In 1928, Yerevan welcomed its first hotel. The four-storey building, a skyscraper of it’s time, was a breath of fresh air in the city and heralded a new era for one of the oldest capitals in the world. Right after its opening, Hotel Yerevan (currently known as Grand Hotel Yerevan) became the center of Armenia’s bohemian scene and a source of inspiration for many intellectuals and artists of the 20th century.  

The European style hotel, located on what was then Astafyan Street was designed by Nikoghayos Buniatyan, the first General Architect of Yerevan. It had all the contemporary facilities of a European hotel: 78 elegantly furnished rooms, a restaurant, a wine cellar, a pastry shop, parking, a barber shop, an exchange store, a photo studio, a launderette, and even a library.  

Marine Haroyan, the director of the Armenian Arts Council and co-editor of the book “Grand Hotel Yerevan” says that the hotel was not only the first large-scale public building constructed in Yerevan, it also played a significant role in the cultural renaissance of the city.  

“In the 1930s, the Soviet Union had an ambitious program to develop its republics in a very short period of time and for that purpose, the Soviet Armenian government invited famous Armenian intellectuals, artists, and political figures from different parts of the world to contribute to their nation’s renaissance,” she explains. “It was not easy to find appropriate apartments in Yerevan, so the government decided to allocate a part of the hotel for them.” The hotel became the permanent residence of some of the most outstanding representatives of Armenian culture and science.

In a very short period of time, Hotel Yerevan transformed into a little model of 1930s Paris. While in Parisian cafes you could see Francis Scott Fitzgerald discussing “The Great Gatsby” with Ernest Hemingway, or Pablo Picasso arguing with Gertrude Stein, here you could see Yeghishe Charents discussing his new poem with Avetik Isahakyan or Panos Terlemezian arguing with Nikoghayos Buniatyan. They would inspire each other, exchange ideas, have countless debates over art and literature, and, for sure, drink.  

Yeghishe Charents, one of the most important representatives of Armenian Futurism, was the longest resident of the hotel. During the seven years of his residence there, his interestingly designed room was a famous rendezvous among his intellectual neighbors.

Other famous residents of the hotel included Alexander Shirvanzade and Panos Terlemezian. In 1928, when Terlemezian returned to Yerevan from the U.S., the hotel allocated him a large room, which he transformed into a studio. Like Charents’ room, it was also a meeting point for many intellectuals.

Writer Vahram Alazan recalled:

In 1932, Hotel Yerevan became a branch of the Soviet  Intourist hotel chain that aimed to host international guests of the Soviet Union. This allowed Yerevan to be one of the touristic destinations of the Caucasus and contributed to the country’s development.

The restaurant housed in the hotel became another legendary rendezvous for Armenian bohemia: high-class service, a rich daily menu, a piano trio that used to give performances, and a dancing couple that would encourage visitors to join them.

Writer Gurgen Mahari, another renowned resident of the hotel shared his memories about the many intellectual meetings in the hotel’s restaurant.

In 1935, Mahari, the first victim of Stalin’s repressions was arrested right from the cafe of the hotel, while enjoying watermelon and drinking cognac with actors Hrachya Nersisyan and Vahram Papazyan.   

From Political Terror to Film Production

Hamo Beknazaryan, the director had asked that a piano be brought to his room, so he could listen to Aram Khachaturian’s improvisations directly from his bed. 

In 1932 and 1945, the legendary hotel accommodated delegations from the Armenian Diaspora that arrived to participate in the elections of the Catholicos of All Armenians. In 1953, the Turkish delegation departing for the funeral of Stalin in Moscow, stayed here.

The yellowed pages of the hotel’s registration logs are filled with the names of well-known people of the 20th century: Writers Jean Richard Bloch, John Boynton, William Saroyan and Jorge Amado, French explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, New York Times reporter Walter Duranty, and journalist Louis Fischer from The National. 

“Although the hotel was not famous like before, it still remained a popular spot among the Armenian intellectuals,” notes Marine Haroyan. “In the little open-air restaurant you could meet poet Hovhannes Shiraz, sculptor Yervand Kochar, film directors Henrik Malyan and Sergei Paradjanov, writer Kostan Zaryan, actors Mher Mkrtchyan and Karen Janibekyan. These people were rebellious thinkers of the Soviet Union and as Vigen Sahakyan, a literary critic said, ‘It was the freest area in an unfree Yerevan.’”

While living in the hotel, Sergey Parajanov worked on his most famous and iconic movie “The Color of Pomegranate.” Architect Levon Igityan recalls a funny moment with two geniuses Sergei Paradjanov and Yervand Kochar. 

Until the 1990s, the hotel continued to be a hospitable residence for many tourists. During the Artsakh Liberation War (1991-1994), however, it became a home for hundreds of refugees who fled following the pogroms in Sumgait and Baku (Azerbaijan) and ceased to function as a hotel.

In 1998, the Italian company “Renco” purchased the hotel and began an extensive reconstruction. Many residents of Yerevan were worried about the future of the building, it was after all, one of the symbols of the city for over 70 years.

Architect Nune Chilingaryan of Khoran Architectural Studio recalls details about the reconstruction. 

The restoration process was overseen by Armenia’s Ministry of Culture. While Chilingaryan says that they did their very best to maintain the original design, Renco decided to enclose the outdoor cafe and turn it into an indoor restaurant. “That was the only shortcoming of the project,” the architect says.

In 2000, the hotel opened its doors to visitors. It was again the first luxury hotel in the city, this time in independent Armenia.

Starting from 2004, the hotel has hosted the guests of the Golden Apricot International Film Festival. Famous visitors include Canadian-Armenian filmmaker Atom Egoyan with his wife, actress Arsinee Khanjian, filmmakers Kim Ki-duk and Tonino Guero, French actress Fanny Ardant, and French-Armenian singer Charles Aznavour.

Grand Hotel Yerevan is the living legend of Yerevan. A beautifully renovated building, with a classic style and frescoes reflecting traditional Armenian ornaments, it occupies an iconic space and represents the best of Armenian hospitality.

Although today it doesn’t have permanent residents, the music of Khachaturyan, the energy and exuberance of Parajanov and the legacy of some of Armenia’s literary and cultural giants can still be felt within its walls.

With its illustrious past, Grand Hotel Yerevan continues to be one of the favorite meeting places for Armenians from all walks of life.

And who knows, maybe you’ll meet Charles Aznavour or Placido Domingo while enjoying a luxurious dinner in the cozy restaurant.

Special thanks to Marine Haroyan for the photographs. Design by Roubina Margossian.
Memories by different individuals included in this article were taken from the book "Grand Hotel Yerevan."