Ski Resort Play (Carpathian Mountains): photo, prices and reviews

What stops most lovers of active winter sports from going to a ski resort somewhere in the Alps or the Pyrenees? Well, first of all, prices that bite very hard in Courchevel or Andorra. Secondly, the need for a Schengen visa. In the third, a long and expensive flight, which, if you rely on a family vacation, too, will be a pretty penny. Fourth, the language barrier. But if we choose a place for winter recreation ski resort Play, then no of the above problems will not have to overcome. After all, Play is in the Ukrainian Carpathians, in the Lviv region. For many years, our compatriots have been traveling to the nearby resort of Bukovel (Ivano-Frankivsk region) and are returning alive, and most importantly, happy. Let's try to find out what the new ski resort of Play is.

Where is

As already mentioned, this complex is located in the Lviv region. To be more precise, in the Skole district, between the villages of Plavje and Oryava. This is a very young resort, which is an ambitious project. He can compete with the "promoted" Bukovel. It was opened in 2007. As the reviews of Russian tourists assure, in the novelty of the Plai GC there are pros and cons. The advantages of the resort are that it was built from the very beginning according to modern European technologies according to the world standards. Everything here is equipment of trails, lifts, etc. - brand new, "with needles." A shortage of reviews called the fact that at the moment there are not enough hotels built. In the absence of competition, prices in two hotels are unjustifiably overstated, so most tourists prefer to stay in the private sector. There is also a certain load of lifts on weekends, when residents of Lviv come.

How to get there

The ski resort of Play is located in close proximity to the route Kiev-Chop. Since the highway runs across the state border to Europe, the coverage is good. By air transport it is necessary to go to Lviv. From the regional center on weekends, a charter bus runs directly to the resort. Departure from the main railway station at 6 am, cost - 50 hryvnia. The nearest railway stations are Skole and Volovets. From both points to the resort shuttle buses. If you go by your own or a rented car, then it's unthinkable to miss the right turn - so many billboards and road signs will show you the way. If you go from Lviv, then after Skole you need to drive the villages of Korostiv, Kozyova and Oryava. Before reaching Plavya, you need to turn off the road. Parking in the resort is free of charge.

When to go to Playa (Carpathians)

The ski resort is located at a low altitude. Therefore, there is no frosty frost. The usual winter temperature does not drop below -15 degrees, which is a positive factor if you are going to bring small children with you. Do not be afraid of little snow winters. Only the first light frost (at the end of November or beginning of December) will be established, as the special cannons produced by Nivis start working. And when the neighborhood of Playa will be snow-covered, Pisten Bully's professional snowcatchers will appear on the slope. This technique supports the tracks in excellent condition until the end of March, and in some years and until mid-April.

Where to stay

Since Playa (Carpathian Mountains) - a ski resort is very new, at present it has only two hotels. And they are all called the same. Large "Play" - a three-story building with 42 double rooms, located in the heart of the resort. It has all the amenities, including Wi-Fi. To the bottom station of the lift go only a couple of minutes. But the pleasure of living near the skiing area is not cheap. The room costs 750 UAH. The small namesake of the hotel - motel "Plai" - is located near the highway. There are exactly the same amenities, but due to some remoteness, living there is cheaper - 400 hryvnia. But there are only 11 rooms in the motel, so they must be booked in advance. An alternative to hotels are numerous mini-hotels in the surrounding villages: Plavje, Oryavchik, Kozyov, Korostiv, Oryava. If you are "on wheels", you can stay in a cozy hotel "Golden Trout" ten kilometers from the ski resort.

Food

Ski Resort Play on its territory has a restaurant "Polonina" and two bistros. In all establishments you can enjoy dishes of European and Ukrainian cuisines. From the panoramic windows of the "Polonina" you can see charming landscapes on snow-capped mountains. There is also a restaurant "Play" on the first floor of the motel with the same name (near the highway). You can drink hot mulled wine or tea, brewed on fragrant Carpathian herbs, and you can have a snack right on the slope, the upper station of the lift. The Verkhovyna bistro is located below. Reviews say that the average price for a dish in a restaurant is fifty hryvnia, which is insanely cheap for Russians, but a bit expensive, if compared with the cost in similar establishments in the surrounding villages. Tourists recommend to try banosh, mushroom soup, sheep cheese and other dishes of Hutsul cuisine.

Trails

Many Ukrainian skiers and snowboarders choose to ski resort Play. Carpathians, with their charming landscapes, local Hutsul coloring and developed infrastructure by European standards attracts to this new competitor Bukovel and Dragobrat tourists. Skating takes place on six slopes on the slopes of the Plai massif and Mount Kremen. The longest of them is one thousand two hundred meters. The height difference is 260 m. The reviews confirm that Play is ideal for beginners and skiers who are unsure of themselves, although the resort also has trails for extremals. Slopes serve four chair lifts (Doppelmayr) and one boom. The latter delivers skiers to the beginning of the route for beginners. The path of each chair lift stretches for a kilometer. There is also a baby-and multi-lift. Children can be pampered with snow tubing. Unfortunately, while at the resort there is no night skiing.

Infrastructure

Ski resort Playa, prices inferior to Bukovel, provides skiers and snowboarders a variety of services. You can buy a daily subscription - 250 UAH. On the stool and 80 hryvnia per yoke. It will be better and more convenient: after all for one lifting it is necessary to lay out 20 and 10 UAH. respectively. There are queues, especially on weekends, but they move quickly. The resort has ski schools for children and adults. You can hire a personal instructor. There is a trauma point. At the bottom station of the lift there is a rental office for the equipment. Skis or board cost 80 hryvnia a day. Therefore, reviews recommend taking equipment with them or renting it from residents of the village of Plavje. Near the rental office operates a storage room - free of charge.

Apre-ski

As the resort Play was being built (and continues to be built) according to European standards, the evening entertainment program has been carefully thought through. There are swimming pools, saunas, a SPA center, gyms. It should be especially noted the museum of Boyko and Hutsul cultures. Visiting it, you can see the working smithy, follow the process of making cheese, see the weaving and carpentry shops. Very beautiful local church to them. The holy archistrategos Michael. It is active (the ceremony of the UGCC), and if you want you can admire the exquisite carving and filigree forging not only outside the building, but also inside.