Tbilisi is small enough that almost anywhere central works, but each district has its own feel, and the hills make a difference to how much you walk. Stay on the right bank, between the old town and Rustaveli Avenue, for the easiest sightseeing, or cross the river for the creative buzz of Chughureti. And consider a night in the mountains: a stay in Kazbegi turns the region’s best day trip into something special. Here are the five bases we recommend, with our pick in each.
Old Tbilisi: for first-timers who want to walk everywhere
The old town is where the postcards come from: balconied houses, ancient churches, the Bridge of Peace and Narikala above. Staying here puts the sulfur baths, the cable car and dozens of restaurants on foot. Ambassadori Hotel Tbilisi, on quiet Shavteli Street near the Anchiskhati Basilica and the Gabriadze theatre, is a full-service five-star with 121 rooms, an indoor pool, a spa and a terrace looking over the rooftops, and free parking, a rarity in the old town. Freedom Square and the Bridge of Peace are five minutes away on foot.
Sololaki: for character and food
Just above Freedom Square and below the fortress, Sololaki is the old merchants’ district, full of grand art nouveau houses, painted entrance halls, wine bars and cafes. It is a few minutes downhill to the old town, though the walk back up is steep. Communal Hotel Sololaki is our mid-range pick: a 13-room bohemian boutique hotel in a restored townhouse beside the Botanical Garden, with jewel-toned rooms, a Negroni bar in every room and a Georgian breakfast at one long communal table.
Vera: for design lovers and a local feel
Leafy Vera, just off the upper end of Rustaveli Avenue, is a residential district of tree-lined streets, neighbourhood cafes and a growing restaurant scene, with Rustaveli metro station close by. Stamba Hotel is the city’s splurge and its most famous design hotel, set in a 1950s publishing house with a plant-filled atrium, terrace rooms and a lively complex of bars and cafes. If it is full, Rooms Hotel Tbilisi, from the same group, is next door.
Chughureti: for budget travellers and nightlife
Across the river, around Marjanishvili, Chughureti is the up-and-coming side of town, with street art, new cafes and bars and a younger crowd. Fabrika Hostel & Suites, in a former Soviet textile factory, is the budget pick, with dorms and private rooms above a courtyard of cafes, bars and shops, a rooftop terrace and coworking space. Rustaveli Avenue is about twenty minutes away on foot, and taxis are cheap.
Kazbegi: for a night in the Caucasus
A night in Stepantsminda lets you see Gergeti Trinity Church in the quiet of early morning or at sunset, long after the day-trip crowds have left. Rooms Hotel Kazbegi is the place to do it, with a long terrace facing Mount Kazbek, an indoor pool, a spa and breakfast included. In winter, check that the Jvari Pass is open before you set off, and keep a spare day in your plans.
Matching base to trip
For a classic first visit, Ambassadori in the old town. For character and food, Communal Sololaki. For design, Stamba in Vera. For a budget base with a social scene, Fabrika. For the mountains, add a night at Rooms Hotel Kazbegi.
Practical tips
Prices rise in summer and around the autumn harvest, so book early for those months. Breakfast is charged separately at several of these hotels unless your rate includes it. Old-town streets can be hard to reach by car, so check how close a taxi can get before you arrive with heavy bags.
