Swissôtel Tbilisi

The rooftop glass-encased cocktail bar, looking out over the Mtkvari River and the old city's jumble of rooftops, is reason enough to book. This polished international chain hotel sits at the foot of the Dry Bridge antiques market, with a spa, indoor pool, and rooms done in pale parquet and floor-to-ceiling windows. It's the most contemporary sleep in a city that otherwise skews boutique and atmospheric, which is either a relief or a tradeoff, depending on your mood.