A stylish, design-led hotel in the Caucasus with floor-to-ceiling views of Mount Kazbek and the hilltop Gergeti church. One of the best-value design hotels anywhere.
Rooms Hotel Kazbegi in Stepantsminda, Georgia, is one of the best-value design hotels in the world, set high in the Greater Caucasus in a former Soviet sanatorium transformed by young Georgian designers. It opened in 2012 and almost single-handedly put the mountain town on the map for international travellers. Its vast sun terrace looks straight across the valley to the medieval Gergeti Trinity Church on its hilltop, with the glaciated summit of Mount Kazbek, at 5,047 metres, rising behind. It is one of the great hotel views anywhere.
Location: Georgia
The hotel stands in Stepantsminda, often still called Kazbegi, a small town at around 1,700 metres in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region of north-eastern Georgia, close to the Russian border. It lies on the historic Georgian Military Road, which climbs from Tbilisi through spectacular mountain scenery, past the Ananuri fortress and over the Jvari Pass. The drive from Tbilisi takes around three hours.
The surrounding Kazbegi National Park is a landscape of high valleys, glaciers, mineral springs and ancient churches and watchtowers. Nearby are the remote village of Juta, the Truso Valley, the Gveleti waterfall and the Dariali Gorge. The ski resort of Gudauri is about 45 minutes' drive south.
Rooms and suites at Rooms Hotel Kazbegi
The hotel has 155 rooms, designed in a rustic-chic style that blends warm wood with industrial touches, raw natural materials, local carpets and vintage furniture. Rooms face either Mount Kazbek or the forest and rocks behind the town; the Kazbek-facing rooms are the ones to book.
Standard rooms of around 23 square metres have rain showers, armchairs and private balconies. The more spacious Signature rooms, of 33 to 38 square metres, add leather ottomans and vintage wardrobes. Executive rooms offer the best Kazbek views. Note that some reviewers mention imperfect soundproofing, a small price for the setting.
Facilities at Rooms Hotel Kazbegi
The building itself is a statement: a geometric structure of steel, glass and timber, with balconies and a huge wrap-around terrace, designed to echo the surrounding woodland and blend into the landscape. Inside, the lobby and lounges are famously cosy, with fireplaces, bookshelves, armchairs and rugs, and floor-to-ceiling windows framing the mountains. The hotel is a member of Design Hotels.
The restaurant serves traditional Georgian and international cuisine, using fresh produce from local farmers, and Georgian food and wine alone are worth the trip: think khachapuri cheese bread, khinkali dumplings and amber wines made in clay qvevri jars. There is a cosy bar with a fireplace, a heated indoor pool and sauna with views of Kazbek, a gym and massage treatments. The team can arrange guided tours and self-guided treks throughout the region.
The mountain moment
The defining moment is simply sitting on the hotel's terrace at sunrise or sunset, a glass of Georgian wine in hand, as the light catches the snows of Kazbek and the tiny silhouette of Gergeti Trinity Church on its ridge. It is one of the most iconic mountain views in the Caucasus, and the hotel is positioned perfectly to enjoy it.
The essential excursion is the hike up to Gergeti Trinity Church itself, a fourteenth-century church at around 2,170 metres, perched on a promontory with Kazbek towering behind. From there, serious hikers can continue towards the Gergeti Glacier, while mountaineers attempt Kazbek itself, one of the classic peaks of the Caucasus.
Why Rooms Hotel Kazbegi is one of the best mountain hotels
Rooms Hotel Kazbegi earns its place in our Affordable stays and Design-led collections because it offers world-class design, a superb location and a spectacular view at prices far below comparable hotels in the Alps. It also opens the door to Georgia, one of the most rewarding and hospitable countries to visit, with an extraordinary food and wine culture.
It is a large, busy hotel, popular with visitors from Tbilisi at weekends. But for adventurous travellers seeking dramatic mountains, great design and genuine value, it is one of the most exciting mountain hotels anywhere.
When to go to Rooms Hotel Kazbegi
Late spring to early autumn, roughly May to October, is the best time for hiking, with green valleys, wildflowers and the trail to Gergeti Trinity Church at its finest; September brings settled weather and autumn colour. Winter is snowy and atmospheric, with skiing at Gudauri about 45 minutes away, but the Georgian Military Road over the Jvari Pass can close in heavy snow, so allow flexibility in your plans. Weekends are busy with visitors from Tbilisi, so midweek stays tend to be quieter. Whatever the season, request a Kazbek-facing room when you book, as the view is the reason to come.
Questions, answered
- How far is Rooms Hotel Kazbegi from Tbilisi?
- Around three hours by road along the Georgian Military Road, past the Ananuri fortress and over the Jvari Pass.
- Which rooms have the best view at Rooms Hotel Kazbegi?
- Rooms facing Mount Kazbek are the ones to book; Executive rooms offer the best Kazbek views.
- Can you ski near Rooms Hotel Kazbegi?
- Yes. The ski resort of Gudauri is about 45 minutes' drive south.
