Over the centuries, Georgia, with its location just south of Russia and north of Türkiye and Armenia, was battered back and forth between many countries before being taken over by the Russian Empire in the 19^th century.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Georgia regained its independence in 1991 and, in the past decade, the country has enjoyed a huge increase in visitor arrivals due to its stunning scenery, ancient history, customs and cuisine. The influx in travelers has contributed to a flourishing hospitality industry with new hotels, restaurants, tour companies and expanded international flight routes bringing in more leisure and business travelers.

Rooms Hotel Kazbegi © Rooms Hotel

Established in 2012 by entrepreneur Temur Ugulava and led by its CEO, Valeri Chekheria, Georgian hotel group ROOMS Hotels has grown into an independent lifestyle brand offering a collection of high-end properties affordable for many travelers. To illustrate the exceptional architecture (by Georgia-based Adjara Architects) and design part of each hotel, all four Rooms Hotels properties are members of the prestigious Design Hotels collection.

The company elevated Georgian hotel standards with the 2012 opening of its first ROOMS Hotels property in Kazbegi (a town officially known as Stepantsminda, but commonly called Kazbegi) in Georgia’s northern Caucasus mountains. A former Soviet ski center for their military units, the building has been beautifully restored into a 155-room modern mountain lodge. ROOMS Hotels Kazbegi amenities include a gym, spa and swimming pool with views of Mount Kazbek, as well as excellent cuisine from local farmers. It is open year-round.

Rooms Hotel Kazbegi © Rooms Hotels

In 2014 the hotel group converted a historic publishing house into ROOMS Hotel Tbilisi in Georgia’s fascinating capital city. There has been a buzz about this 122-room property since it opened, with its mix of industrial fixtures and contemporary art, two wonderful restaurants, two bars (indoor and outdoor), and a vibrant social scene day and night. Tbilisi is a walking city, and this property is close to art galleries, parks and cultural institutions.

A third ROOMS property followed with the 2019 opening in Bakuriani of ROOMS Hotel Kokhta. The contemporary Kokhta property offers ski-in/ski-out accessibility. With 95 guestrooms, Kokhta is known for both winter sports and summer activities. The highest mountain in the area is the 7,200-foot Mount Kokhta, and the region is a popular escape for adventurous free-skiers and ambitious trekkers. The village of Bakuriani is a ski town of about 2,000 residents located in Georgia’s mountainous southwest region, about a five-hour drive from Kazbegi, but only 2.5 hours from Tbilisi.

Rooms Hotel Kokhta © Rooms Hotels

Not surprisingly, Bakuriani has become one of the world’s top under-the-radar ski destinations, and a lot less expensive than the top chalets and ski resorts in Switzerland or France. Bakuriani has emerged as a world-class destination for international snowboard competitions, where the fresh powder in the southern Caucasus Mountains attract many local and international skiers and snowboarders.

In March 2022, Bakuriani was the host city for slopestyle during the 2021–22 FIS Snowboard World Cup, taking place in Georgia for the first time. The destination also hosted the 2023 FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships in winter 2023.

Rooms Hotel Kokhta © Rooms Hotels

In fall 2023, ROOMS Hotels opened its fourth property, ROOMS Hotel Batumi, its first “seaside” hotel. Batumi, on Georgia’s west coast, is a major Black Sea resort area. ROOMS Hotels Batumi lies in the city’s historic quarter, just an eight-minute walk to the seafront promenade. The 120-room property features a large rooftop viewing area, outdoor pool, bar, two restaurants, a well-equipped gym and two conference rooms. ROOMS Batumi’s sleek design uses natural materials and geometric shapes within a lovely historic façade.