Deciding where to stay in Tbilisi can be a mammoth task. We recently spent and hour with friends trawling through lists of the best places to stay in Tbilisi, matching areas, prices and facilities. There seems to be a guesthouse in every building and a new hotel in Tbilisi every week.
We’ve now stayed in over 10 different kinds of accommodation in Tbilisi, some of which we loved, others well… not so much. So we’ve written this article to make your decision about where to stay in Tbilisi an easy one!
We know that our tastes and budget might not suit every traveller and that’s why we enlisted the help of some other travellers who loved the places they chose too. Then we put it all together in this handy article to give you a rundown of all the best places to stay in Tbilisi for every budget and travel style.
If you’re wondering what to do while you’re there you can read our full Tbilisi itinerary.
The Best Areas to Stay in Tbilisi
First things first, Tbilisi is quite a big city and it can be difficult to work out where the best area to base yourself is. The good thing about Tbilisi is that most areas of the city are well connected by public transport and have access to shops, cafes and restaurants. You can read about our favourite cafes and find a map here.
So let’s start with a quick overview of the best areas of Tbilisi for tourists to stay so you can decide what fits your needs, interests and budget. All walking distances are to Freedom Square, the centre point of Tbilisi. All taxi prices are using the Yandex taxi app. For more info about public transport in Tbilisi read our full article here.
Tbilisi Old Town
Walking distance: 2-3 minutes
Taxi cost: N/A
Closest Metro Station: Freedom Square
Tbilisi old town is one of the best places to stay in Tbilisi. There are many hotels and the best hostels to stay in Tbilisi.
This is the centre of the tourist area and is a good base if you don't have a lot of time to see everything or you want to come to and from your accommodation during the day. There are some beautiful renovated traditional houses and you can find hostels, hotels, guesthouses and Airbnbs on every corner.
Prices in this area will be a lot higher than other areas of the city, especially in the high season. Also, be aware that most parts are pedestrian-only or very narrow so it can be difficult to park a car nearby.
Avlabari
Walking distance: 20-25 minutes
Taxi cost: 3-4 GEL
Closest Metro: Avlabari
Avlabari is a great area to stay in Tbilisi. Little bit outside of the city centre makes it the best place to stay on a budget in Tbilisi.
This is a good place to stay in Tbilisi on a budget. It's close to the old town but a lot more local and prices tend to be a lot lower. The area is across the river from the old town and has many small shops and a handful of local restaurants.
There are some larger hotels in this area but mainly rentable apartments which can be hit and miss. The area has good parking options and this is where public transport leaves to Yerevan and the Kakheti region.
Mtatsminda/Rustavali
Walking distance: 10-15 minutes
Taxi cost: 2-3 GEL
Closest Metro Station: Rustaveli or Freedom Square
Rustaveli avenue is one of the best places to stay in Tbilisi. Very central and close to a lot very good restaurants and attractions in Tbilisi, with the best hotels to stay in Tbilisi.
Rustavali is the main boulevard of Tbilisi and is lined with shops, cafes and hotels. It starts from Freedom Square in the centre of Tbilisi and stretches for several kilometres. There are several of Tbilisi's most luxurious hotels in on the street as well as museums and theatres.
The tangled streets stretching up the hill behind Rustaveli make up the cute little suburb of Mtatsminda, named after the hill it's on. There are more and more hostels and guesthouses popping up in this area and there are plenty of great options. It's a good area for being close to cafes and restaurants but not right in the middle of the old town.
Vake/Vera
Walking distance: 30 minutes
Taxi price: 3-5 GEL
Nearest Metro: Rustaveli
Vera is a great area to stay in Tbilisi, some of the best hotels in Tbilisi are located here.
Vake is an up-market local area with all kinds of great cafes, bars and restaurants. This is a great area to be based if you plan to stay more than a couple of days in Tbilisi and want a base in a quiet area with access to everything you need without going in to the city centre. There are some guesthouses in this area but most accommodation is private apartment rental.
At the end of the main street is Vake Park which is a peaceful area to wander and has access to Turtle Lake and the Ethnographic Museum via cable car.
New Tifilis/Marjanishvili
Walking distance: 15-20 minutes
Taxi fare: 3-5 GEL
Closest Metro: Marjanishvili
One of the best places to stay in Tbilisi. some of the best accommodation in Tbilisi are located here.
This is one of our favourite areas of Tbilisi for wandering. The area stretching from the Dry Bridge Flea Market along the recently renovated facades of Davit Aghmashenebeli Avenue to Marjanishvili Metro Station is full of bars and restaurants, although some parts are very touristy.
The back streets of this area provide architecture lovers with great photo opportunities and there's some awesome street art mainly centred around the hipster complex of Fabrika. An old Soviet sewing factory converted into a hostel, cafe, bar, co-working space and courtyard with bars, restaurants and start-ups. This area is a great mix of local traditions, the rising Tbilisi hipster scene and tourist comforts. Prices here can be expensive along the main street but much more affordable in apartments and guesthouses a couple of blocks back.
The Best Hostels in Tbilisi, Georgia
Pushkin 10 Hostel
Area: Tbilisi Old Town/Rustaveli
by Rohan of Travels of a Bookpacker
Pushkin 10 is one of the best hostels in Tbilisi. Best accommodation in Tbilisi.
This is our top choice of hostel when we stay in Tbilisi. It’s located, as the name suggests, on Pushkin street just outside the walls of the old town and two minutes walk from Freedom Square. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants within walking distance but the highlights are Tbilisi’s best burger restaurant (Burger House) just across the road and the famous cha-cha bar Warsaw within stumbling distance.
The hostel offers dorm rooms with private lights and curtains on each bunk bed. There is also a comfortable double room. The shared bathrooms are clean and spacious and there is also a common area, washing facilities, a kitchen and a balcony overlooking the city. The selling point though is the free pancakes and coffee every morning, perfect for filling your stomach before a busy day exploring Tbilisi.
Fabrika Hostel
Area: Majarnishvili
by Max of Travels of a Bookpacker
Fabrika is the hippest place to stay in Tbilisi. One of the best places to stay in Tbilisi.
Fabrika Tbilisi is definitely the most stylish hostel in Tbilisi. The hostel is housed in an old soviet sewing factory which the owner converted into a very unique and interesting space with a big cafe/bar community area and a huge courtyard outside with a lot of different little bars restaurants and artsy shops.
The hostel itself offers very well equipped and spacious dorm rooms as well as plenty of double rooms with private bathrooms. One of the highlights is the best and freshest buffet breakfast that Tbilisi has to offer! We are big fans.
The hostel is located in one of the most beautiful parts of Tbilisi, close to the newly renovated facades of Davit Aghmashenebeli Avenue and just a casual 20 minutes walk over the dry bridge to the city centre around Freedom Square. If you walk in the other direction from Fabrika hostel you’ll find many beautiful typical old Tbilisi style buildings which showcase the real beauty of this amazing city!
Hostel Pinn
Area: Tbilisi Old Town
by Bilyana of Owl Over The World
One of the best hostels to stay in Tbilisi.
There are many things to do in Tbilisi and some of the best ones are just within a walking distance from Hostel Pinn. I stayed in this hostel for 5 nights in total and liked it a lot.
The hostel is pretty new, it's very clean and well maintained and it's not that big, so you can easily meet everyone staying there and find a travel buddy if you're traveling solo. On top of that, the hostel also have a kitchen and fast and reliable Wi-Fi connection.
Hostel Pinn is within few minutes walk from Freedom Square, the Old Town and overall the center of Tbilisi. If you decide to stay there, it would very easy for you to get around. Plus, the Freedom Square that it's so close is a place where you can find plenty of public transport options to take you to places that are further away from the center.
Even if you're not a solo traveler, or just looking for some more privacy, no worries, Hostel Pinn offers private rooms as well.
M42 Hostel
Area: Mtatsminda
by Campbell & Alya of Stingy Nomads
One of the best hostels to stay in Tbilisi.
We spent about a month traveling in Georgia mainly staying in Tbilisi and doing 2 or 3-day trips to different areas of the country, thanks to its small size nothing is really far from the capital. All the time in Tbilisi we stayed at M42 hostel - it became our Georgian home. When we went for our trips we always could store some extra luggage in the hostel which was quite handy.
The hostel is a big private house with common areas and a kitchen on the ground floor and rooms (dormitories and private) on the top floors. An outside garden was a place of gathering; almost every night guests and owners were sitting outside, drinking local Georgian wine and chatting. The owners - two girls, spoke good English which made it easy to communicate. Hostel guests were a mix of backpackers and families traveling with children so it’s not a big party hostel more a “staying with friends” kind of place.
The location of the hostel is quite central; close to the main streets, it’s easy to move around by public transport, but far enough from traffic noises, in a quiet neighbourhood. There is a small bakery next to M42 where we used to buy fresh (sometimes still very hot) local bread baked in a traditional Georgian oven.
Mountain Hostel 13
Area: Vera
by Kay of Jetfarer
One of the best hostels to stay in Tbilisi!
Tucked into a residential area with lots of historic houses, Mountain 13 Hostel is a home away from home for budget travelers in Tbilisi. Built in a big, old house, the rooms are cozy and spacious and the staff is very kind and hospitable. While there are only a few bathrooms for the whole house, they’re always clean and you never have to wait too long before one opens up.
Downstairs, there’s a full kitchen, refrigerator, dining area, and a large lounging area with comfortable sofas. It felt very homey and familial during the 5 nights I was staying there. Arguably the best part about Mountain 13 Hostel is the amazing, open-air terrace with spectacular views of the city and the mountains in the distance.
Located in the quiet and charming Vera neighborhood of Tbilisi, it’s within walking distance to Rustaveli Avenue and the Rustaveli metro station, providing easy access to all of Tbilisi’s main attractions. It’s the perfect choice for budget or solo travelers looking to meet people and stay in a place that feels a little like home.
One of the best hostels to stay in Tbilisi.
For backpackers and budget travelers, I would always recommend Shakespeare's Rooms in Old Tbilisi. It's inexpensive, it offers free laundry!, it's clean, and it's right in the centre of town, around 3 minutes’ walk from Freedom Square and Sioni Cathedral, and walking distance to most tourist attractions in Tbilisi.
The dorm room has 7 beds; it has its own bathroom and a balcony where I hung my clothes. From the balcony, you can see the statue of the Mother of Georgia. Aside from the free laundry, you can cook too, and use the fridge. And while it's right in the centre, you can hardly hear the noise from your room.
Want food? Just go down the building and you'll find all kinds of restaurants at various price points. There are travel agencies minutes from the hostel too, that can take you on tours in and outside of the city.
The Best Hotels in Tbilisi, Georgia
Rooms Hotel
Area: Rustaveli
by Rohan of Travels of a Bookpacker
Rooms Hotel is the best place to stay in Tbilisi. One of the best hotels to stay in Tbilisi.
For visitors who aren’t traveling on a budget, Rooms Hotel is one of the top places to stay in Tbilisi. The modern, chic design of the hotel would be right at home in Berlin with repurposed old furniture and wooden feature, towering bookshelves, intricately tiled floors and plants growing in all directions. The rooms are simplistic yet beautiful, some have full bath tubs, writing desks and views of the garden below.
The hotel is located just of Rustaveli Avenue about 15 minutes walk from Freedom Square. The site includes a restaurant and bar which is open to the public. The same company own the café across the road ‘Lolita’ and the recently opened Stamba Hotel next door which utilises an old printing house and has been converted into an incredible café, restaurant, casino and hotel space. The whole corner is worth a visit even if a stay is out of your budget, the food is really good and only slightly higher than other café prices.
IOTA Hotel
Area: Tbilisi Old Town
by Margherita of The Crowded Planet
IOTA Hotel is one of the best hotels to stay in Tbilisi.
Last year I spent a week in Tbilisi, moving between different hotels, and my favourite was definitely Hotel Iota, a five-star property located right next to the Tbilisi Old Town. The reason why I loved Iota so much is that it's different from all other five star hotels I've been to - the decor mixed raw materials with industrial details, creating an edgy, alternative vibe, so much different from the usual marble and glistening mirrors found in luxury hotels.
In the common spaces there's plenty of sunlight, with big glass windows looking out into a landscaped garden, making for great breakfast views. For the evening, if you don't want to get out into the Old Town, there's also a cosy wine bar in the basement with lots of excellent Georgian wines.
On top of that, the hotel is fairly small with only 90 rooms, and you can book a room for as little as €120 a night - not bad for a five star place!
Museum Hotel Orbeliani
Area: Tbilisi Old Town/Rustaveli
by Emily of Wander-Lush
Museum Hotel is one of the best places to stay in Tbilisis. Best Accommodation in Tbilisis!
Like so many buildings in Old Tbilisi, Museum Hotel Orbeliani has a fascinating backstory.
The 46-room boutique hotel started life as a private residence of the Orbelianis—a noble family of politicians, scientists, poets and playwrights. According to local legend, the house became famous as a place where clandestine lovers could exchange romantic letters, with one of the Orbeliani daughters playing matchmaker. (The story even features in a recent novel about 17th-century Tbilisi.) In tribute to its history, Museum Hotel has a writer’s desk and letter box in the reception area, where guests are encouraged to pen their own notes.
After a period of abandonment, the house was completely transformed. It’s decorated tastefully in the ‘Old Georgian’ style, with antique Caucasian carpets and art-deco flourishes. Rooms are modern and well-appointed. There are three venues on the property: Museum Cafe, Mixology Bar 810 (a rooftop bar), and Sirajkhana Wine Restaurant, which serves Georgian-Persian cuisine.
Museum Hotel is located steps away from Tbilisi’s Dry Bridge Market and walking distance from Liberty Square and the heart of the Old Town. Rooms start from 180 USD/night.
Hotel Old Georgia
Area: Avlabari
by Kami of Kami and the Rest of the World
One of the best places to stay in Tbilisis.
I've visited Tbilisi 10 or so times and each time I've stayed at a different place, mostly in the old town. During my recent visit I booked Hotel Old Georgia and it was a perfect choice. It is located at Ketevan Tsamebuli Avenue, just a few steps away from the metro station Avlabari and a short walk down to Kura river and Old Tbilisi.
This is a small hotel with only very few rooms but that's what makes it great! The staff is extremely nice and hospitable, giving you all the attention you need and answering all the questions about the city. The room I stayed at was spacious, really nice and so comfortable! It was equipped with minibar, private bathroom and - what was the most important to me in July - air condition.
The complimentary breakfast is included and it's served to your room - you can choose from local and international dishes and, as everywhere in Georgia, the food is really delicious. I can definitely recommend this place, especially to solo travellers and couples. The location, cosiness and a good value for money make it a perfect place to stay at in Tbilisi.
Apartments in Tbilisi
If you’re spending longer than a couple of days in Tbilisi and like to have your own place to relax you might consider booking an apartment. Especially in the summer months, you can find some great deals meaning you get a whole apartment to yourself for cheaper than a hotel or even a hostel room. They mostly have washing and cooking facilities and some space to spread out!
Here are some tried and tested options in different areas of the city. Get a $30 discount on your first booking on Airbnb here.
Apartment in Vake
This is a lovely spacious and light apartment with a full kitchen and washing facilities. The owners are lovely and friendly and there is good WiFi. Supermarkets, cafes and shops all within five minutes walking distance and Rustaveli is just 10 minutes away.
Apartment in Avlabari
The quirky interior design of this place makes it an interesting place to stay. It has a open plan living room, kitchen and bedroom (with sliding doors) with plenty of space. There is a supermarket across the road and the metro is a ten-minute walk away.
Apartment in Mtatsminda
This recently renovated apartment is nicely designed and very comfortable. Located on a quiet street with parking available. Perfect for relaxing but not being too far away from the action. Also has a kitchen and washing machine.
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