Find all hotels by Independent in Chʼiva from SAR 208

"Areni Lodge is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever stayed in my life. It felt like a dream. Tucked into a quiet, storybook village with the world’s most breathtaking monastery perched on a hill just twenty minutes away, the lodge sits beside a gently winding river and is surrounded by vineyards that seem to breathe history and stillness. But the real magic is in the details—the hand-built picnic tables, the winding walking paths, the fresh pastries and homemade wine, and the in-progress pergola that somehow already feels like it’s always belonged there. Every inch of the property feels like it was created with love. And strangely, beautifully, it feels like home. Len, the host, is always building something—always imagining, always creating. His vision extends beyond hospitality into something more generous and rare. There’s a small world here that he’s carefully curating for children and families, a dreamscape in progress. The rooms are spacious and warmly designed, each with a wide balcony overlooking the river and the ancient monastery above—a sentinel that’s watched over the valley for centuries. We shared beautiful conversations. I’ll carry those with me. I’ll carry the stillness of the hill, the taste of the wine, and the feeling of belonging. How could I ever forget? "