Ruh Açarı

Here we tell you our story of our relocation from the capital to the countryside and about our new life and business there. Ruh Açarı (Ruh Achari) a small boutique hotel in the ancient village of Kiş (Kish), Azerbaijan. The name itself translates to "Key of the Soul" and once you visit this place, you will understand, and more importantly feel why.

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Happy Nowruz!

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Some of recent mom's sketches

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Morning in Kiş

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2026-cı ilin ilk günləri

Первые дни 2026-го First days of 2026

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We’re on TV again!

AZE: Şəkinin yerli kanalı bizim və məşhur fotoqraf Sənan Ələskərov (@sananaleskerov) haqqında maraqlı bir süjet çəkib. Orada bizim təxminən 5 il əvvəl Bakını tərk edib Kiş kəndinə köçməyimizdən danışıblar.

Süjetdə həm Sənan müəllimin öz foto qalereyasını açmasından, həm də bizim köhnə bir evi bərpa edib onun yerində butik otel yaratmağımızdan bəhs olunur.

Bu oteldə qalan hər bir qonaq yerli mədəniyyətin autentik ruhunu hiss edə, sakitliyin və təbiətin gözəlliyindən zövq ala və Kişin unikal ab-havasına qapıla bilər.

ENG: The regional channel Kanal S aired a feature about how the well-known photographer Sanan Aleskerov (@sananaleskerov) and artist Arzu Turangi moved from Baku to the picturesque village of Kish.

In Kish, Sanan Aleskerov opened a private photo gallery (we have covered it before), while Arzu khanum launched Ruh Açarı Guest House — a beautiful showcase of local art and culture. It’s not only a cozy place to stay, but also a space where visitors can truly immerse themselves in the spirit of the region — feeling its ancient roots, romance, and mysticism.

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Kiş plovu

A delicious plov (pilaf) in Kish village style made for our guests

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Kish after the rain

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Gathered grapes from our Ruh Açarı garden A little taste of late summer in a basket 🍇

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Restoration process of Çarık shoes

Among my mom’s many artistic hobbies, restoration is one of her favorites.

This time, she’s working on a pair of Çarık (Charik) shoes — traditional footwear worn in Azerbaijan in past centuries. This particular pair was handmade in the early 1900s. The process takes patience, but the result is deeply rewarding.

You can see this and other beautifully restored items on display at Ruh Açarı.

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Üç baci

Cooking the ‘Three Sisters’ dolma – the ultimate summer dolma, fresh, colorful, and full of seasonal flavor.

And of course, we’re not forgetting the classic grape-leaf dolma, still one of the all-time favorites among our guests.

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CITI-ZEN. Into the Wild.

ENG/AZE This year, we’re thrilled to be an official partner of the summer camping festival taking place near the village of Kish from July 11–13!

The CITI-ZEN festival promises a vibrant program filled with exciting activities — from yoga and meditation sessions to architectural tours around the historic town of Sheki, live music performances, movie nights, and a variety of creative workshops.

Bu il biz ilk dəfə olaraq 11–13 iyul tarixlərində Kiş kəndinin yaxınlığında keçiriləcək yay festivalının rəsmi tərəfdaşı olduq!

Festivalda sizi çoxsaylı maraqlı fəaliyyətlər gözləyir — yoqa və meditasiya seansları, tarixi Şəki şəhəri üzrə memarlıq turları, canlı musiqi konsertləri və müxtəlif yaradıcılıq üzrə ustad dərsləri.

Ətraflı məlumatı bu linkdən tapa bilərsiniz: CITI-ZEN Festival nədir?

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Where Time Slows and Flowers Bloom: The Cottagecore Charm of Ruh Achari

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It was another delightful day in Kish ... Kişdə daha bir gözəl gün keçdi

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Cozy feels bloom from details so small, It’s in little things that warmth stands tall.

Rahatlıq gəlir belə xırda gözəllikdən, Sevgi gizlənib hər bir incəlikdən.

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There’s a certain charm in sipping coffee with a croissant at a roadside café, gazing out at the mountains

I remember how travel bloggers from Europe used to complain that outside of Baku, it was nearly impossible to find a place in Azerbaijan where you could get a decent cup of coffee. That’s not surprising, considering we’re a tea-loving nation. But now, decent coffee shops can be found not only in cities like Baku and Ganja, but even along the Sheki road.

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Yer is a must-see place to visit in the village of Kish

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Our guest house was chosen for the filming of a music video

A little over a month ago, we were contacted by a team making music videos in Azerbaijan and agreed to shoot a music video for a local singer - Damla.

It was definitely an interesting experience for us and it was definitely nice to see our place once again in the lens of professional cameras.