Georgia 2023

Putting the Caucasus Mountains on the map, young local designers have created a culturally sensitive modern hotel with an eye on its breathtaking surroundings.

Located in the sleepy mountain town of Stepantsminda (in an area known as Kazbegi), the former Soviet elite sanatorium lay abandoned for decades but has now been transformed into a five-star hotel where alpine cosiness meets industrial chic.  

The 155-room wood, glass, and steel structure was designed by Adjara Arch, in conjunction with Tbilisi-based architects Nata Janberidze and Keti Toloraia, and incorporates timber interiors (reclaimed from dilapidated buildings in the west of the country), cosy leather armchairs and pendant lighting throughout.  The bright and spacious communal lounge and dining area with shelves filled with Russian and English language books, and its walls are decorated with vintage Soviet sports posters.

In their own words, it’s an “alpine hotel reinvented.”

“The Rooms Hotel rests 1800 meters high on the majestic Caucasus Mountain of Stepantsminda in the pastoral capital of the secluded Kazbegi region. Time stands still encompassed by massifs and gorges. The visual impact of the towering mountain range is so striking that even hotelier Valeri Chekheria, CEO of Adjara Group Hospitality, is stunned every time he visits the property. “For the first few hours, I don’t take any meetings,” says Chekheria. “I don’t answer my phone. I don’t even move. I just sit on the terrace watching the mountains.” Here, one starts to realize the true luxury of quiet solitude. Even the most obstinate workaholics surrender to the summits’ mysterious powers. Tranquility reigns and a moment of such unadulterated lucidity is priceless”.

by Stephan Rabimov for Forbes