Petra Group is strengthening the tourism and investment appeal of its projects with another international brand, Maya Collection. The Monaco-based company is ready to bring to the local market nearly two decades of experience operating gastronomic venues and beach clubs at the world’s premium resorts. Petra Group CEO Tinatin Kalandarishvili and Maya Collection CEO Richard Maria spoke with us about the significance of the partnership and their long-term vision.
By Iza Gvaramadze
Tinatin, Petra Group’s projects already feature international brands such as Pullman and Swissôtel. Now they are being joined by Maya Collection. What does this partnership mean for Petra Group?
Tinatin Kalandarishvili: For Petra Group, selecting international partners is always a strategic process. We are not simply looking for well-known brands – we choose partners who create additional value for our projects, for owners, and for guests.
That is precisely why our collaboration with Maya Collection marks such an important milestone. As part of this partnership, Maya Collection will enter two Petra Group projects in Georgia simultaneously: Petra Sea Resort, where MayaBay Beach Club will be located adjacent to the Pullman Hotel & Residences, and Petra Ski Resort, where MayaBay Restaurant will become a key part of Swissôtel Hotel & Residences Gudauri.
This once again confirms that our projects are now perceived by international brands as resorts of regional significance.
Before I turn to Richard – in your view, why did Maya Collection choose to enter the Georgian market specifically through Petra Group’s projects?
Tinatin Kalandarishvili: I believe several factors were behind this decision.
First, both projects – Petra Sea Resort and Petra Ski Resort – were conceived from the outset as resorts of international scale. On one hand, we are creating a premium seaside resort on the Black Sea coast; on the other, an international-class mountain resort in Gudauri.
The second key factor is our partnership with Accor. Pullman and Swissôtel are part of one of the world’s strongest hospitality ecosystems, which provides an added layer of trust for international brands.
I believe Maya Collection recognized that, in entering the Georgian market, it had found the right partner with the right projects.
Richard, Maya Collection is already present in high-end tourist destinations such as Monaco, Dubai, and Porto Montenegro. What led you to select Georgia as a future market?
Richard Maria: Beyond Monaco, Dubai, and Porto Montenegro, Maya Collection is also present in Courchevel and West Palm Beach, and new venues will soon open in London and Mykonos.
We follow our clientele to the destinations that matter most to them – the places where they choose to live, travel, and unwind. We open venues precisely where our guests travel, invest, and build business relationships.
In this context, Georgia has naturally emerged as a destination for the future, one that fully aligns with our vision and long-term development strategy.
As Tinatin mentioned, through the partnership with Petra Group, Maya Collection is entering two projects – Petra Sea Resort on the Black Sea coast and Petra Ski Resort in Gudauri. What led you to enter the market with two distinct concepts at the same time?
Richard Maria: Partnering with Petra Group was an entirely natural choice for us, as it is one of the most significant development groups in Georgia. Our primary criterion in choosing partners is the degree of alignment between their values and long-term vision and our own. With Petra Group, we saw exactly that alignment, and it was the basis for our decision.
Let’s start with Petra Sea Resort. What is MayaBay Beach Club, and what role will it play at Petra Sea Resort?
Tinatin Kalandarishvili: Today, a successful resort is no longer defined solely by its hotel or residences. Guests are looking for a distinctive lifestyle, diverse experiences, gastronomy, and entertainment.
MayaBay Beach Club is part of that very vision. As I mentioned, it will be located adjacent to the Pullman Hotel & Residences and will become one of the signature gastronomic and entertainment destinations at Petra Sea Resort.
MayaBay already operates successfully in such prestigious destinations as Monaco, Dubai, Courchevel, and Porto Montenegro. The brand combines high-end gastronomy, music, and design – and it is precisely this experience that we wanted to bring to Petra Sea Resort.
Richard, what role will MayaBay play in shaping the overall concept of the resort and the guest experience?
Richard Maria: We believe that, thanks to its positioning and strong brand identity, MayaBay will be an important driver of value for both the hotel and the residences. As with our other international projects, we are confident that the synergy created across different business lines and areas of professional expertise will add significant value to the project as a whole.
The Maya Collection brand will also be present at Petra Group’s mountain resort – Swissôtel Hotel & Residences Gudauri. What is the concept behind this project?
Tinatin Kalandarishvili: Swissôtel Hotel & Residences Gudauri is our second flagship project, and in many ways it complements the concept of Petra Sea Resort.
While Petra Sea Resort is oriented toward a seaside lifestyle and summer tourism, Gudauri offers guests an entirely different experience – the mountains and active leisure.
The project includes a 180-room Swissôtel hotel, 290 branded Swissôtel residences, and a wide range of infrastructure. Our goal is to create Georgia’s first full-scale, international-class mountain resort in Gudauri.
If MayaBay Beach Club will represent the brand at Petra Sea Resort, in what format will we see it in Gudauri?
Tinatin Kalandarishvili: In Gudauri, Maya Collection will be present in the form of a MayaBay-branded restaurant, which will become one of the signature gastronomic venues at Swissôtel Hotel & Residences.
This will be an entirely different concept, tailored to the atmosphere of a mountain resort and to the expectations of its guests. MayaBay restaurants have already been operating successfully for years in the French Alps, in Courchevel and Méribel. Here, the main emphasis will be on high-level gastronomy, the so-called après-ski experience, and the distinctive atmosphere that Gudauri offers its visitors.
We believe this is one of Maya Collection’s key strengths: the ability of the brand to preserve its own identity while organically adapting to an entirely different environment.
Richard Maria: The concept we are developing in Gudauri builds on the experience we gained through the MayaBay Courchevel project. This allows us to draw on the expertise we have already accumulated in operating this type of venue and to apply that knowledge here.
How do you approach adapting the brand to local culture while preserving its international identity?
Richard Maria: Adapting the brand to each new destination is grounded in our deep understanding of our international clientele. Roughly 20% of the menu is tailored to the specific characteristics and tastes of the local market.
What kind of experience should guests in Georgia expect from MayaBay, and what will distinguish it from your other venues in international locations?
Richard Maria: Our concept is built on a multifaceted experience that brings together gastronomy, design, atmosphere, and lifestyle. Our goal is to create a distinctive emotion – one that is instantly recognizable and repeatable. We offer guests the MayaBay experience they already know, along with the values they expect whenever they visit any of our venues.
Tinatin, in your view, how will Maya Collection’s entry affect the investment appeal and real estate value of both projects?
Tinatin Kalandarishvili: In today’s real estate market, people are no longer simply buying an apartment. They are buying a lifestyle, a service, a brand, and an experience.
The presence of international brands such as Pullman, Swissôtel, and now Maya Collection has a significant impact on a project’s visibility, demand, and long-term value.
Global practice shows that projects backed by strong international brands typically demonstrate greater capitalization potential and stronger performance in both sales and rental returns.
What does the entry of an international brand like Maya Collection mean for Georgia’s tourism and hospitality sector?
Tinatin Kalandarishvili: This is yet another important signal to the international market.
When brands of this caliber choose Georgia, it means the country is already being regarded as a premium destination for both tourism and investment.
Partnerships like this raise the country’s international visibility, attract new audiences, and help draw higher-spending tourists.
What stage are the Petra Sea Resort and Swissôtel Hotel & Residences Gudauri projects at, and when will the first guests be able to experience the Maya Collection venues?
Tinatin Kalandarishvili: Both projects are in an active phase of development.
At Petra Sea Resort, construction is currently underway on six buildings, and the design of MayaBay Beach Club already involves international consultants, including the renowned French architect Sylvestre Murigneux. MayaBay Beach Club is expected to welcome its first guests in the summer of 2027.
Development is also progressing actively at Swissôtel Hotel & Residences Gudauri. Our goal is for both projects to become not only outstanding architectural and investment products, but also a new benchmark in the history of resort development in Georgia. The Maya Collection venues will be an integral part of that vision.
Richard, finally, what message does Maya Collection’s entry into Georgia send to the international hospitality industry, and what are your long-term plans for the country?
Richard Maria: Our message is simple: Georgia is a country of the future. Even though it is sometimes underappreciated, the country holds tremendous potential for development. Our clients are already here in Georgia, which once again confirms that this market represents the right and promising direction for our brand’s long-term development strategy.
