Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace

Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace

BACKGROUND Probably the best-known hotel in Tbilisi, if not in Georgia, this property opened in 1991 under the Marco Polo brand and became a Sheraton in 1997. It was bought in 2013 by the Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority and closed for a four-year renovation, reopening in June 2019.

WHAT’S IT LIKE? On a hillside above the Mtkvari river, the newly cleaned concrete façade with its serried balconies is as attractive as when it first opened. Inside is a giant central atrium with reception to the right. Colourful outsized furniture saves the lobby from seeming cavernous, and there were always people using the space; it helps that the main restaurant and bar are also open to this area. Sta‰ are friendly and speak good English. The hotel’s terraces – of which there are several, from the ground-floor Craft House bar through to the tenth-level fine-dining restaurant, Ati – o‰ er arresting river views.

WHERE IS IT? In central Tbilisi, although if sightseeing is your main reason for visiting, note the old city is about a 30-minute walk.