Communal Hotel Telavi

After turning a pair of antique townhouses in Tbilisi into boutique hotels, the creative minds behind Communal Hotels set their sights on Georgia’s wine capital. Communal Hotel Telavi is somewhat different from its big-city predecessors, as it’s housed in a historic villa with a rooftop sunroom and a courtyard swimming pool — but it’s still in an urban area with easy access to nearby cafés, shops, and restaurants, not to mention the vineyards just outside town. Like its counterparts in Tbilisi, Communal Hotel Telavi is a tribute to Georgian culture, with the owners preserving the best parts of the original structure — in this case, Moorish archways, sunbaked tiles, and decorative balconies — and infusing the space with a modern sensibility.

As the name indicates, Communal Hotel Telavi isn’t a place to hide out in one’s room: the philosophy is all about common spaces and social experiences, from the shared breakfast table to the lively poolside bar. An all-day eatery serves local dishes and natural wines on the ground level, adjacent to the pool area, while a greenhouse-like living room on the highest level, furnished with plush sofas and potted plants, is a quieter spot to gather or relax.

In a hotel of this style, rooms and suites could feel like an afterthought, but they’re as thoughtfully appointed as the rest of the property. Colorful and eclectic, they feature bold emerald-green or midnight-blue accent walls, richly patterned fabrics, handwoven rugs, original artwork, and vintage details from writing desks to velvet daybeds. The simplest rooms overlook the courtyard, while larger suites have extras like clawfoot tubs and balconies with city views; all are cozy hideaways to unwind between socializing and wine tasting.