“Like, probably, many families with an income slightly above average, we spend our holidays with the whole family on the seashore. Anapa, the “capital of children's resorts”, has attracted us for many years. But numerous reviews of acquaintances – the sea is dirty, the seasons of blooming algae – scared away. In September 2022, quite by accident, we got a ticket at a bargain price to the Aquamarine sanatorium. And we took a chance … ”- says Galina, a reader of Subtleties. Our (me, husband, daughter and two suitcases) trip started on September 7th. We are lovers of train romance, so without hesitation we rushed along the railway. By the way, it takes about 36 hours to go to Anapa from the Samara region. I want to note right away that we are “railroad workers”, for many business trips we have become accustomed to the different condition of our passenger trains. This time the train did not let us down: we got to our destination cleanly, quickly and comfortably. On the way, I really liked the Rostov station with a small playground. Since the train stop was more than 40 minutes, it became a lifesaver for many parents. 
On the road
Sanatorium: arrival and check-in
Aquamarine, located in the village of Vityazevo, is one of the sanatoriums of the Azimut network. It is rated at 4 *, it provides a range of medical services (do not forget to get a spa card for adults and children from 4 years old), a fairly large territory, there are indoor and outdoor pools, several residential buildings of different price categories. There is also a small playground, a cafe, an amphitheater where an animation program for children is held every evening, a tennis court, a mini-aqua park (a large pool with one slide).
The sanatorium provides a transfer from the airport and railway station: the service is paid, around 300 RUB. We were met by an employee of “Aquamarine” in branded clothes with the logo of the sanatorium, which was very nice. It takes about 20 minutes to drive from the station, the road goes along residential complexes and the private sector. Check-in starts at 14:00, and this was a significant minus for us, since we arrived at 10:00, and until that time we had to stupidly stay on the territory and wait for our room. Of course, you can leave things in the luggage room and go to the sea, but with a child and after the train it was unrealistic.
And now – the long-awaited settlement. The room is a “luxury” category, and this suite is obviously in big quotes.
If you're used to a real suite, you won't get that here. A two-room suite, more precisely, it is one large room, divided by a partition in the form of doors similar to a wardrobe. A small entrance group accommodates a hallway with a mirror and a closet. 1/1
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The bathroom would have deserved a rating of 5, if not for one thing: the toilet was constantly leaking, and, of course, there was an unpleasant smell. Shower cabin, sink – everything is ok. A complete set of accessories (toothbrushes, razors, soap, shampoo and gel) is provided. Three towels for each guest, but they were not changed every day, we had to ask the attendants to give us clean ones. The room has two TVs, a refrigerator, a sofa and a bed, a balcony, the view from which was beautiful. The tour included three buffet meals a day, and here I would rate the chef 10 out of 5: it was really tasty and varied.
There was no crowd in the restaurant, there were enough tables for everyone, there are chairs for kids. There is no separate baby food, but there were always milk porridges, cereals, yogurts for breakfast – everything that we used to eat at home. I also want to note the Anapa wine, not bottling, but the factory one. It is chic, the cost of a bottle is around 500–800 RUB, you will not regret it.
Sea
The sea is just awesome, I have never been on a sandy beach (always went only to pebble ones) and, damn it, it was crystal clear! The entrance is smooth, without breaks, ideal for children. Our daughter is 4 years old, she herself can easily go into the sea, jump over the waves, draw water into a bucket. For 14 days of our stay, there was a storm for a couple of days, it was forbidden to swim. Of course, after there was a small sandy haze, but it did not bother.
The beach is sandy, a wide coastline: it is really wide, it takes about 5 minutes to walk to the sea on hot sand or wooden decks. The beach of the resort is a private area, access with special passes. There are sun loungers and sunshades, a playground, showers and a toilet, a cooler with drinking water, a small counter with ice cream and light spirits. There are also storage rooms.
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Entertainment
The entertainment program of the sanatorium was designed for the whole day, starting with charging and ending with daily discos and shows. The animators are great fellows: two girls entertained both children and adults not only on the territory, but also on the beach and by the pool. From the resort to the sea about 10-15 minutes at a leisurely pace through the market with numerous shops and cafes. By the way, it is quite possible to buy good things (not consumer goods), within walking distance of pharmacies and familiar supermarkets. There is an amusement park, a dino park and much more in the neighborhood. A small alley (Parallia), located parallel to the sea, is simply full of all sorts of evening entertainment. This place is quiet during the day.
Various public transport runs from the sanatorium to the center of Anapa, you can call a taxi. We visited the Anapa Dolphinarium: the show is standard, as in all resort towns. The cost of tickets in the first row is 600–800 RUB per person, children under 5 years old are free. After the performance, you can swim with dolphins (3 minutes – about 4000 RUB) and take a photo for memory for 500 RUB.
