Yerevan gets pretty darn hot during the summer months. Locals are always on the lookout for the perfect spots to cool off.

Pools––usually attached to hotels––have become extremely popular for those trying to escape the heat in recent years, but if I’d have to choose one, it would be the Vahakni Pool and bar, located in the private residential suburb of Vahakni.

The pool area really feels more like a traditional American east-coast country club than a pool in Armenia. The fact that the clientele is primarily composed of expats (many of the embassy residences are located in the neighbourhood), and repatriated Armenians really enforced the area’s cosmopolitan feel.

Plus, the pool itself is really beautiful and relaxing; waiters bring cocktails to you right in the pool. So there’s that. I like taking my kids there for the day: they get to play in the water and I get to network, so it’s a win-win. I’d also recommend the chicken wings at the pool bar: they take a long time to prepare but they’re made of real chicken breast and are DELICIOUS.