Stamba Hotel

"There are a lot of good places in the city, like Stamba Hotel."

"Set the scene.This grand brutalist monolith in Tbilisi's up-and-coming Vera district stands out for its contrasts: an industrial skeleton of raw concrete beams brought to life with lush hanging plants and antique chandeliers; double-height spaces made cozy with buttery leather sofas and floor-to-ceiling shelves of vintage books. What's the story?Stamba is set in a former Soviet printing house, with quirky elements of the building preserved, such as the Communist-era print-drying beam in the atrium. It’s the latest property by Georgian hotel group Adjara, the team behind Tbilisi’s edgy design hostel Fabrika and Rooms Hotel Kazbegi in the Caucasus Mountains. What can we expect in our room?Impressive modern kit such as in-room La Marzocco espresso machines and McIntosh stereo systems. The centerpiece of the Aviator Signature Room is a freestanding brass tub; beside a salvaged wood wall is a king-size cloud of a bed and a woolly papasan chair for curling up in. How about the food and drink?Cafè Stamba—sumptuously outfitted with mint-green leatherette booths, blue brick walls and loads of plants—serves up a mix of Georgian comfort-food classics such as kharsho (braised veal stew) and familiar favorites (ceviche and risotto), to both guests and savvy locals. The on-site-roasted coffee is exceptional. Anything to say about the service?Staff can seem a tad stiff, but don’t take it personally; there’s no insincere smiliness in this part of the world. Who comes here?A motley crew that ranges from Russian bigwigs and Eastern European oligarchs to Japanese influencers and fashion models, via German back-to-nature types. Strike up a conversation in the breakfast buffet line and you might find a new travel companion or business partner. How does it fit into the neighborhood?Adjara Group has single-handedly turned the Vera neighborhood into Tbilisi's modern nerve centre for fashion, food and the arts. Wander the streets that wind uphill from the hotel and you'll come across experimental clothing boutiques, candlelit wine bars (Sulico is a favourite), and nouveau-Georgian restaurants such as Keto and Kote. Anything else we should know?Everyone's treated like a VIP in Stamba's Roaring Twenties-themed casino, whose crystal chandeliers and croupiers in red harken back to the louche gentlemen’s clubs of the USSR. Drinks on the gambling floor and in the lobby-level Pink Bar spotlight locally distilled spirits like Georgian limoncello and Sarajishvili cognac. Want more? The hotel's Bell 505 JRX helicopter can whizz you over to Rooms Hotel Kazbegi, the group’s super-smart chalet high in the Caucasus. And anything you'd change?Certain things, such as laundry and room service, are overpriced. Is it worth it—and why?Stamba isn't just the best hotel in Georgia today—it's one of the best urban hotels in the northern hemisphere." - Benjamin Kemper

"The third installment from Adjara makes the local rock-and-roll hotel group’s Rooms and Fabrika properties—both game-changing, both achingly cool for their time—feel like warm-up acts to headliner Stamba. Occupying a Soviet-era printing house, the hotel struts that building’s original Brutalist bones, from its unpolished concrete beams to its double-height ceilings and gilded bathtubs fit for Tamar the Great. It’s far more glamorous than the cozy, vintage-Brooklyn-style interiors that Rooms ran with in 2005—and the rooms here are much more spacious. The overall feel is far from austere, because of the floor-to-ceiling shelves of antique books, collection of tropical plants that borders on a mini rainforest, and sumptuously upholstered furniture—good luck getting back up after sinking into one of those wool-lined moon chairs. Gadgets and McIntosh stereo systems make it easy to stay behind guest room doors, but then visitors would miss out on the chandeliers and red-clad croupiers of Casino Aviator, which recalls the louche gentlemen’s clubs of the USSR. Drinks on the gambling floor and in the lobby-level Pink Bar put the focus on locally distilled spirits such as Sarajishvili brandy. Any morning-after headaches are cured with an adjarian khachapuri, or egg-crowned cheese bread, baked to order at Stamba Café. Tbilisi has emerged as one of Eastern Europe’s most dynamic cities, and Stamba cranks the energy levels up a notch. FLASH POINT The hotel has its own Bell 505 Jet Ranger X helicopters: the fastest way to hop up to Rooms Hotel Kazbegi, the group’s chic chalet high in the Caucasus. +995 322-02-11-99; stambahotel.com. Doubles from about $200." - CNT Editors