Unknown Sochi Getting Ready for 2014

Wednesday, January 14th, 2009

Before it was announced as the host of the 2014 winter Olympics, few people had heard of the Russian resort town of Sochi.  It sits between the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea. 

Though it remains little more than a place name for most of the world, Russian developers and travel industry professionals are already working at a frenzied pace to prepare Sochi for its day in the spotlight.  Some of Russia’s wealthiest businesspeople are involved in changing this quiet resort village into a world-class destination.  Domestic travelers are already taking advantage of these changes. 

A new airport is in the works.  The current airport is small and mainly services flights from St. Petersburg and Moscow. 

The Sochi area was formerly known for its sanatoriums.  A number of these have been converted into hotels by ambitious developers.  Despite their former incarnations, some of these inns are quite nice, especially Ordzhonikidze, which boasts gardens and fountains and rooms around $50 per night.  There are other cheaper accommodations in town as well as a handful of luxury resort hotels.  Prices will definitely rise as 2014 nears. 

The Black Sea is the biggest attraction in Sochi.  The beach is filled with domestic tourists.  Some venture up to the mountains for trekking or to see one of the area’s waterfalls.  There are some restaurants and nightclubs worth mentioning, but for the most part, the town seems like a domestic tourist spot without much charm.  The service remains poor and the roads bumpy.  Will Sochi become the sparkling city that will be expected by Olympic tourists and the media?  A lot of building is probably in the future, but the hotspot of Georgia, which engaged in a recent war with Russia, lies only 15 miles away. 

For now, Sochi remains a place for domestic tourists and anyone who is interested to see the future Olympic host without any make-up.

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