Background
This hotel, which was originally intended to open as a Rixos hotel, eventually opened after a delay under the Wyndham Grand brand in May 2019. Wyndham also has the Ramada Encore Tbilisi and Wyndham Batumi in Georgia, and plans to add four more hotels in the country over the next three years. The Wyndham Grand Tbilisi is owned by City M Company and is operated under a franchise agreement.
What’s it like?
The area around the hotel is still a building site, so access isn’t easy, but once you step back from it the circular façade is quite attractive. Designed by Israeli architect Yuri Puchinsky, the building is a round glass structure with a rectangular building behind. As part of the project an additional building was constructed to one side of the hotel and donated to the nearby National Museum of Georgia, although this has yet to be occupied.
Staff meet you to help you carry your bags up the flight of steps into reception, which is a large atrium stretching up seven stories with a large glass 22-metre ‘Chandelier of Peace’, built by Czech designers, as its centrepiece.
There is a central glass elevator, though this only serves the Executive Lounge, the eighth floor where the Presidential and Ambassador suites are, and the top floor (ninth) Sky Lounge and Bar. For all other rooms there is a bank of three elevators behind, though oddly these have two separate buttons to press, one on either side of the corridor. At the time of my stay in September 2019, many areas of the hotel had yet to open, as indicated below.
Where is it?
In an excellent location, a two-minute walk from Freedom Square and close to the museums and also the main Rustavelli Avenue. The airport is a 30 minute drive away, traffic permitting.
Rooms
The 158 rooms are on eight floors and include 17 suites and two presidential suites (called Ambassador and Presidential). Room categories range from standard single rooms (18 sqm), through to deluxe rooms (28 sqm) up to suites. The most common category is deluxe, with 98 rooms.
All have a good size work desk with plenty of plugs and USB sockets by the beds. The design is modern, though unlike the public areas it is a little bland. There is a large flat-screen TV with a choice of international channels. It isn’t possible to stream your own content through these, and though it is possible to play music from your device via Bluetooth through the screens, this required giving the system access to the contacts on your phone, which I was not prepared to do.
All rooms have very effective power showers by Grohe, as well as Temple Spa toiletries, bathrobes, slippers, iron and ironing board, large safe and complimentary high-speed wifi. The suites are located around the central atrium, though with external views, while most rooms are in the rectangular block. Try and get a higher floor for better views.
All rooms have a kettle with tea and coffee options (no coffee maker), a safe and an umbrella. Sound proofing is excellent, something worth bearing in mind when you are so close to the centre of the city.
Food and drink
Breakfast is served in a dining room at the back of the hotel, and there are plans for this to host dinner serving international cuisine, though at the time of my stay, it served only breakfast.
The hotel’s Executive Lounge (see above) is on the sixth floor. It has an outdoor terrace but otherwise is quite small. It was closed at the time of my stay but will offer a breakfast buffet and then drinks and snacks in the evening.
The Sky Lounge and bar on the top floor was also closed. This has impressive views and an outdoor terrace. It also has a glass roof which in the evening can be lit to have various light displays, so when it opens it will certainly be eye-catching.
Food is currently served in the lobby bar, though the range was limited and so most people dined out, which was no hardship because there are dozens of restaurants within a ten-minute walk, and many of them are outstanding.
Meetings
The hotel has its ballroom on the top floor, capable of hosting 150 for a banquet, which has outstanding views of the surrounding city and mountains. There is also an outdoor terrace up here. Additional meeting rooms are available on the first floor, along with a smaller ballroom, though this one doesn’t have any natural light.
Leisure
The hotel will have a fitness centre, swimming pool and spa treatment rooms. All were shut at the time of my stay.
Verdict
This is a very centrally-located hotel, with comfortable rooms of a good size. It has the prospect, once it is fully open and the area has finished development, of being an excellent place to stay in Tbilisi. I look forward to returning at that time.
Fact box
- Best for The central location and good quality rooms.
- Don’t miss The Sky Lounge for an evening cocktail, when it opens.
- Contact Wyndham Grand Tbilisi, 3 Lado Gudiashvili Street Tbilisi, Georgia 00105
- wyndhamhotels.com
