Where to stay · Tbilisi · Georgia
Where to stay in Tbilisi
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Gerd Eichmann, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Old Tbilisi. Sulphur baths, balconied houses, churches and wine bars below Narikala. Best alternatives — families: Vake; budget: Marjanishvili and Chugureti.
Key facts
- First visit
- Old Tbilisi
- Families
- Vake
- Budget
- Marjanishvili and Chugureti
- Nightlife
- Old Tbilisi
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Old Tbilisi | Sulphur baths, balconied houses, churches and wine bars below Narikala |
| Families | Vake | Upmarket residential area with boutiques, restaurants and a big park |
| Couples | Old Tbilisi | Sulphur baths, balconied houses, churches and wine bars below Narikala |
| Budget | Marjanishvili and Chugureti | Left-bank district of Fabrika, hostels and a restored 19th-century avenue |
| Luxury | Rustaveli and Mtatsminda | The grand avenue of theatres, museums and big hotels below the TV tower |
| Nightlife | Old Tbilisi | Sulphur baths, balconied houses, churches and wine bars below Narikala |
| Food lovers | Sololaki | Grand 19th-century houses with painted entrance halls and quiet wine bars |
| Solo travellers | Vera | Leafy residential district of cafés, galleries and old houses |
| Shopping | Rustaveli and Mtatsminda | The grand avenue of theatres, museums and big hotels below the TV tower |
| Quiet stays | Sololaki | Grand 19th-century houses with painted entrance halls and quiet wine bars |
Tbilisi neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, culture and nightlife
Old Tbilisi
The historic core around Abanotubani, Meidan Square, Shardeni Street and Kote Afkhazi Street holds the domed sulphur baths, Sioni Cathedral, Anchiskhati Basilica and the Narikala cable car. Hotels range from guesthouses in old houses with carved balconies to boutique hotels, and restaurants and wine bars fill the lanes. It is the most atmospheric and convenient base for first visits.
- Good
- Walk to most sights; Atmospheric streets and views; Dense choice of restaurants and bars
- Watch out
- Steep, uneven cobbles; Touristy restaurants around Shardeni; Some streets are noisy at night
- Nearby
- Abanotubani, Narikala Fortress, Sioni Cathedral, Bridge of Peace
$$ · Best for couples, culture, food lovers and quiet stays
Sololaki
Just west of the Old Town, Sololaki's streets of faded merchant mansions are known for their decorated entrance halls, with painted ceilings, stained glass and carved staircases. It has small wine bars, cafés and guesthouses, and is a five-minute walk from Freedom Square and the Old Town.
- Good
- Characterful, quieter streets; Close to everything; Excellent wine bars
- Watch out
- Many buildings are in poor repair; Steep streets up towards the ridge
- Nearby
- Freedom Square, Kartlis Deda, Old Tbilisi
$$$ · Best for first-timers, luxury, shopping and culture
Rustaveli and Mtatsminda
Rustaveli Avenue runs from Freedom Square past the Georgian National Museum, the Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Rustaveli Theatre and the Parliament building. Larger international and business hotels cluster here, with the funicular up to Mtatsminda Park just above. It has the city's best metro links.
- Good
- Central, with metro stations; Big hotels with full facilities; Museums and theatres on the doorstep
- Watch out
- Heavy traffic on the avenue; Less charm than the Old Town
- Nearby
- Georgian National Museum, Rustaveli Avenue, Mtatsminda Park
$$ · Best for solo travellers, quiet stays and food lovers
Vera
North-west of Rustaveli Avenue, Vera is a hilly, tree-lined district of 19th- and early-20th-century houses, small cafés and galleries. It has a local feel with apartments and guesthouses, and it is a walk or short metro ride from the Old Town.
- Good
- Local atmosphere; Good cafés; Quieter than the centre
- Watch out
- Hilly streets; Fewer hotels
- Nearby
- Vera Park, Rustaveli Avenue, Vake
$$$ · Best for families, luxury, shopping and quiet stays
Vake
Vake is Tbilisi's most affluent residential district, along Chavchavadze Avenue, with boutiques, cafés, international restaurants and Vake Park. A cable car rises from the park area to Turtle Lake and the Open Air Museum of Ethnography. It is about 15 minutes by taxi from the Old Town.
- Good
- Green and calm; Good restaurants and cafés; Family-friendly parks
- Watch out
- Away from the historic sights; No metro station
- Nearby
- Vake Park, Turtle Lake, Open Air Museum of Ethnography
$ · Best for budget, solo travellers, nightlife and food lovers
Marjanishvili and Chugureti
Across the river, Chugureti centres on Aghmashenebeli Avenue, a restored 19th-century pedestrian stretch of cafés and restaurants, and Fabrika, a former Soviet sewing factory turned hostel and creative hub with courtyard bars. It is popular with younger and budget travellers and well connected by metro.
- Good
- Good-value hostels and hotels; Creative bar scene; Metro access
- Watch out
- Some streets are run-down; A 20–30-minute walk from the Old Town
- Nearby
- Fabrika, Aghmashenebeli Avenue, Dry Bridge Market
$ · Best for budget, families and solo travellers
Avlabari
Avlabari rises from Rike Park on the left bank to the vast Holy Trinity Cathedral. It has many family-run guesthouses and small hotels with views over the Old Town, and its metro station is one stop from Freedom Square. The Bridge of Peace links it to the Old Town on foot.
- Good
- Low prices and views; Metro access; Walk across the river to the Old Town
- Watch out
- Steep climbs; Few restaurants of note
- Nearby
- Holy Trinity Cathedral, Rike Park, Metekhi Church
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Old Tbilisi | $$$ | Abanotubani, Narikala Fortress, Sioni Cathedral, Bridge of Peace |
| Sololaki | $$ | Freedom Square, Kartlis Deda, Old Tbilisi |
| Rustaveli and Mtatsminda | $$$ | Georgian National Museum, Rustaveli Avenue, Mtatsminda Park |
| Vera | $$ | Vera Park, Rustaveli Avenue, Vake |
| Vake | $$$ | Vake Park, Turtle Lake, Open Air Museum of Ethnography |
| Marjanishvili and Chugureti | $ | Fabrika, Aghmashenebeli Avenue, Dry Bridge Market |
| Avlabari | $ | Holy Trinity Cathedral, Rike Park, Metekhi Church |
Getting to your hotel
Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) is about 17 km south-east of the centre. Bus 337 runs to the city centre and railway station, and a taxi or Bolt ride takes about 25–30 minutes. Kutaisi (KUT), about 230 km west, is served by low-cost airlines, with shuttle buses to Tbilisi taking about 4 hours.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Tbilisi for first-time visitors?
Old Tbilisi. The historic core around Abanotubani, Meidan Square, Shardeni Street and Kote Afkhazi Street holds the domed sulphur baths, Sioni Cathedral, Anchiskhati Basilica and the Narikala cable car.
+Where should families stay in Tbilisi?
Vake: Green and calm.
+Which area of Tbilisi is best for a budget stay?
Marjanishvili and Chugureti ($): Left-bank district of Fabrika, hostels and a restored 19th-century avenue.