Steppe On It

 

The latest lodgings on the Mongolian plains bring new meaning to high luxury

By COCO MASTERS

Thursday, Nov. 04, 2004
When it comes to comfort, a sojourn in Mongolia doesn't score highly—not surprising, given that the present hallmarks of luxury are hot water, any meat that isn't yak, and a functioning van. Hoping to change that is American venture capitalist Lee Cashell, who offers something he calls "expedition luxury" through his company Mongolian Resorts.

Since 2002, Cashell and his Mongolian wife, Tsendsuren, have been providing basic creature comforts for intrepid visitors to Mongolia's capital, Ulan Bator. At their guesthouse, tel: (976) 9909 1899, backpackers pay $5-$15 for one of 50 beds per night. Travelers are usually delighted to trade sleeping mats for queen-size beds and mare's milk for Cashell's signature turkey melts, which he serves up at the hostel's UB Deli. He has a library of DVDs, too, for those who eventually get bored of gazing at the forested Haert Khaan mountain range.

This month, roughing it takes another step up with the opening of Mongolian Resorts' camp of luxury gers (traditional felt-covered tents) and villas on the nearby Plateau Mongolie. There's already a restaurant, a bar, a gift shop and a library on-site. By the end of May, the camp is slated to feature a spa offering Mongolian massage—which is not as rigorous as it sounds—and a swimming pool will be added in time for summer.

The real lure of Mongolia, of course, is the chance to roam endless fields of wild grasses and edelweiss. After all, what could be more luxurious to an urban dweller than lots of room? "Time after time, a guy from the city will take off running into the fields amazed by the space," says Cashell. Accommodation starts from $30 a night; see www.mongolianresorts.com for more details.

From the Nov. 15, 2004 issue of TIME Asia magazine