- 📍 Where · Meysari village, Shamakhi district, 1,050 m above sea level and 120 km west of Baku
- 🗓️ Opening · inaugurated on 17 September 2026 by President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva
- 🛏️ Keys · 204 rooms: 88 in the main building, 116 in the cottages, plus three villas
- 🏊 Wellness · spa, hammam, three pools, fitness and pilates studios, tennis, padel, football pitch
- 🎤 Business · Nasimi Conference Center with 420 seats, a second more intimate room, helipad
- 🏢 Operator · PASHA Hospitality, PASHA Group, set across a 63,000 m² estate amidst the vineyards of Meysari
Azerbaijan now has its largest resort outside Baku. The Meysari Grand Hotel & SPA was inaugurated on 17 September 2026 in Shamakhi, in the presence of President Ilham Aliyev: 204 keys divided between a main building and cottages, three pools, a spa and a 420-seat conference centre, situated 1,050 metres above sea level in the foothills of the Greater Caucasus.
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Shamakhi, the ancient capital of the Shirvanshahs
Shamakhi was once the capital of the Shirvanshahs, the dynasty that ruled northern Azerbaijan for eight centuries, before earthquakes and Baku stole the spotlight. The region now thrives on its vineyards, orchards and a still-discreet mountain tourism, just a two-hour drive from the capital. The village of Meysari, at 1,050 metres, is renowned for the wine estate of the same name.
This is where PASHA Group, the country’s leading private conglomerate, has built its resort. The estate spans 63,000 m² between the vineyards and the hills, featuring restaurants, a conference centre, sports facilities, a kids’ club and a helipad for arrivals from Baku.
88 rooms, 116 in cottages, three villas
The 204 keys are divided into two distinct worlds. The main building houses 88 rooms and suites of various categories, offering panoramic views; the cottage section features 116 rooms spread across independent houses, with the same services as the hotel. Three villas complete the offering for extended families and delegations.
According to Mehmet Balçık, General Manager of PASHA Hospitality, the complex can accommodate up to 500 people simultaneously, making it one of the largest hotels in the region. The style is contemporary, incorporating wood, local stone and Caucasian rugs in the cottage living rooms, centred around large fireplaces.
Three pools, a hammam, 420 seats
The wellness centre is the resort’s standout feature. Spa and hammam, three indoor and outdoor pools including an infinity pool overlooking the valley, fitness and pilates studios, tennis court, padel and football pitch: the list caters equally to wellness seekers and sports enthusiasts. A leisure centre welcomes children.
The Nasimi Conference Center, named after the poet from Shamakhi, accommodates up to 420 people, while a second room is dedicated to more intimate meetings. Baku’s business tourism, currently booming with major international events, thus has a retreat just two hours from the city, complete with covered parking and a helipad.
| Inauguration | 17 September 2026 |
| Altitude | 1,050 m |
| Estate | 63,000 m² |
| Keys | 204, including 88 in the main building and 116 in cottages |
| Villas | 3 |
| Pools | 3 |
| Conference centre | 420 seats |
| Jobs created | 320 |
| Simultaneous capacity | 500 people |
The wines of Meysari, right next door
PASHA Group also owns Meysari Wines, adjacent to the hotel and one of the country’s best-known vineyards. Wine tastings in the cellars, walks through the vineyards, poolside barbecue evenings and meeting the estate’s alpacas feature on the itinerary for stays, set against the backdrop of the renaissance of Azerbaijani wine.
Three hundred and twenty jobs were created for the opening, a figure highlighted by the authorities: President Aliyev has made economic diversification away from oil, and regional tourism in particular, a cornerstone of his policy. Shamakhi, with its restored monuments and observatory, serves as one of its showcases.
Our perspective
Baku and its towers are well known; Azerbaijan’s mountains rather less so. This resort is the first address of this scale to bet on them, embracing the codes of the grand resort hotel with cottages, spa, vineyard and convention centre, rather than urban luxury. It is the formula that has proven successful in neighbouring Georgia, from Kakheti to Kazbegi.
The question is one of market demand. Without an international brand, the Meysari will have to build its reputation independently among travellers from the Gulf, Russia and Turkey, who form the backbone of the country’s clientele, while convincing Europeans to venture beyond Baku. The grape harvest season in October will be its first true test.
Practical information
- Meysari Grand Hotel & SPA, Meysari village, Shamakhi, Azerbaijan · pasharealestate.az
- Access: Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport, then a 2-hour drive west via Shamakhi
- To see: Juma Mosque of Shamakhi, Yeddi Gumbez Mausoleum, Pirgulu Astrophysical Observatory
Photo credit PASHA Hospitality · president.az
