Starwood’s Paris-born Le Meridien brand will open in Batumi, the brand’s first location in the Republic of Georgia, in 2018.

Owned by Red-Co Ltd., the Le Meridien Batumi will include an Explore Spa, as well as a swimming pool and fitness centre. Interiors will be designed by Tbilisi-based design firm Rooms.

The 110-room newly constructed hotel will reside in the Batumi Tower, a mixed-use development project designed by the Hausart Project that features a unique integrated Ferris wheel on the 27th floor. The eight air-conditioned cabins of the Ferris wheel each can hold 40 people.

The tower – reported to be the tallest in the city – also features an 85m (279ft) mast with a sail at the top, and will include a casino and unbranded residences.

Located in southwest Georgia on the Black Sea, Batumi is a popular resort destination and the country’s summer holiday capital.

“Le Méridien promises to ‘unlock’ each destination it enters for its guests and this hotel will inspire creative and curious-minded travellers to discover the culture, the arts and cuisine of Batumi,” said Michael Wale, president Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East.