

I am still not sure where the original retreat reception area was located because the current hotel has none. The protocol for arriving guests, it seems, is to struggle up the stairs then hover around the door to the cafe until someone comes out to greet you.

Almost every online review of the hotel laments about the owner’s terrible attitude. We must have caught him on a good day because he was positively exuberant when we arrived. The two women working in the cafe were similarly sweet every time I spoke to them.

The moustachioed sunburst painted in the makeshift reception area certainly brightens things up.

We had pre-booked our rooms online via Booking.com. Payment must be made upfront at check in – cash only. We handed over an extra 2000 AMD each for breakfast the next morning.

Inside my room at the Writers’ House

Rooms at the Writers’ House are basic, but not nearly as bad as I was expecting after reading the reviews. (“Like an alcoholic’s room from the 90s” is my personal favourite description, left on Google Maps.)

In the Soviet style, my room had a separate small entry vestibule with a wardrobe. The bedroom had two single beds pressed against either wall, plus a sofa, a lounge chair, and a desk with a mini fridge tucked underneath.

There are a couple of power outlets in each room, and the entire hotel has good WIFI.

The carpet probably hadn’t been cleaned since the 1940s, but the bed linens and towels looked and smelled fresh enough.

There is no AC or central heating so I was nervous about the cold, but I used the electric radiator and layered both blankets on at night and slept soundly (this was in May when it was still quite chilly). Remember that Sevan is deceptively high and much cooler than the lowlands, so you should always pack a jacket and something warm to wear during the evening.

You will notice that the rooms only have sheer curtains, so an early morning wakeup call is pretty much inevitable.

The ensuite bathroom was very basic but functional and perfectly alright for a one-night-only stay. Soap and shampoo sachets are provided, but I suggest you bring your own toiletries.

Exploring the property

The best thing about staying at the Writers’ House is that guests get access to the entire complex, including areas the general public cannot reach. This means you are free to explore all the hidden nooks and crannies.

A glazed stairwell runs up the side of the Residence Hall and at the top, there is a tiny room with a portal window where you can peer out over the lake. My room on the third floor opened out onto the big terrace so I could wander around and photograph the scalloped balconies.

The view of the Lounge from this angle is particularly cool because it appears to hover directly over the water.

Hotel staff seem to hang out inside the entrance to the cafe. Here there were a few printed photos and information boards leftover from Dèja Vu Standart, an exhibition curated by Ruben Arevshatyan in 2019.

I found more exhibition didactics in the corner of the games room behind the ping pong table (pictured above).

Walk down the stairs and you can sit on the bench underneath the Lounge, or stroll to the small beach directly below the Writers’ House. Note that the area to the east is off-limits – it is a summer residence for the Armenian President and photography is strictly banned.

Breakfast in the Lounge

I highly recommend paying a bit extra to eat breakfast in the Lounge. Even though it is open to walk-ins for lunch and dinner, the rising sun streaming in through the big windows makes early morning something extra special.

Our spread was actually very good: Eggs, salad, cheese, fresh butter, croissants, lavash and black coffee.

The secret path to Sevanavank…

I was not a fan of Lake Sevan after my first visit (a side trip from Dilijan), but staying at the Writers’ House changed my opinion of the area. Waking up on the Sevan Peninsula and walking to the monastery when there is no one else around is a very special experience. Having this sort of 24-7 access is one of the biggest perks of staying at the House.

There is a ‘secret’ path to access Sevanavank from the Writers’ House. It’s a very handy shortcut, taking you from the cafe directly to the monastery complex. Along the way you get beautiful views of the lake, the monastery on the hill, and the back of the Writers’ House.

At the time of my visit, the entire hillside was covered with poppies and yellow wildflowers.

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Room rates & how to book the Sevan Writers’ House

Prices average 40 USD for a double room, which is admittedly overpriced for what you get – but you are not paying for the room, you are paying for the experience!

Reservations can be made online here via Booking.com.

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How to visit the Writers’ House if you aren’t a hotel guest

If you’re not a guest, you can still visit the restaurant inside the Writers’ House Lounge for a drink or a meal.

I have heard reports of staff asking people to leave the property – so I don’t recommend just wandering in. If you want the full experience, book a room or at least call ahead to make a reservation at the Lounge.

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How to get to Lake Sevan

Travelling from Yerevan, marshrutka minivans depart from the Northern Bus Station throughout the day. Travel time to Sevan town is just over one hour, and tickets cost around 800 AMD. A taxi the rest of the way to the peninsular costs around 1,000 AMD.

Travelling from Dilijan, all Yerevan-bound vans pass by Lake Sevan so you can jump on any van and get out early on the highway. Tickets cost around 500 AMD and travel time is 20 minutes.

Travelling from Tbilisi, take a Yerevan-bound van from Avlabari Metro Station or Ortachala Bus Station and jump out early at Vanadzor. You can pick up a second van to Sevan from there.

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Other things to see & do at Lake Sevan

Keeping with the theme, I recommend stopping off at the Soviet Viewing Platform on your way to/from Lake Sevan. There are several abandoned Soviet-era sanatoriums and hotels scattered around the lake – I didn’t have time for urbexing unfortunately, but if you find any gems please let me know the locations.

For full details and more ideas, see my guide – 10 things to do at Lake Sevan.

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More unique accommodations in the Caucasus

• Tskaltubo Spa Resort, a refurbished Soviet-era sanatorium in Tskaltubo
• The Radisson Blu Ivera, a former Intourist hotel in Tbilisi
• Sheki Karvansaray Hotel, a silk-road traders’ inn in northern Azerbaijan