Sandro Takaishvili on Building a Cinema Hotel in Tbilisi | Blueberry Nights Boutique Hotel

Sandro Takaishvili is the owner and designer of Blueberry Nights, a boutique hotel at 7 Chovelidze Street in the Vera district of Tbilisi, Georgia. Every room has a projector instead of a TV, a record player and free Netflix and Mubi. The hotel stands in the courtyard of Restaurant Lolita, which Sandro co-created. This is what he told us about the building, the film, the records and the city.

At a glance

Why name a hotel after a film?

Sandro saw My Blueberry Nights a long time ago, and it never left. "The mood and aesthetics aligned with the space I created," he says. The rest of his reason is simpler: "I like the way it sounds and the way it looks."

That is the whole origin of the name, and it explains the hotel better than a mission statement would. Blueberry Nights was not themed after the fact. The film came first, and the building was shaped to match its mood. (The longer story of the film and the hotel is in our origin story.)

What was the building before it was a hotel?

Nothing special, by Sandro's own account. It went up in the 1990s and only 2 families lived in it. "It didn't look anything special, but I saw a potential, because of its location and layout."

Why does every room have a projector?

It was in the plan from the first day. "The idea of a projector was from the beginning as there were no hotels with projectors before that," Sandro says. "We were the first ones to have a smart projector with a remote control instead of a TV."

The reason is the same as the name: "the main inspiration and theme was the movies." A TV is a piece of furniture. A projector turns the wall into a screen, and a room into a small cinema. For the guest's side of it, see our film lover's guide to Tbilisi.

Where would Wong Kar-wai sleep?

We asked Sandro which room he would give the director for one night. His answer started with a question of his own: "It depends if he smokes." If so, he would put him in a room with a balcony, "probably room 301."

Why 301? "This room reminds me most of the My Blueberry Nights."

It is also one of the rooms returning guests ask for. Sandro listed the ones they request by number:

What makes a hotel boutique and not just small?

Sandro does not give a room count. "It's not about the size, even though the smaller feels more intimate. It's about the intimacy and the authorship and atmosphere."

Authorship is the word to notice. A boutique hotel, in his definition, is one where a person's taste is visible in every decision, down to the records on the shelf. (More on the term in what boutique hotel means.)

We also asked what a small hotel can do that a 100-room hotel cannot. His answer: "Go bankrupt more easily."

Who chose the records?

He did. "I chose all the records myself very carefully for Blueberry Nights. I've been collecting records for a long time."

Guests cannot swap records with the collection: "We don't allow the swap." But it happens in the other direction sometimes. "Sometimes guests leave their records."

What surprises guests in the first 10 minutes?

3 things, in Sandro's words: "The movie dialogues from the speakers in the lobby, the projectors in the room and the entrance, which is a bit confusing sometimes, but is pleasant and never annoying."

The entrance is through the courtyard, so first-time guests sometimes need a moment to find the door. Once inside, the lobby plays lines from films, which sets the tone before anyone has seen a room.

Why Vera, and why above a restaurant?

"It's the best location and it's in the yard of Lolita restaurant," Sandro says. And the restaurant was not a lucky neighbour: "We are the co-creators of Lolita restaurant, that was one of the main reasons."

Ask what guests order from Lolita at midnight and the answer is short: "Mostly a cheeseburger and cocktails." Breakfast runs until 2:00 pm, and Sandro adds, in brackets, "it's delicious." Full details are on the Lolita page.

Where should a guest go on a free evening?

Sandro does not send people to a list. "Anywhere around the hotel is the best way to feel the most authentic and the coolest part of Tbilisi." For the neighbourhood in more detail, see staying in central Tbilisi.

On his own day off he goes to Keto and Kote, a restaurant 5 minutes' walk from the hotel.

Is it safe to walk back at night?

"Yes, it's absolutely safe at any time."

When should a first-timer visit?

May. "It is the best time in Tbilisi in general."

What if a guest arrives at 2 am with no booking?

The front desk is open 24 hours. "He or she can book a room from the 24 hour desk and check in." It is also the one thing Sandro names when asked what a guest gets at Blueberry Nights that they would not get from an Airbnb in Vera at a similar price. (A fuller comparison is in boutique hotel vs Airbnb in Tbilisi.)

Who is the hotel not for?

"Boring people."

What should a guest remember a week after checkout?

"The feeling of being inside the movie."

Frequently asked questions

Who owns Blueberry Nights Hotel? Sandro Takaishvili owns and designed the hotel, which is at 7 Chovelidze Street in Vera, Tbilisi.

Is Blueberry Nights named after a film? Yes. It is named after My Blueberry Nights, directed by Wong Kar-wai.

Does every room have a projector? Yes. Rooms have a smart projector with a remote control instead of a TV, plus Netflix and Mubi.

Who chose the vinyl records? Sandro chose all of them himself, from his own long-running record collection.

Can guests swap records with the hotel? No. Guests sometimes leave records behind, but swapping is not allowed.

Is there a 24-hour front desk? Yes. Guests can book and check in at any hour.

What is the best month to visit Tbilisi? Sandro recommends May.

Is Blueberry Nights connected to Restaurant Lolita? Yes. The hotel stands in Lolita's courtyard, and the hotel's owners are co-creators of the restaurant.

Blueberry Nights Hotel, 7 Chovelidze Street, Vera, Tbilisi. Check availability