Basking in the success of his magnificent Caucasus mountainside retreat, for entrepreneur Temur Ugulava, launching the second of his Rooms Hotel series, was a no-brainer. This time located within the urban realms of Tbilisi, the new property occupies an industrial Soviet-era publishing house- a nostalgic remnant of Vera, the intellectual neighbourhood it inhabits. Reshaped by hip, local architecture firm Adjara Arch group, the façade has been clad in reclaimed wood, giving the post-industrial window frames – signature to the city – an appropriate update, while a new glass-walled atrium-like extension establishes a modern tract that allows light to flood into the interior. Set over eight floors, the 140-room property is a combination of Ugulava’s 1930s New York vision and old-world Tbilisi charm, featuring rich leathers, local artwork and vintage Georgian pieces. The Kitchen is a communal affair that serves a weekly-changing American menu, while the Bar Room –open till late – offers handcrafted cocktails from some of the city’s best mixologists.
