Sheraton Hotels & Resorts has announced the official opening of the Sheraton Batumi Hotel, Georgia. The 203-room Sheraton Hotel is the first internationally branded hotel in the emerging Black Sea destination of Batumi, designed to appeal to both business and leisure travellers and features 43 suites, including one penthouse with breathtaking views of the Black Sea. The property is the second Sheraton hotel in the Republic of Georgia, joining its sister property the Sheraton Metechi Palace in Tblisi. Located on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, just minutes from the centre of Batumi and within easy reach of the international airport, the white lighthouse tower of the Sheraton Batumi Hotel, designed in the style of the Batumi lighthouse of Alexandria built by Alexander the Great in 290 B.C., has already become a landmark in the city. The seaside resort city of Batumi is Georgia’s main port, located near the Turkish border at the terminus of both railway and pipe lines originating in the Caucasus states. In addition to a boom in its freight handling and manufacturing capabilities, Batumi is also host to a growing number of cruise ships which have included the destination on their Black Sea itineraries. Batumi boasts a sub-tropical climate and wide beachfront, and is known for its coffee mills, magnolia blossoms, fruit, and fish markets. The property offers one all-day dining restaurant “Sunflower” on the ground floor and a lounge restaurant and bar “Veronica” with stunning vistas of the Batumi skyline. The hotel’s ballroom is the largest in Batumi at over 10,000 square feet and is ideal for weddings or corporate events. Leisure amenities include an 8,000-square foot Shine Spa for Sheraton as well as indoor and outdoor swimming pools and the brand’s signature fitness offering - Sheraton Fitness by Core Performance.