The high season did not stop the administration of Zavidovo Recreation Complex, an affiliate of GlavUpDK under the MFA of Russia, from receiving popular bloggers of Moscow and the Moscow region writing about vacation options in Russia.
Many of them had long been dreaming of visiting Zavidovo and experiencing the level of service for which diplomatic corps members were praising the complex for years.
A comfortable bus took the guests to one of the most beautiful places in a remote part of the Moscow region, where the great Volga and the Shosha River flow as one.
The first thing that amazed the blog tour participants was the vast territory of the complex, stretching out for 56 hectares. Even in the peak season, when the number of guests tops 600, there is a feeling of privacy amid wilderness. The smooth surface of lakes and rivers, the forest, the lawns, and the cozy wooden cottages standing in the shade of trees create an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.
The complex’s administration prepared a busy program for the visitors: the bloggers used numerous services offered by Zavidovo within one day. They went on a boat tour, visited the gym, played billiard, tennis and ping pong, and appreciated the spa infrastructure.
In addition, the guests visited the shooting range and had a trapshooting contest under the supervision of an instructor. Passions ran high: five machines were installed on the sporting range to launch targets one after another. The shooting range and Russian darts are open to guests on a daily basis.
The guests were equally enthusiastic about a more meditative event, fishing on a well-equipped pond. Fisherman’s luck and skilled recommendations of the instructor yielded a perfect result, nine carps caught within an hour! The catch was frozen and prepared for being transported to Moscow. Yet a chef could also cook a fish soup on site.
Children appreciated the infrastructure for young guests: playgrounds, a laser shooting range, and rent of bicycles, car-bikes, bikes, and push-cycles.
“You must have been wondering what to do while visiting certain hotels and resorts. But not in Zavidovo. It is offering attractions for any taste, even for choosiest guests. True, there is no crocodile farm or shark rodeo but I can hardly imagine what Zavidovo lacks from the angle of vacations spent in the central part of Russia.
The recreation complex opened in 1957, but it was inaccessible for ‘average people’ in the Soviet period. Most guests of the Zavidovo Recreation Complex came from friendly and not quite friendly countries, they were officers of diplomatic missions and employees of the Foreign Ministry. World-famed celebrities – Yury Gagarin, Nikita Khrushchev, Fidel Castro and lots of others – also visited the complex as guests. The names of present-day guests are not disclosed, with the exception of those whose visit cannot be concealed,” blog tour participant Dmitry Berdasov shared impressions with his subscribers.
A visit to the swimming pool was a pleasant part of the hot summer day. By the way, Zavidovo has an indoor cascade pool, in which water smoothly flows from one level to another. There are three levels of various depths for children and adults.
The beach is a favorite spot of guests. It is equipped with sun-beds, there is a life guard on duty, and the swimming zone is fenced. The crystal-clear water and the breathtaking landscape create an atmosphere of harmony.
“Outdoor recreation is wonderful! Hunting, fishing, a boat trip on the Volga River, a bath, a tasty dinner and a tight sleep! By the way, three big fish were caught, and five out of five launched traps were shot. Zavidovo is perfect! The location of this complex plays the decisive role in its choice as the designation by most guests. The complex is situated in one of the most picturesque places of not only the Tver region but also Russia as a whole. The unique micro-climate, the wide open spaces of the Volga, the purest air, the sandy beach, and the belt of trees washed by the waters of the vast bay make Zavidovo one of the most attractive and prestigious vacation spots,” blogger Larisa Verchinova told her friends on a social network .
Children and adults were equally excited to see mini-farm animals – rabbits, goats, sheep and ponies. All of them are in open access: the animals can be petted; they are well tended and live in good conditions.
The bloggers saw that Zavidovo employees were doing their best to make the vacation of their guests comfortable while cherishing traditions of the recreation complex, which would soon celebrate its 60th anniversary.
The old Moscow-St. Petersburg road was crossing the complex’s territory in the past, and one of its milestones was preserved until modern days.
The complex started as a sport fishing and hunting base for diplomats and featured four three-room cottages for 15-20 people. Nowadays Zavidovo offers 43 hotel rooms, 95 comfortable cottages, and townhouses to its guests. Three cozy restaurants are operating on its premises. Besides, there is infrastructure for storage and maintenance of water transport. There is a heated garage, a car wash, and a car maintenance shop for automobilists.
The complex administration has lots of development plans ahead of the jubilee, but the high level of service will be unwavering. The complex lives strictly by the GlavUpDK motto: hospitality is our profession!