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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOther options like Radisson Blu and Swissotel are also quite good, but I chose to remain loyal to Marriott. For the first two nights, I spent points on a Design Hotels property – Rooms Hotels – mainly because I\u2019ve been wanting to try boutique hotels lately, and this one is very highly recommended online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The result was disappointing. The location isn\u2019t bad, but it\u2019s also not ideal, quite far from the Old Town. And the concrete industrial-style rooms were not my thing at all, nothing like the boutique atmosphere I\u2019d expected.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nMarriott elites get virtually no benefits here, not even a room upgrade. The only upside was the price: two nights for 30,000 points is very cheap. But now the points rates have almost doubled, so when it comes to silent devaluation, Marriott really isn\u2019t losing to Hilton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After two rough nights, I quickly moved on to check out the Paragraph Hotel at Freedom Square<\/a>. As a Luxury Collection property, this place should hold a very high standing, and its room rates certainly place it in the first tier. Yet strangely, compared with other top hotels in the city (Biltmore, Radisson Blu, Telegraph and Stamba etc.), it\u2019s rarely discussed. Even on TripAdvisor you have to scroll a long way to find it, which is puzzling. But based on online reviews and guest photos, it looked great, so I thought I\u2019d give it a try.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paragraph already wins on location: as the name suggests, it sits right next to Freedom Square, the very heart of Tbilisi. For tourists, it\u2019s convenient to go anywhere. One reminder: sidewalks are rare in Tbilisi. Don\u2019t jaywalk – it\u2019s dangerous and you can be fined. Look for underground passages.<\/p>\n\n\n This night shot I took of the entrance turned out nicely; Georgian alphabet is adorable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every day at noon, a free walking tour departs from Freedom Square. I recommend joining – it\u2019s a good intro to Georgian history and culture. I arrived at the hotel around 10am in the morning, so of course the room wasn\u2019t ready yet. They gave me a lounge key so I could sit and wait; I had a quick look, went out for lunch, then joined the walking tour.<\/p>\n\n\n It seems rather common in the Caucasus for high-end hotels to have a piano display in the lobby. I returned at 3pm and the room was ready. This property apparently doesn\u2019t accept suite night awards, but they proactively upgraded me to a Junior Suite.<\/p>\n\n\n It\u2019s called a Junior Suite, but it\u2019s really more like a standard one-bedroom suite. The living room is on the left:<\/p>\n\n\n And the bedroom on the right:<\/p>\n\n\n Because the outer walls of the hotel are curved, the rooms have angled windows, giving wide and pleasant views. The bathroom:<\/p>\n\n\n It\u2019s not just new – the materials and finish feel excellent. The room is also very high-tech: there\u2019s an internet TV in the bathroom, and the curtains are electrically controlled. The capsule coffee machine is disguised to look like a handcrafted brewer, which is cute.<\/p>\n\n\n The welcome amenities included a fruit platter and local red wine:<\/p>\n\n\n And a wax-sealed welcome letter, surprisingly formal:<\/p>\n\n\n The hotel isn\u2019t very tall (just nine floors) and my room was on the eighth. But the floorplate is huge; walking back and forth between the room, the pool, and the lounge felt exhausting. Staying on the ninth floor would\u2019ve been ideal.<\/p>\n\n\n On to dining, starting with breakfast at the all-day restaurant.<\/p>\n\n\n The quality and variety are excellent, with local dishes like mushroom cream soup and all kinds of sweets, plus honey and international items like Asian-style grilled chicken.<\/p>\n\n\n Egg dishes can also be ordered \u00e0 la carte. Then I went to check out the executive lounge on the eighth floor, called “The Library”. By the way, per Marriott policy, lounge access typically doesn\u2019t <\/strong>apply at Luxury Collection hotels, so it\u2019s generous and commendable that this one does.<\/p>\n\n\n The lounge is small, but beautifully designed and filled with art pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n There\u2019s also an outdoor terrace where you can enjoy the breeze and views.<\/p>\n\n\n During the day they only have simple fruit and pastries.<\/p>\n\n\n The evening happy hour isn\u2019t extensive either, mainly starters and desserts.<\/p>\n\n\n Of course, Georgia has plenty of great food (though prices were higher than I expected), so there\u2019s no need to rely on the lounge to fill up. The lounge\u2019s biggest highlight: unlimited self-serve wine, all day long!<\/p>\n\n\n White, red, and ros\u00e9, eight kinds in total, fitting Georgia\u2019s identity as a wine country. Pressing a button dispenses the wine like a soda machine at a buffet – charmingly odd. At check-in, the front desk told me that a restaurant on the first floor also offers free wine and cheese for all guests every evening, though I didn\u2019t try it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, time for the spa, starting with two incredibly Instagrammable shots:<\/p>\n\n\n It\u2019s hard to imagine anyone seeing this pool for the first time and not being amazed. A wide circular base, 360-degree glass walls, soothing mountain and city views. All things are perfectly blended.<\/p>\n\n\n The (heated) pool is very large, great for swimming in any direction, and comes with waterfall jets and massage beds. 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