Babaneuris Marani ★★★★★

Vineyards, and a Pool That Does Not Close

Babaneuri is a village in the Akhmeta district, on the northern edge of Kakheti where the vineyards run up into the foothills of the Caucasus and stop at the forest. Babaneuris Marani sits in that transition, its own vines on one side and the mountains on the other, built as a winery with rooms rather than a hotel with a cellar. The detail that gives away how the place is meant to be used is the pool: it is outdoor, it has a view, and it is heated year round, so the estate stays open to swimmers through the season when Kakheti is actually at its best.

Why It Works

Three things settled it. The cellar is the centre of the property and tastings happen there, which makes the wine part of the stay rather than an excursion. The rooms are unusually varied for thirteen keys, six categories deep, so a couple wanting a terrace and a family needing a suite are served by the same house. And the estate has thought about the hours between: horses, cycling, hiking and fishing from the door, a hot tub, a playground, a children's buffet and packed lunches for anyone heading into the hills for the day.

Why This Location

This is the quiet end of Kakheti. Akhmeta sits at the mouth of the Pankisi and the road that climbs toward Tusheti, and the Alazani valley opens out to the south toward Telavi and the better known wine villages. Staying here means the vineyards are outside the window rather than an hour away, and the Caucasus wall is close enough to shape the weather. The airport is roughly a hundred kilometres off, so this is a drive or a transfer rather than a taxi, and the hotel will arrange one.

Fast Facts

• Price: Luxury

• Vibe: Vineyard estate, generous, quietly rural

• Rooms: Thirteen across six categories, from standard doubles and twins and triples to a family suite, a suite with terrace, a superior room with terrace and a deluxe room with balcony

• Best For: Wine travellers, families who want space and a pool, riders and walkers, anyone building a slow Kakheti itinerary

• Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: The heated outdoor pool with a view over the vines, which keeps working long after every other pool in the region has been covered

• Dining: Restaurant and bar, room service, breakfast in the room, children's buffet and kid meals, packed lunches, special diet menus on request

• Amenities: Wine cellar and tastings, heated outdoor pool with view, hot tub, garden, sun terrace, horse riding, cycling, hiking, fishing, playground, babysitting, meeting rooms, airport transfers, soundproof rooms

• Attractions: The estate vineyards and cellar, Akhmeta, the Alazani valley, Alaverdi Cathedral, the road toward Tusheti

Thirteen Rooms, Six Ways

The categories matter here more than the count. Standard doubles and twins handle a short stop; the triple and the family suite take groups; and the three to ask for are the suite with terrace, the superior with terrace and the deluxe with balcony, all of which put the vineyard or the mountains in front of you before breakfast. Rooms carry air conditioning, minibars and kettles, and are soundproofed, which in a property that also hosts events is worth having.

The Cellar and the Table

The marani, the cellar the estate is named for, is where the tastings are held, and they are run as part of the stay rather than sold as a separate outing. The restaurant and bar cover the day, with a children's buffet, kid meals and special diets arranged on request, and packed lunches for anyone walking or riding. Room service and breakfast in the room exist for mornings after a long tasting, which is a sensible provision.

What Else Fills a Day

Horses, bicycles, walking trails and fishing all start at the property, and the hot tub and sun terrace catch what is left of the afternoon. There are meeting and banquet facilities for anyone bringing a group, which makes the estate workable for a small retreat. Transfers from the airport or the railway are arranged for a fee, and given the distances involved they are worth booking with the room.