Ambassadori Goderdzi Hotel ★★★★★

The Only Full Service House on a Very Young Mountain

Goderdzi is the newest of the Georgian ski areas, a run of slopes above the village of the same name in the Khulo highlands, and most of what surrounds it is still forest and pasture. Ambassadori was built into the middle of that, and it is the reason a week here works at all: a hundred and twenty two rooms, a spa, a restaurant, a ski shop and a school, all under one roof at the foot of the lifts. The architecture is contemporary and unfussy, the balconies run the length of the facade, and the terrace is aimed squarely at the snow covered Caucasus behind the resort.

Why It Works

We kept it because it removes every logistical problem a trip to Goderdzi usually creates. Equipment is hired, stored and taught on site, so nothing has to be carried up the pass. The kitchen runs Georgian and European menus with a children's buffet and kid meals, which matters on a mountain with no alternative within easy reach. And the wellness floor is a real one, with an indoor pool, a sauna and massage, rather than the single sauna cabin that passes for a spa at this altitude.

Why This Location

The hotel sits at the centre of the ski resort, with ski-to-door access, which in practice means the first lift is a walk in boots rather than a drive. The setting is the Goderdzi pass, on the road that climbs from the Black Sea coast at Batumi through Khulo and over into the interior, so the approach is one of the more spectacular drives in the country. In summer the same slopes turn into hiking country and the pass opens up the Adjaran mountain villages.

Fast Facts

• Price: Luxury

• Vibe: Large, contemporary, resort scale alpine

• Rooms: A hundred and twenty two rooms across eight categories, from classic singles to rooftop suites, each with an individual balcony

• Best For: Skiers who want lift, lesson and spa in one building, families with children, groups travelling together

• Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: The rooftop suites, whose balconies give you the ski area on one side and the Caucasus skyline on the other

• Dining: Restaurant and lounge bar serving Georgian and European dishes, kid friendly buffet, room service

• Amenities: Spa with indoor pool, sauna and massage, ski-to-door access, ski hire, school and storage, ice rink, kids club, nightclub, concierge, facilities for disabled guests

• Attractions: The Goderdzi pistes at the door, the Goderdzi pass road, the Adjaran villages around Khulo, the Khulo to Tago cable car

A Hundred and Twenty Two Balconies

Eight categories run from classic singles through doubles and family rooms to the rooftop suites, and the common denominator is the balcony: every room has one, which is unusual at this size and is the single detail that stops the building reading as a block. Rooms are contemporary and warm rather than styled, with minibars and soundproofing, and the ones on the upper floors look over the pistes to the ridge beyond. There is a lift, air conditioning throughout, and facilities for guests with reduced mobility, which is rare in the Georgian mountains.

The Spa, and What Happens After Dark

The wellness floor is the argument for booking three nights rather than two: an indoor pool, a sauna and a massage menu, all of which get used hard in the hour after the lifts close. The evening is deliberately busy for a mountain this remote, with a lounge bar, evening entertainment, karaoke and a nightclub, plus board games and a kids club for the younger half of the party. The ice rink handles the non skiers.

Getting There, and What to Arrange First

This is a high mountain address reached by a pass road, so transfers matter more than usual: the hotel arranges airport shuttles for a fee and booking one in advance is worth doing. The desk is staffed around the clock, with express and private check-in, luggage storage, laundry and currency exchange on site. Families should flag children's meals and babysitting at the time of booking rather than on arrival.