Pontus, Rotana and NOA Unveil the World’s First Rotana Ski Resort in Gudauri, Georgia

Pontus, Rotana and NOA Unveil the World’s First Rotana Ski Resort in Gudauri, Georgia

TBILISI, GEORGIA, August 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Pontus, Rotana and NOA Unveil the World’s First Rotana Ski Resort in Gudauri, Georgia
Caucasus Mandili will bring Rotana into the global ski resort segment for the first time, combining five-star hospitality, expertise of Italian architects specializing in ski resorts and Georgian cultural identity in Gudauri.

Georgian development company Pontus, international hotel operator Rotana and Italian architecture studio NOA (Network of Architecture) have unveiled Caucasus Mandili, the world’s first ski resort under the Rotana brand.
Planned as a five-star, four-season destination in Gudauri, one of Georgia’s leading mountain resorts, Caucasus Mandili marks Rotana’s first entry into the global ski hospitality segment.

The concept was officially presented in Tbilisi at Stamba Hotel, bringing together representatives from business, hospitality, architecture, tourism and finance, as well as investors, partners and media.
A New Chapter for Rotana - and for Gudauri

Rotana has built an international presence across city hotels, beach resorts and other hospitality destinations. Caucasus Mandili introduces a new category to its portfolio: a dedicated ski resort.
For Gudauri, the project is intended to support a broader evolution from a primarily winter destination into a resort with international appeal throughout the year.

Located in the greater Caucasus mountains, Gudauri already attracts visitors from Georgia, Europe, the Middle East and other international markets. It is also widely known as a destination for freeride skiing and heli-ski tourism. Its proximity to the Gulf region, combined with growing interest in Georgia as a tourism destination, creates a strong foundation for a new generation of international mountain hospitality.

“A ski resort is a new category for Rotana, and Gudauri is the right place to introduce it,” said Makram El Zyr, Vice President of Corporate Development at Rotana. “Georgia's appeal as an international tourism destination is growing quickly, the Gulf is only a few hours away, and we are building a destination that guests will want to return to, in winter and in summer alike.”

In recent years, Gudauri has emerged as one of the fastest - growing mountain tourism destinations in Georgia, attracting visitors from Europe, the Middle East and neighboring countries throughout the year.
Designed as a Destination, Not Simply a Hotel

Caucasus Mandili is planned as a five-star resort with approximately 400 rooms. Nearly half of the complex will be dedicated to infrastructure and guest experiences designed to support year-round activity.

The resort concept includes spa and wellness facilities, indoor and outdoor pools, restaurants and bars, equipment rental facilities for mountain activities and family-oriented amenities.

“For us, this project is not simply about building another hotel,” said Irakli Varshalomidze, founder of Pontus. “Our ambition is to create a destination that gives people a reason to experience Gudauri in every season - and a reason to return. Caucasus Mandili is about hospitality, culture and emotion as much as it is about architecture.”

Italian Alpine Expertise Meets the Caucasus

The architectural concept is being developed by NOA, the Italian studio known internationally for its hospitality and mountain projects.

NOA was selected following a review of around ten architecture firms. Its experience in creating distinctive alpine destinations - including Hotel Hubertus, Hub of Huts, Zallinger and Ötzi Peak 3.251 m - was central to the decision.

The studio’s co-founder, Lukas Rungger, grew up in the Dolomites, giving the project a personal connection to mountain culture and resort design. The architectural vision for Caucasus Mandili is intended to respond directly to Gudauri’s landscape rather than impose a conventional hotel model on it.

“Gudauri immediately reminded me of the mountains I grew up in,” said Lukas Rungger, co-founder of NOA. “The project gave us the opportunity to create something bold while remaining deeply connected to the landscape and the identity of the place.”

A Name Rooted in Georgian Culture

The name Caucasus Mandili draws on one of Georgia’s most recognisable cultural symbols.
A mandili is a traditional Georgian woman’s headscarf, associated with dignity, respect and reconciliation. According to Georgian tradition, when a woman placed her mandili between men in conflict, the fighting had to stop.

For the project, the name represents the connection between contemporary international hospitality and Georgian identity. The concept reinterprets this heritage through architecture, visual language and the guest experience, with the aim of creating a destination that could belong only to Georgia. The roof design is not only inspired by the flowing forms and patterns of the mandili, but also echoes the silhouette of the Gudauri mountains, allowing the building to blend seamlessly into the surrounding landscape.
A Partnership Already Taking Shape in Georgia

Caucasus Mandili is not the first collaboration between Pontus and Rotana.
For more than three years, the partners have also been working together on Pontus Rotana Resort & Spa in Gonio, on Georgia’s Black Sea coast. The five-star resort is already under construction and is set to become the first Rotana hotel in Georgia and the first Rotana hotel worldwide to feature a casino.

Caucasus Mandili extends this partnership from the Black Sea coast to the Caucasus mountains and introduces Rotana to the global ski resort segment for the first time.

Through the two projects, Pontus and Rotana are bringing new international hospitality concepts to two of Georgia’s key tourism destinations.

As the world's first Rotana ski resort, Caucasus Mandili represents an important milestone for Gudauri and Georgia's tourism industry. The development combines international hotel management, alpine architectural expertise and local cultural identity to create a new four - season mountain resort in the Caucasus region.

About Pontus

Pontus is a Georgian development company and part of Pontus Capital, an investment group focused on some of the most promising sectors of Georgia’s economy, including advertising, winemaking and hospitality.
Within the group, Pontus specializes in investment-driven hospitality developments, working with international partners in hotel management, architecture and real estate.

Pontus
Pontus Development
sales@pontus.ge
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