Grand Hotel Yerevan (), also known as GHY, is a 5-star hotel in the central

Kentron District Kentron (), is one of the Districts of Yerevan, 12 districts of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It comprises the downtown, the commercial centre of the city. As of the 2022 census, the district has a population of 119,841. Kentron is bordered by ...

of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It was opened in 1926 during the Soviet period as a state-owned enterprise. It is one of the oldest hotels in modern Armenia, and the oldest functioning hotel in Yerevan. The hotel is located at 14

Abovyan Street Abovyan Street (), is a street at the central Kentron district of the Armenian capital Yerevan. It was known as Astafyan Street between 1868 and 1920. The street runs from the central Republic Square to the statue of prominent Armenian writer ...

, overlooking Charles Aznavour Square and next to the Artists' Union of Armenia.

History

The hotel was opened in 1926 as a state-owned hotel of the

Armenian SSR The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (ArSSR), also known as Soviet Armenia, or simply Armenia, was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union, located in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Soviet Armenia bordered the Soviet republics ...

, based on the design of architect Nikolai Buniatian. It was known as the "Intourist Hotel", named after the

Intourist Intourist (, a contraction of , "foreign tourist" also Goskomturist ()) was a Soviet Union, Soviet then Russian tour operator, headquartered in Moscow. It was founded on April 12, 1929, and served as the primary travel agency for foreign tour ...

agency, which was the regulating body of the hotels and tourism within the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

. It was the first hotel opened in Soviet Armenia. During the 1930s, the hotel became the regular meeting place of the intellectuals of the city including

Yeghishe Charents Yeghishe Charents (; , 1897 – November 27, 1937) was an Armenian poet, writer and public activist. Charents' literary subject matter ranged from his experiences in the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and frequently Armenia and Arme ...

Yervand Kochar Yervand "Kochar" Kocharyan, also known as Ervand Kochar (; 1899 – 1979) was a prominent sculptor and modern artist of the twentieth century and a founder of Painting in Space art movement. The Ervand Kochar Museum is located in Yerevan, Armenia ...

and

Vahram Papazian Vahram Papazian or Papazyan (; 6 January 1888 in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire – 5 June 1968 in Yerevan, Armenia), was a Soviet actor who was an ethnic Armenian, mostly known for his Shakespearean roles. Vahram did plays in Constantinople, ...

. In 1959, the Intourist agency was transferred to the newly opened ''Armenia Hotel'' at the Republic Square, and the Intourist Hotel came to be known as the "Yerevan Hotel". After the collapse of the

USSR The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

, Yerevan Hotel was acquired by the

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

company Renco S.p.A., and after a major renovation it was reopened as the 4-star "Golden Tulip Hotel Yerevan" in 1999, operated by the

Groupe du Louvre Groupe du Louvre or Louvre Hotel Grouplouvrehotels.com
retrieved 21 April 2024 is a French company op ...

. In 2009, following a major renovation, the structure was upgraded to a 5-star hotel to become known as the ''Royal Tulip Grand Hotel Yerevan'' until the end of 2016. ''Small Luxury Hotels of the World'' took over management in 2017.

Gallery

File:Building of Armenian Union of Artists, Yerevan (4).jpg, The view of the hotel overlooking the Aznavour square File:Charlez Aznavour Square in 2014 01.jpg, Fountains at Aznavour square File:Golden Tulip, Yerevan, interior.jpg, Interior view File:Grand Hotel Yerevan, summer 2018 (1).jpg, The hotel at night

References

{{Yerevan landmarks Hotels established in 1926 Hotel buildings completed in 1926 Hotels in Yerevan Government-owned companies of the Soviet Union Privatized hospitality companies Privatization in Armenia