The Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace is a five-star hotel in Avlabari overlooking the old town and run by Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide (Marriott International). The hotel was built in 1989 and opened in 1991, one of just a handful of joint ventures with Western companies seen during the Communist period, and remembered with nostalgia by many Tbilisians for its being a “beacon of light” in the darkest days following the collapse of the Soviet Union (it was quite literally one of few buildings with a constant supply of electricity!). Rebranding began in 2013, and in 2014 it was decided to close the hotel in order to allow for a full upgrade, which included a brand recognition of excellence in the addition of ‘Grand’ to its title. The Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace is now among the best Sheratons in the world, having had a $40 mln major refurbishment to bring it to 21^st century contemporary standards of technology, style and comfort.

Enter the infamously large lobby, which stretches up 12 floors and is decked out in elegant accents of wood, with soft furnishings in tones of gold, grey and red. Taste local delights in the Wine Library, with a floor-to-ceiling wall of temperature-controlled bottles, 80% of which comes from Georgian producers, large companies as well as small and medium craft winemakers. Also worth a visit is the decadent yet homey Craft House cocktail and beer bar. Uniformed staff, the concierges in grey modernized chokha, stand ready to serve you.

There are 220 rooms in the hotel , boasting contemporary designs and just as contemporary technology. Shades are pleasing pastels and artwork is done by a local artist. They also feature an environmental room management system which automates the heat and lighting related to occupancy, powering down automatically when the guest is not in the room in order to reduce energy consumption

While the hotel is a prime representative of the world-renowned brand, it also weaves in elements unique to the Caucasus. Conference rooms are named after Georgian mountains, the accents on wood paneling in the lobby reflecting mountain peaks, geometric designs on the carpets representing mountain shapes, and the glass chandeliers in the 1000 sq. m. Ballroom (the largest in the city) hinting at icy glaciers and gushing Georgian rivers.

The General Manager and well-trained staff look forward to welcoming guests old and new to the Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace once again: great news, as Tbilisi just wasn’t the same without it!