Georgia’s first communist newspaper was published in a striking, circa-1930s Brutalist-style building. So when local firm Adjara Group decided to transform it into the Stamba Hotel, preserving much of its Soviet-era bones was essential to the developers. “Our style of construction is closer to the techniques used in old times. Our hotels are built and refurbished organically, without following the typical construction frames of predetermined renders,” says Adjara Group architect Ia Chekheria.

Located in Tbilisi’s Vera neighborhood, the hotel melds original concrete with soothing foliage in its jungle-like lobby. Here, a vintage drying beam was salvaged from Stamba’s printing-press days and now runs through the five-story atrium. “Greenery plays a key role indoors and out, with a wide range of trees and flowers planted throughout the public spaces,” adds Adjara Group architect Katja Samsonadze. The decidedly modern glass-bottomed pool caps the hotel and is a source of natural light, with shadows from swimmers illuminating the lobby below. It’s “yet another element of the hotel’s unique construction,” adds Samsonadze.

Contemporary works by Georgian artists are integral to the design narrative, as are the shelves lined with some 80,000 books. The 42 guestrooms (with plans for 160) continue the pared-down, rustic theme by marrying handmade ceramic tiles with exposed brickwork, deep-pile carpets, and oversized African wood planks. Guests unwind in wool-upholstered armchairs or freestanding copper bathtubs while taking in the soaring ceiling and warehouse windows. Along with intact concrete walls, it’s an eye-catching reminder of Stamba’s industrial heritage.