Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace

Rooms and decor

Picture yourself on a high-floor balcony at first light, looking out at the golden dome of Sameba Cathedral catching the early sun, then dropping your eyes to the brown tiled rooftops of Old Tbilisi running all the way to the Narikala fortress on its far hill — that is the number-one draw of the Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace, a hotel that has stood on the Avlabari hill since the 1990s and is still a name locals know. The roughly 220 rooms and suites are done in warm, classic Central-European tones, cream-and-brown bedspreads with faint Georgian woven patterns for a local note that never feels cluttered. The king beds are the firm, plush Sheraton kind that foreign reviewers say keep them sleeping through the night, and the big windows let cool air off the hill flood the whole room. Most bathrooms separate the tub from the shower, with Le Grand Bain amenities. Book a high-floor Old Town view room and you get that panorama from the moment you wake until you sleep; the inner garden side is quieter but misses the view that makes this place special.

Food and amenities

The second thing reviews talk about most is the breakfast buffet, which goes all out from open to close. The Georgian side has freshly sliced sulguni cheese, shoti bread (Shotis Puri) baked in an open toné oven you can watch, Khachapuri cheese pies made fresh in rounds, local sausage, and sweets like Churchkhela — walnuts coated in dried fruit juice. Alongside it sits an international spread of eggs to order, bacon, cereal, fruit and a full tea-and-coffee corner. The summer outdoor pool (roughly May to September) is the rare touch you do not find at similar hotels in the city, because it faces the golden dome of Sameba Cathedral head-on — lie on a canvas lounger in the evening and watch the historic buildings in the dusk light, and it feels like falling into a postcard. Winter guests get an indoor pool, sauna, indoor spa and 24-hour fitness instead. The main restaurant serves Georgian and international food, and the lobby bar pours local Saperavi wine in the evening — a classic older-generation 5-star feel that still holds its standard well.

Location and getting there

The Avlabari side is the trump card a lot of people do not know about — the left bank of the Kura River, a step removed from the chaos of the city centre yet opening up a full view of the old town that the central side cannot match. Walk down the hill from the hotel in under 5 minutes and you reach Metekhi Church, an old Orthodox church on a cliff above the river, paired with the equestrian statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali — a classic city photo spot. From here you cross the Bridge of Peace, the modern glass bridge that glows with LED light at night, into Sololaki and Abanotubani, the ancient sulphur-bath quarter Pushkin once wrote was the best he had ever found. A little farther are the Narikala fortress, Rike Park, and the cable-car station up to the Mother of Georgia monument. Avlabari metro station (Akhmeteli–Varketili line) is about a 6-minute walk, and from there it is a few stops to Liberty Square or Rustaveli. The airport (TBS) is roughly a 25-minute drive — take a Bolt (the popular local ride app in Georgia) and the fare from the airport runs only about $9–11, cheaper and faster than the taxis waiting out front.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. The first thing many reviews agree on is that parts of the building and decor are starting to show their age, fitting for a hotel open since the 1990s; some feel the lobby and corridors still give off an older 5-star vibe, not the sleek modern feel of the brand-new hotels in Vake or Saburtalo, and a few bathrooms look older than what you pay — if you come expecting the spotless newness of the brand's latest properties, you may feel short-changed. Second is the hill — the walk down to the old town is easy, but the way back is uphill, and with Tbilisi summers hitting 35°C+ it gets tiring; call a Bolt for around $2–3 and it is far more comfortable, especially after a long day on your feet. Last is the Wi-Fi and in-room systems, which some reviewers say respond more slowly than the Sheraton standard in other cities — heavy online workers may want a local SIM as backup. And the outdoor pool that is the main selling point is summer-only, so anyone visiting November to April gets only the indoor pool and spa; check before you book.

Our take

From the real reviews we pulled together across several sources, the Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace is a 5-star hotel that sells a panoramic Old Tbilisi view, a generous Georgian breakfast, and a walkable spot to Metekhi Church and the old town — at clearly better value than comparable options in the city centre. If your mental image is waking up to coffee on the balcony over the golden Sameba dome, wandering the old town and soaking in the sulphur baths, then coming back for an evening swim in the outdoor pool over the city, this is a very tidy fit. But if you want a brand-new hotel that is modern in every detail, the 90s classicism of the building and some of the decor may feel less than fresh — weigh the view against room newness. Overall we give it 8.8/10, best for couples after a special view room, families wanting space and a pool, and business travellers who would rather stay on the quieter side of the river yet still walk to everything.