The capital of Tatarstan is on its way to prove skyboxes and hotel rooms can be the same room. Now instead of 25 matchdays, they can function all year round.

Combining stadiums and hotels is nothing new these days, quite the contrary. These buildings pair well and complement each other’s offer. Just look at Bayarena, Stadium mk or Carrow Road, where hotels have been incorporated into the stadium’s outer outline.

But now look at Kazan Arena, because here the situation is somewhat different. When it was built, some of its corporate facilities were intended to allow transition into a hotel. Their only window faces the field! The Stadium Hotel (perhaps not the most original name) wasn’t opened until last week, because conversion required a private partner.

Now there are 12 rooms at the guests’ disposal, further 13 will be added in the near future. Each of them is furnished simply and elegantly, accommodating 2 or 4 people. Depending on standard, the price is RUB 4,000-8,000 per night ($55-110).

Then, come event day, it takes just several minutes to convert the rooms into 25-people suites with the balcony providing comfortable chairs to view games or concerts. Obviously, for such evenings, the price goes up roughly 10 times, to RUB 80,000 ($1,110).

Due to Tatarstan and Kazan’s specifics (limited hotel capacity at peak demand), the Stadium Hotel should pay back in 5 years. Especially when Kazan Arena itself is also developing. Soon a new fitness center and a Harley Davidson dealership will open in the stadiums itself, while plans of a major leisure precinct near the stadium are gaining shape.