Accommodation in Georgia: My Favourite Family-run Guesthouses (Plus Everything You Need to Know Before You Book)

Looking for the best unique and memorable accommodations in Georgia (the country)? This guide brings together my personal favourite guesthouse experiences around the country – plus helpful tips and insights into what to expect when you stay at a guesthouse in Georgia.

Once you’ve decided where to go and you’ve started piecing together your Georgia itinerary, it’s time to decide where to stay in Georgia.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll share my belief that accommodation is so much more than just a place to rest your head. There are certain places where your choice of accommodation can make or break your entire travel experience – and the country of Georgia is definitely one of them.

Georgia has every kind of accommodation option under the sun, but there’s one that is both ubiquitous and reliable: Family run guesthouses. Guesthouses in Georgia are affordable and make travelling easy and convenient, with most acting as one-stop shops for accommodation, meals, tours, guides, transport, tickets – and just about anything else you may need or desire.

More importantly, the hosts you meet in Georgia will make your trip more enjoyable and memorable through their overflowing hospitality and endless local knowledge. In many ways, guesthouses offer the kind of experience that no hotel could ever match.

There are hundreds if not thousands of family-run guesthouses all over Georgia to choose from. This guide brings together my favourites from my years spent living and travelling around the country.

You’ll also find some helpful tips for navigating accommodation in Georgia, including how to book a room at a guesthouse, what to expect from your stay, and the potential downsides to consider.

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What are guesthouses and how do they work?

A guesthouse is a private home, usually with the family living onsite, that accommodates guests. Guesthouses vary in size and layout depending on the property but in most cases, visitors sleep in private rooms in a separate ‘wing’ of the house and share a kitchen and common spaces with the host/s.

Guesthouses are popular all over Georgia, especially in rural villages and remote mountain areas where conventional hotels are few and far between.

Some guesthouses feel like homestays, where the host is actively involved with the guests. Others offer more privacy, and others still feel more like hostels, where guests share a bedroom, mingle in common spaces and meet each night over the dinner (or breakfast) table.

While it’s possible to keep to yourself when staying at a guesthouse, this is definitely a social accommodation, so you should be prepared to mix with other people.

Some guesthouses such as Zandarashvili in Sighnaghi have grown into sophisticated businesses, while others are less formal. Whatever the case, staying at a guesthouse in Georgia gives you a priceless opportunity to meet and interact with a local family and gain invaluable insights into the place you’re visiting.

Not to mention it’s one of the easiest ways to support small business and contribute to the local economy.

What you’ll love about guesthouses in Georgia

You get to interact with a local family

Insider tips, cultural exchange and funny experiences are part and parcel of the guesthouse experience. Georgians really are as hospitable as people say, and sometimes you’ll make a connection for life.

Staying with a family gives you a small window onto everyday life in Georgia and a different perspective on the place you’re visiting.

Tip: Nine times out of 10 guesthouses are named after the host or one of their children – so can always have a crack at guessing your host’s name!

Rooms are always clean & comfy

Being the clean freak that I am, I’m usually reluctant to stay anywhere with a shared bathroom. I’d estimate that 75% of guesthouses have rooms with private en suites. But in the case that facilities are shared, in my experience bathrooms and kitchens alike are always – and I mean always – spotlessly clean. Georgians are house-proud and keep very tidy homes, so guesthouses naturally have a very high standard of cleanliness.

Rooms might not be fancy, but majority of guesthouses in Georgia are comfortable and well-appointed. At a minimum, your guesthouse will include:

• Hot water
• Bed linens & bath towels
• AC/gas heating
• A hair dryer

Guesthouses are usually safe & secure

Typically guests sleep in private bedrooms with a door that locks. The host may also give you a key to the front door of the house or gate depending on the set up.

Homes are often (but not always) located in quieter neighbourhoods, away from the centre of the town/city. Georgia is an incredibly safe country, and having a family onsite with you adds an extra layer of security.

I’ve never seen lock boxes or safes at a guesthouse, so usually I just lock my valuables in my bag if I’m leaving the room. Always remember to use common sense and lock your bedroom door at night.

Home-cooked meals (and wine) are usually provided

One of the absolute highlights of staying at a guesthouse is getting to try real home cooking! Georgian food is one of the world’s most underrated cuisines and home-cooked food is unlike anything you’ve tasted in a restaurant.

More than that, the ritual of sitting down and sharing a meal with your hosts (and usually other guests as well) is a soul-nourishing experience.

Some guesthouses offer a complimentary breakfast in the nightly tariff but most offer breakfast and dinner on request for an extra cost. If this is the case, be courteous and give your host at least a day’s notice.

A typical breakfast usually costs between 10 and 15 GEL and might consist of Matsoni yogurt, Sulguni cheese, fresh tomatoes, bread, boiled eggs, lots of jams, preserves and other delicious accompaniments. Dinner is usually a bit more, between 15 and 20 GEL per person, and will be served sharing style.

If your guesthouse does offer meals, my advice is to always take them up on the offer!

Tip: Most hosts can cater to special dietary requirements (veg/vegan, gluten free) as long as you give them plenty of advance notice.

Your host can organise tours, transport & tickets for you

Guesthouses are one-stop shops for all of the above. You could roll up at your accommodation with no plans and no transport organised and your host would happily help with everything.

Train tickets, guided tours, a car for the day or a window seat on tomorrow’s marshrutka van – whatever you need, your host can probably make it happen. And they will typically go above and beyond. Once I had a host who drove us all the way to the railway station in his Lada just so we could check the train timetable for the next day!

On another occasion, our host waited up until 10pm to collect us from the bus station. The next morning, she got up at 3am to meet two more tourists at the airport. These were free transfers done in her family car.

Free WIFI is a given

Every guesthouse has a free WIFI connection for guests. Quality varies depending on the location, so if you need fast and steady internet during your stay, I recommend you buy a local sim card and data package and use your hotspot connection as a backup.

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Potential downsides of staying at a guesthouse

There may be a language barrier

English is widely spoken in Georgia. Still, it’s important to remember that guesthouses are not hotels – there’s no bilingual concierge service – so communication barriers between you and your host are bound to arise eventually. It’s nothing that can’t be managed with a bit of creativity, though.

In my experience, most hosts who deal with tourists on a daily basis will speak some English. Amongst the younger generations, it’s far more common to speak English as a second language rather than Russian. There’s almost always kids in the house or next door, so it’s not uncommon to end up with a 12-year-old interpreter!

On one occasion while staying in Gori, our host spoke no English (and us no Russian), so we communicated entirely through the Google Translate app! Ah, technology!

You have to sacrifice some privacy

Staying at a guesthouse in Georgia and forming a relationship with your host family – however fleeting it may be – is such a rewarding experience. But it does mean sacrificing a bit of privacy.

In my experience, guesthouse hosts are incredibly passionate about what they do and eager to know everything there is to know about their guests (especially if you come from as far away as Australia!). Often they want to chat for hours and hear about all your plans in detail.

Treasure those opportunities, but don’t be afraid to set boundaries. Hosts will never intrude on your private room.

Some hosts have a nighttime curfew

Many guesthouses impose a night time curfew for guests, especially if the host is elderly or there are kids in the house. This means the front door or gate will be locked at a certain hour.

Your host isn’t going to leave you stranded outside, but they may request you be back in time for lights out, say at midnight. This is part of the bargain and you should always do your best to respect the rules of the house.

Some guesthouses are quite basic

Comfort and cleanliness are always all but guaranteed, but a lot of guesthouses are no-frills and quite modest in their furnishings. Every property differs, but don’t come expecting luxury or you may end up disappointed.

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How to find & book guesthouses

Guesthouses may feel like homestays but at the end of the day, these are businesses too. Most (I’d say 90%) are listed on booking platforms such as Booking.com, making online reservations a breeze.

A lot of family-run guesthouses only accept cash payment in local currency (they don’t take credit card), so make sure you have enough lari on you if that’s the case.

Abundance mentality applies to accommodation in Georgia: There are tons of guesthouses to choose from. The more popular and well-known ones will always be harder to get into – but for every one of those, there are a dozen smaller properties that always have room.

How far in advance you decide to reserve a room is really up to you. If you’re travelling in high season (summer to early fall), I would consider looking at accommodation at least a few months out. When I travel in shoulder season, I often book accommodation a week or so before the check-in date. It’s also possible to roll up and get a room on the spot – you may get a cheaper rate if you do.

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My favourite guesthouses in Georgia

This section is a shortlist of my absolute favourite guesthouse accommodations around Georgia. Each of these properties has a special something that makes it a destination in and of itself.

I’ve stayed at each of these places and know the hosts personally.

Many of these properties are located in villages and rural areas. Later, I’ll give you a list of recommended guesthouses for bigger cities and more popular destinations.

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Qeto’s Guest House (Dartlo)

A popular destination in Tusheti, the beautiful village of Dartlo has a number of high-quality family guesthouse accommodations. Some are located inside the boundaries of the fortified old town, while others are on the edge of the settlement, a short walk from the heritage zone.

Located on the edge of the village, Qeto’s new wooden house has cosy guest rooms and shared bathrooms on the upper level, a lovely veranda, and best of all a nice front garden with views out to Old Dartlo. Generous home-cooked meals and Aludi (Tush beer) are delicious. They do a mean Khavitsi (Tushetian cheese fondue).

→ More information & bookings here

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And a couple more special guesthouses that I’m planning to visit in the coming months…

• Savanna Guest House (Dedoplistskaro): Located at the gateway to Vashlovani National Park. More info & bookings here.
• Shio’s Stone House (Tusheti): I can’t wait to sleep amongst the stone towers. More info & bookings here.
• Peak Mazeri Guest House (Mazeri, Svaneti): This village is a quieter alternative to Mestia. More info & bookings here.
• Parna Cottage (Balda, Samegrelo): A beautiful wooden Oda house in Samegrelo region. More info & bookings here.

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More great guesthouse accommodations in Georgia

By no means an exhaustive list, this round-up of some of the best guesthouses in Georgia’s larger cities and tourist hot spots should give you a taste of what’s available. Every guesthouse in this section is highly recommended by other travellers for its location, cleanliness, comfort and hospitality.

Best Tbilisi guesthouses

Tbilisi understandably has the most diverse accommodation options of any city in Georgia – from boutique hotels to cool hostels and everything in between.

Guesthouses in Tbilisi might be a little different in that the host family might not live on the property. Laundries are notoriously hard to come by in Tbilisi, so keep an eye out for a place with a washing machine.

If you’re travelling in summer, you should definitely choose a place with air conditioning.

Also read: Top 12 Airbnbs in Tbilisi Old Town.

Vintage Room 1905

From 35 USD | Check prices & availability on Booking.com

An atmospheric home decorated in the ‘old style’, Vintage Room 1905 has hardwood floors, beautiful Caucasian carpets, and walls and cabinets plied with artwork, old books, and antiques. The location near Marjanashvili Metro Station is ideal.

Private rooms sleep up to three adults and all bathrooms are shared. The host, Tamazi, is renowned for her expertise in Georgian history – and for her excellent taste in wine.

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Pheasant Home in Old Tbilisi

From 33 USD | It may look like a crumbling house (read: fire hazard) from the outside, but on the inside, this Tbilisi guesthouse is thoroughly modern and sparsely decorated. Rooms feature air conditioning and the house has a washer/dryer.

The location is good, about one kilometre from Freedom Square (the heart of Tbilisi), and close to public transport. Note that breakfast is not included.

Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

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Guest House Rampa

From 25 USD | This family-run guesthouse has more of a backpackers feel than the others on this list. The basement is dedicated to a large common area, with several compact but comfortable guest rooms on the house’s upper floor.

Most feature an en suite bathroom and private entrance. Centrally located close to the Botanical Garden and Abanotubani sulfur baths, some of the rooms feature views of Narikala Fortress.

Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

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Gutsa Artists Guest House

From 31 USD | A two-minute walk from Rustaveli Metro Station in Tbilisi’s historic centre, this homestay is set in a beautiful 19th-century house.

Bike rentals, free laundry, airport transfers and a common kitchen are all provided. Private rooms feature high ceilings and en suite bathrooms.

Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

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Mais Guest House

From 42 USD | Located in Tbilisi’s up-market Vake neighbourhood, the real draw of this guesthouse is its gorgeous, leafy balcony. There is also a washing machine and a shared kitchen for preparing your own meals.

Budget and deluxe rooms are clean and minimal, and all have private bathrooms attached.

Check prices & availability on Agoda.com.

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Best Kutaisi guesthouses

In Kutaisi, Georgia’s second-biggest city and former administrative capital, it’s all about old-world charm and lavish decoration. The city is compact and walkable. See my detailed district guide and accommodation recommendations here.

The old town area around Central Park and Colchis Fountain is an ideal place to base your stay.

Grand Piano Villa

From 28 USD | Check prices & availability on Booking.com

For a taste of that elegance Kutaisi is renowned for, look no further than Grand Piano. This guesthouse features ceiling roses, moulding, chandeliers, parquet floors, and a signature alabaster J. Becker piano in the living room.

Guest rooms are spacious, bright and tastefully decorated, with terraces overlooking the Rioni River and private bathrooms. Hosts Konstantine and Maria provide a generous breakfast. The location is excellent, close to Kutaisi’s atmospheric fresh food market.

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Kutaisi Best Guest House

From 18 USD | The self-proclaimed best guest house in Kutaisi, this budget-friendly property is footsteps from the Colchis Fountain and close to most of the city’s best restaurants and bars, including popular Palaty.

The house features tidy guest rooms. The underground wine cellar and big sun terrace set it apart from other guesthouses in the area. Owner Petre is a very generous host.

Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

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Traveller’s House

From 16 USD | Perfect for budget and solo travellers, this Kutaisi guesthouse is walking distance from the centre of Kutaisi. Elegant rooms sleep up to four people. Bathrooms are shared. The common area includes a green terrace and a cosy lounge room with a fireplace.

Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

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Kutaisi Hotel California

From 24 USD | Our guest house of choice, this Kutaisi accommodation features huge private rooms with en suite bathrooms and plenty of natural light.

Host Leila is an absolute delight and takes a genuine interest in all her guests (and their whereabouts at any given time of day). On our most recent visit, we had accidentally made a reservation for the wrong day but she still accommodated us.

Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

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Nana’s Home

From 24 USD | A cosy guesthouse located in a quiet neighbourhood close to Kutaisi Park. Nana’s Home has a beautiful garden and barbecue facilities, washing machines, a shared kitchen, and brand new, sparkling bathrooms.

The house’s matriarch, Nana, is purportedly a kindly host who will happily furnish you with lavish breakfasts and late-night snacks. There is private parking on site.

Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

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Best Sighnaghi Guesthouses

A short bus ride east of Tbilisi, the pretty walled city of Sighnaghi in Kakheti is debatably the most picturesque spot in Georgia. Good old-fashioned hospitality abounds in these parts – helped along by the wine, which flows ever so freely.

Sighnaghi is small, so in terms of location, you can’t really go wrong. It is hilly, so be prepared for a bit of a climb to get a guesthouse with good views.

See my full Kakheti accommodation guide for more tips.

Tsitso & Soso Guesthouse

From 31 USD | Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

Tsistso & Soso Guesthouse is a quaint home with a gorgeous wooden gate out front and spectacular mountain views from the back veranda. Family rooms, some with private bathrooms, are a bit old-fashioned but comfortable.

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Guest House Honeymoon

From 32 USD | Located in the centre of town in one of Sighnaghi’s heritage homes, this guesthouse has double rooms and family suites (all with private bathrooms), and a communal kitchen. Grigol is reportedly a great host. There is free parking on site if you’re driving down from Tbilisi.

Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

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Best Kazbegi guesthouses

One of Georgia’s premier mountain regions, Kazbegi (sometimes called by its new name, Stepantsminda) sits in a valley at the foot of the Greater Caucasus. There are guesthouses on both sides of the Terek River, which runs through the centre. Kazbegi is small, but don’t underestimate the walk across town – it’s steep and quite taxing.

If you’re hiking to Gergeti Trinity or the glacier, you might want to choose a guesthouse on the western side to avoid having to trek through town first.

See my full Kazbegi accommodation guide for more tips.

Guest House Ketino Sujashvili

From 10 USD | Check prices & availability on Booking.com

This Kazbegi guesthouse is a good all-rounder, offering both dormitories and private rooms that sleep between two and four guests. Every room has its own patio, so you can soak up those remarkable Kazbegi views.

Ketino’s cooking is the stuff of legend (the kitchen is also open to non-guests who just want to eat dinner), as is the family’s hospitality. Its location on the same side of the river as Gergeti Trinity makes it a great choice if you’re trekking to the church.

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Veranda Guesthouse

From 20 USD | Rooms here are simple but clean. This Kazbegi guest house is all about the mountain views, which you can drink in from the huge outdoor terrace.

Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

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Giorgi’s Guest House

From 26 USD | A popular, no-frills choice, with double and triple rooms, shared bathrooms, and reliable WiFi. Giorgi’s Guest House is located in the centre of town, close to Kazbegi’s restaurants and cafes.

Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

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Best Batumi guesthouses

It’s all about the outdoors in Georgia’s Black Sea capital. Look for a guesthouse with a nice courtyard, terrace or similar to make the most of your proximity to the ocean. (Just remember, Batumi is notoriously rainy, so a cosy bedroom and a TV isn’t a bad idea either!)

The old town area around the Astronomical Clock (shaded lemon on Google Maps) is an ideal place to stay if you want to be close to restaurants and bars.

Guest House On Europe Square

From 84 USD | Check prices & availability on Booking.com

Owned and run by a father-daughter team, this guesthouse has an unbeatable location, right in the centre of Batumi’s belle epoque Europe Square.

Simple rooms each have their own private bathroom, and there’s a top-floor balcony with city views. The high price tag reflects the location – but tariffs do include breakfast.

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Guest House Nia

From 30 USD | Set on a beautiful property close to Batumi Beach, Guest House Nia has its own pool and lush gardens. Rooms are simple but comfortable, with shared bathrooms and a communal kitchen.

Check prices & availability on Agoda.

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My Warm Guesthouse

From 15 USD | Walking distance from the beach, My Warm Guesthouse is a great budget choice in Batumi. Rooms feature air conditioning and a clean, simple design.

Choose from a private studio with terrace or double, triple or quadruple suites with shared bathrooms.

Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

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Best Mestia guesthouses

Known for its incredible mountains and stone towers, Mestia in Svaneti is remote and rugged. But guesthouses are plentiful.

When deciding where to stay in Mestia, note that the town is quite small, so you’ll never be more than five or 10 minutes’ walk from Seti Square and the town centre.

Bapsha Guesthouse Mestia

From 29 USD | Check prices & availability on Booking.com

A great choice if you’re looking for something clean and modern in Mestia. Bapsha Guesthouse is set in a newly constructed home and features freshly painted, minimal rooms. Nordic vibes all round.

The German owner keeps the place spotless, and the Georgian staff cook local specialties. All rooms feature en suite bathrooms and some have private terraces.

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Nino Ratiani’s Guesthouse

From 10 USD | This charming wooden cottage features twin, triple and family rooms with en suites. The central location – close to the Museum of History and Ethnography – is ideal for exploring the village by foot. Guests all seem to rave about Nino’s cooking.

Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

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Manoni’s Guesthouse

From 11 USD | Manoni’s Guesthouse is a 10-minute walk from town but still supremely quiet and relaxed. Budget rooms with shared bathrooms are clean, and the newer double rooms with en suites are among the nicest in all of Mestia.

Manoni and her family are a superb hosts, even helping us to print some documents at their office in town.

Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

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Guest House Svan-Ski

From 18 USD | Right off Seti Square in the centre of town, this guesthouse in Mestia is very close to transport and restaurants. Rooms are clean if not a little dark. Private bathrooms are an option.

Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

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Sakhli Laghamshi

From 33 USD | Located 25 minutes’ walk from town, this Mestia guesthouse has ski-to-door access, making it ideal for anyone partaking in winter spots.

Rooms are tastefully decorated—especially the two-story studio with sleeping loft. Double and family rooms have private bathrooms and fantastic views of Mestia’s stone towers.

Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

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Best Gori guesthouses

Gori is a pretty city with a dark past. The city’s main residential area is located on the opposite side of the river to most tourist attractions.

I love Gori and highly recommend spending a couple of nights on your way through from Tbilisi to Kutaisi. Here is my full guide to Gori, including 20+ awesome things to do.

Guest House Elene

From 16 USD | Check prices & availability on Booking.com

Guest House Elene is a clean and comfortable family home, with newly renovated and well-appointed guest rooms. Hosts Beka and Ilona lovingly prepare meals for their guests.

The house features a common kitchenette and rooms fitted out with mod-cons (including a fancy flat-screen TV and heated towel racks, if that’s your thing). The guesthouse is located at the northern end of town, about fifteen minutes on foot from the Stalin Museum.

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Guest House Savane

From 29 USD | A popular choice in Gori, Guest House Savane is set in an historical 400-year-old property. Rooms are modern and clean, and the home-cooked breakfast comes highly recommended.

Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

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Nukri Guest House

From 18 USD | This guesthouse is located in a very quiet neighbourhood. Nukri and his wife are kind and accommodating hosts, offering guests a never-ending supply of wine and chacha from the family’s vineyards, and a wonderful breakfast feast.

Check prices & availability on Booking.com.

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Is there a guesthouse in Georgia that you love and would suggest other travellers try too? Please leave your recommendations in the comments below!

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More Georgia accommodation inspiration

• The best nature cabins in Georgia
• The best glamping in Georgia
• The best hotels & chateaux in Kakheti Wine Region
• The best hotels & cabins in Kazbegi