Rotana Gudauri ski resort agreement sets up first ski-resort brand extension
Pontus and Rotana have signed a management agreement for a roughly 400-unit Gudauri resort, but no opening or construction timetable is listed.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
2 min read
Pontus and hotel operator Rotana have signed a management agreement for the planned Rotana Gudauri ski resort, a two-property development that the companies describe as Rotana’s first ski-resort project worldwide. The deal extends their Georgia partnership into Gudauri and positions the planned property for ski travel as well as year-round guests from the Gulf, Europe and nearby markets.
The agreement was formally exchanged at a ceremony in Tbilisi on May 22, according to Rotana. That event announced a project Rotana calls Gudauri Ski Resort; an August announcement distributed by Pontus uses the name Caucasus Mandili. Neither announcement explains whether the different names reflect a change in branding.
What is planned for Rotana’s Gudauri ski resort?
The development is planned as two distinct properties with about 400 accommodation units. It is to have direct ski-in, ski-out access to the Gudauri ski-lift station in Georgia’s Greater Caucasus mountains, Rotana said.
Planned facilities include restaurants and bars, spa and wellness services, indoor and outdoor pools, meeting space, ski-equipment retail and rental, and family entertainment. Rotana’s announcement also lists après-ski terraces and a wellness facility intended to link the two properties.
Italian architecture studio NOA is responsible for the concept. Rotana said the design draws on the mandili, a traditional Georgian headscarf, while the Pontus-distributed announcement describes the resort as a five-star, four-season project.
Why are Pontus and Rotana targeting Gudauri?
Gudauri gives the partners a mountain destination within reach of Tbilisi. Rotana places the site about 120 kilometres from Tbilisi International Airport and points to connections from the UAE, Europe and the wider Middle East. Pontus said Tbilisi is a three- to three-and-a-half-hour flight from the UAE and neighbouring Gulf countries, with Gudauri another two to two-and-a-half hours by road.
Rotana and Pontus are positioning the planned resort for both winter stays and use outside the ski season. Pontus said it expects Rotana’s booking and loyalty network to help generate occupancy across the year, an outcome that will depend on the project’s eventual opening and operations.
The planned Gudauri ski resort development is the second project in the companies’ partnership. Their separate Pontus Rotana Resort & Spa in Gonio, on the Black Sea coast, is due to open in 2027, according to Rotana.
The supplied announcements do not provide an opening date for the Gudauri project, a construction start or completion schedule, its cost, financing details or permitting information. The agreement establishes Rotana’s intended management role; it does not show that the resort is operating or that construction has begun.