Rooms Hotel Kazbegi, Georgia

Where it is

The hotel is in Stepantsminda, still widely called Kazbegi, a high mountain town close to the Russian frontier. Getting there is part of the fun: about three hours from Tbilisi up the Georgian Military Road, past the fortress of Ananuri and over the Jvari Pass.

Around the town are high valleys, glaciers and watchtowers: the village of Juta, the Truso valley and the Dariali gorge. The Gudauri ski area is about 45 minutes back down the road.

Rooms

This is a large hotel, with 156 rooms in a rustic-chic style of warm timber, raw materials, Caucasian rugs and vintage furniture. Rooms face either Kazbek or the forest behind; the Kazbek-facing ones are the ones to book, and the larger Signature and Executive rooms have the best outlooks. Soundproofing is not perfect, a small price for the view.

Food, pool and the rest

The lounges, with fires, bookshelves and floor-to-ceiling windows, are among the cosiest anywhere, and the huge terrace is made for watching the mountain change colour. There is a heated indoor pool and sauna facing Kazbek, a gym and massages. The restaurant serves Georgian and international dishes with local produce: order cheese-filled khachapuri, soup-filled khinkali and the amber wines Georgians have fermented in buried clay jars for thousands of years. The team can arrange guided treks and tours.

The moment

The walk up to Gergeti Trinity Church, a 14th-century church alone on a ridge with Kazbek towering behind, then back to the terrace for a glass of qvevri wine as the last light turns the summit gold.

Why we chose it

Few hotels anywhere offer this combination of view, design and value. It is big rather than intimate and can be busy at weekends, but for adventurous couples discovering Georgia, it is an unforgettable base.

For another big-mountain view at a modest price, see Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge in Nepal.

When to go

The hotel is open all year. Walkers should aim for the months between May and October, with September the pick for steady weather and turning leaves. In winter the town is deep in snow and beautiful, though storms sometimes shut the mountain pass road, so keep your plans loose. Weekends are busy with visitors from Tbilisi, so stay midweek if you can.

The longer stay

Spend three nights in Kazbegi for the walks and valleys, then combine it with Tbilisi's old town and sulphur baths and the wine region of Kakheti for a superb ten-day to two-week Georgian journey.