Villa Elena Hotel
Villa Elena is a hotel located in Yalta, 2 Krasnova St.
History
The history of the area where nowadays Villa Elena is located can be traced only since the 1860s. In 1877 spouse of the artist Miasoyedov – Elizaveta Mikhaylovna – purchased a part of the former estate of Prince Golitsyn and gave it its name “Darsana”.
In 1907 the estate was purchased by a merchant Ivan Vasilyevich Tikhomirov from Saratov. As time passed he decided to rebuild the house and construct a villa. The famous Yalta architect Lev Nikolayevich Shapovalov was encharged with the project. Many buildings in Yalta, among which is the house of A.P. Chekhov, Prince A. Chingiz, Prince L.N. Ratiev, were constructed after the projects by L. Shapovalov.
The villa construction had been completed by the autumn of 1912. The issue of “Russian Riviera” dated by September 16, 1912, posted an announcement about opening of a comfortably furnished hotel “Villa Elena” on Yalta sea-front promenade.
More detailed information about the new hotel was published in the guidebooks of that time: “A four- storeyed building constructed in 1912 in the style of modern after the project by architect L.N. Shapovalov. Following the best examples of foreign hotels, featuring all modern upgrades and facilities which other Yalta hotels could not boast to possess, such as: lift, central water pipe heating, running water in every room, huge terrace overlooking magnificent seascape and mountains panorama, sitting room, reading room and bathrooms.
All rooms with balconies face southern direction and overlook a big decorative garden. Due to the favourable hotel location it is remote from the urban noise, dust and winds. It has a restaurant.
The rooms are accessible for rent both on daily and monthly basis. Rates are modest. Officially “Villa Elena” was owned by the couple – Tikhomirov Ivan Vasilyevich and his spouse Elizaveta Ivanovna. Villa was named after their daughter Elena.
The building in modern style looked magnificently. Not surprisingly, “Villa Elena” enjoyed high popularity. Its income exceeded twice the one of Azov-Donsky Commercial Bank and the family of Tikhomirovs paid higher tax – 349 roubles 76 kopecks to compare with 147 roubles 80 kopecks paid by Azov-Donsky Commercial Bank. Even such hotels as “Dzhalita”, “Oreanda” and “Saint-Petersburg” had a lower income. The business of the family flourished. Their only daughter married Fedor Alekseevich Rofe, “a University graduate, Yalta resident without nobility”, who was a son of the owner of bath service institution located on Yalta sea-front promenade. The first granddaughter of the Tikhomirovs – Tatyana – was born in 1910, the second – Tamara – was baptized 4 days after the opening of “Villa Elena” on the 20th of September, 1912.
The family peaceful life was interrupted by the events of 1918–1920s. After the Soviet Power had been established (autumn 1920) “Villa Elena” was nationalized as a very profitable institution.
During the Soviet period the building of villa was exploited as a convalescent house and later as a municipal resort policlinic. In 2000 restoration works began and were fully completed in 2007.
Nowadays “Villa Elena Hotel & Residences” is both a luxurious hotel and a residence with can be purchased in private property.