DREAM DESTINATION

Radisson Collection Tsinandali, Kakheti, Georgia

Nestled in the heart of Georgia’s Kakheti wine region, a two-hour drive from capital Tbilisi, the Radisson Collection Tsinandali hotel is set in the grounds of the historic Chavchavadze estate (the 19th-century palace, once home to Georgian royalty, is now a museum) and adjoins the Tsinandali wine estate, where the first Georgian wine was bottled in 1814. Guests can book in for wine tastings and tours of the nearby vineyards and ancient cellars.

Opened in 2018, the 141-room, four-storey glass and greenery-covered hotel (30,000 trays of plants were used to create the ‘green wall’) has five different dining venues including a Georgian restaurant with terrace, and three bars that include the Gaumarjos Wine Bar for sampling the Tsinandali wines plus a sumptuous Library bar with snooker table and cocktail menu. Bedrooms feature contemporary Georgian design and super-comfy kingsize beds, with breathtaking views of vines, forests and the Caucasus mountains.

The hotel has two tennis courts, a spa and two swimming pools including an outdoor infinity pool on the top-floor terrace, looking onto the mountains. Guests can explore the 18ha park, which contains more than 1,600 species of plants, on foot or using bicycle trails.

The annual Tsinandali Festival in August/September is a celebration of music, art and wine (tsinandalifestival.ge), and in November 2023, the estate hosted the first Tsinandali Wine Symposium, to showcase Georgian wines to an international audience. tsinandaliestate.ge

For a full review by Georgie Hindle, visit decanter.com ▶