Most tourists sprint through Western Georgia’s Samegrelo region on their way from the city to the mountains of Svaneti.
The region’s green heart is overflowing with nature, history and Megrelian culture, making its villages and small towns an ideal place to pause for a few days.
This is exactly what motivated the three friends behind Karma Hostel to carve out a place where travellers could stop and recharge. Set on a leafy property in Martvili, roughly halfway between Kutaisi and Zugdidi, the hostel combines the atmosphere of a traditional Georgian village homestay with a European twist.
The renovated brick house is one of the best-designed hostels I’ve come across in Georgia. Karma offers both private rooms and a dorm, and there are numerous outdoor spaces to retreat to before coming together with other travellers over a home-cooked meal. If you want to explore the canyons and monasteries around Martvili, this is a terrific place to do it from.
We flew through this area on our first trip around Georgia and I’ve wanted to come back ever since. When our recent road trip routed us through Samegrelo, I was excited to finally spend a night at the hostel that put Martvili on the map.
Please note: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you make a purchase by clicking a link (at no extra cost to you). Learn more. Our stay at Karma Hostel was hosted by the Karma Crew. All opinions & recommendations are 100% my own.
The story
A lot of visitors to Georgia fantasise about buying a property and staying forever (I know the thought has definitely crossed my mind).
Like so many of us, Emanuela, Woody and Max – three friends from Belgium and Poland – each fell in love with the country after travelling here. Emanuela was the first to set down roots. In 2017, she met Woody and along with his travel buddy Max, the trio went about making their dream of opening a guesthouse a reality.
Martvili was always on Emanuela’s radar because of the convenient location and the area’s potential. It took them several months to find the perfect house and another half-year to make it their own.
After 9 months of extensive renovations, Karma Hostel opened to guests in July 2019.
The house
The Karma house, a typical heavy-set brick building ringed by a leafy yard, is an old family home.
It was abandoned – maybe in a rush since the previous owners left their family photo albums behind – and lay empty for 15 years before the Karma Crew came along.
When Emanuela, Woody and Max inherited the home, they didn’t have a grand design in mind for the renovation – everything just sort of came together. With the help of skilled volunteers, made some structural changes, including opening up the ground floor to create a huge open-plan kitchen.
The internal staircase was removed, and the old kitchen became a modern bathroom. This year, they installed a swish bar inside an old shed out the back – one of the most fruitful lockdown projects I’ve seen so far.
The kitchen is the heart of the hostel. In the early morning and late afternoon, guests and staff congregate around the giant island bench and the wooden dining table, hand-crafted by another volunteer, to prepare meals.
The ceramic floor tiles came from Batumi, and many of the decorations in the kitchen and adjoining living area were salvaged from an abandoned school nearby.
The test tubes, beakers and Soviet-era wooden posters they brought home give Karma Hostel its character. An old wood stove and colourful floor rugs complete the cosy space.
Outside, there’s a generous covered porch where guests take their meals in the warmer months. Overhead, a huge balcony dressed with hammocks and daybeds catches the afternoon sun.
The garden stretches out beyond the veranda, and includes a greenhouse fashioned from old window frames, a tiny treehouse, and pens for Karma’s resident sheep, Nina and Simone.
The rooms
Karma has four sleeping areas: A spacious dorm that sleeps up to 18, two smaller rooms that sleep 3 or 4 people, and a private double. All share the bathroom on the lower level.
There’s room to pitch a tent in the backyard if camping is more your style.
We stayed in the Karma Sutra Suite, a huge room with whitewashed floorboards, a teepee bed and private balcony overlooking the yard.
Wooden crates found during the renovation have been cleaned up for bedside tables, and the glassware on the mirror came from the abandoned school. Simple decorations, including a beautiful pair of straw hats, indoor plants and a chandelier crafted from wood, add to the clean, tranquil feel.
The room is a complete retreat from the hostel’s communal areas and perfect for anyone who likes a bit more privacy while still being able to interact with other travellers when they choose.
Food & drink
The food here is a highlight, so I strongly recommend eating your meals at Karma.
Breakfast and a dish of the day served at dinner time are both 100% vegetarian and designed to showcase seasonal produce sourced from Samegrelo.
Georgian fare sometimes makes an appearance, but dishes are usually international. During our stay, we ate an incredible spiced pumpkin soup, eggplant lasagne, and a fresh carrot and cherry tomato salad.
Breakfast usually consists of French-toasted puri accompanied by a plethora of homemade sauces and condiments, local cheese and honey, homemade granola, and fresh fruit.
Karma’s own vegetable garden and greenhouse are a self-described work in progress. Luckily they have friendly neighbours to fill in any deficits – people regularly pop through the back gate with fruit and vegetable offerings.
I was sitting on the veranda one afternoon when a neighbour suddenly appeared with a garden hoe in one hand and a huge bowl of misshapen tomatoes in the other. Those became the basis for our dinner.
Many of the other people in the village are elderly, so the Karma Crew repays the favour by lending them a hand with odd jobs around their homes and yards.
This reciprocity has been crucial to the hostel’s success so far – you can’t live in a rural village in Georgia and not have a close relationship with your neighbours. Karma feels like part of the Martvili community and that really adds to the experience of staying here.
Whenever I travel through Georgia, I always spot ‘ghost houses’ like this one and wonder what they could become with a little bit of TLC. The renovation, the owners’ philosophy and the close relationship they have cultivated with their neighbours all demonstrate respect for the community and the village culture.
There’s something so special about filling a forgotten house with music and laughter after so many years of dormancy – about honouring the home’s old bones and bringing life back to the garden soil. Karma Hostel will make you fall in love with village life – and maybe even inspire you to put down roots in Georgia.
Things to do in & around Martvili
I’ve gotten to know this part of Georgia a little better over the past 2 weeks and I’ve realised just how much there is to see and do in Samegrelo. Karma Hostel is a great base for exploring the region, especially if you come with your own car.
The town of Martvili with its famous monastery and museum is just a short drive or bus-ride from the Hostel. Popular Martvili Canyon, Okatse Canyon, Prometheus Cave and Kinchkha Waterfall are also located nearby.
Part of Karma’s philosophy is encouraging visitors to get off the beaten path and discover lesser-known nature spots in the area, including Balda Canyon. When you arrive, ask the owners for their tips – they’ll gladly pin you a map of their favourite spots.
If you need a place for lunch, there are two excellent restaurants nearby: Oda Family Marani, set in a historic property near Martvili, and Kalakis Chrdilshi, a local restaurant in Khoni.
Further afield, the hot springs at Nokalakevi are a 20-minute drive away, and the spectacular Dadiani Palace and Botanical Garden in Zugdidi are 1.5 hours from Karma.
Karma Hostel Martvili: The details
Karma Hostel is located on Chikvanaia Street in Martvili, roughly 4 kilometres south of the town centre.
If you’re coming from either Kutaisi or Tbilisi by marshrutka, take a Martvili-bound van and jump off early, near the petrol station. The hostel is a short walk from the highway. There are at least 5 daily vans from Kutaisi’s bus station to Martvili departing between 7.30am and 6pm. If you need it, Karma can organise a transfer from the airport or railway station.
Bookings can be made direct through Karma’s Facebook page, and you’ll also find them on Booking.com.
Check rates and availability for Karma Hostel here.
Further reading
- 12 best hostels in Tbilisi
- The best boutique hotels in Tbilisi
- Things to do in Kutaisi
- Where to eat in Kutaisi: Best restaurants & cafes
- How to visit Chiatura on a day trip from Kutaisi
- Guide to visiting Tskaltubo from Kutaisi
That sounds lovely! A good reason to stay overnight in Martvili.
Afterwards I would like to continue my journey to Mestia. Is there any direct marshrutka leaving from Martvili to Mestia?
Hi Uli – unfortunately not, but you can head to Zugdidi to pick up a van there or organise a taxi from Martvili.
This sounds wonderful! Definitely keeping this in mind for the next trip west.
I’m sure you’d love it. Lots of canyons and hiking opportunities nearby too!