Guest House Gia

We love coming here as a family, and this was our second year in a row. Mzia is such a warm, welcoming host, always responsive and ready to help. She even serves her signature khachapuri when we arrive or leave. The setup works well: there are several fridges and a kitchen downstairs, another kitchen upstairs for three rooms, and new rooms on the third floor that will also get their own kitchen. The bright rooms have decent wardrobes and feel almost like home. Their furniture is in good shape, and they're kept clean. The balconies are broad and roomy, just right for a quiet evening with a book or gadget. Wi-Fi is strong throughout the courtyard and on the third floor, even reaching the cafe 30 meters away. Outside, there are two green areas with hammocks and swings in the large courtyard. You can barbecue, then sit under the canopy with wine and enjoy the mild, warm air. Kids can run around and play without you worrying where they are. The sea is only about 100 meters away. The beach is pebbly, and the water seemed the cleanest along the Georgian coast.

This was a really upsetting stay, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone for a holiday. My friend and I booked a double room for July 2017 a month ahead, speaking with the owner on Skype. We specifically asked for two separate beds, a balcony, and air conditioning. Booking.com showed lots of pictures, but they turned out to be of a different hotel. There were three photos of a hotel and room that didn't exist, plus 42 pictures of food. We came by train from Tbilisi early in the morning. A very courteous, rather complex man met us at the station, took our bags, and showed us the way, but brought us somewhere completely different from the photos. He dropped us off and hurried away, leaving us with the administrator. The owner was abroad. The rooms were awful, dark and damp, with almost no windows and certainly no balconies. The furniture looked like it was from Soviet times. The first room they offered was so bad we felt like crying. When they saw how unhappy we were, they showed us another room with a window facing a shared passageway or terrace. Nobody could tell us the address or the name of the guesthouse when we asked. They did promise good food, but that wasn't enough. We tried messaging the owner, calling on Skype, and asking the management to reach him by phone, but got no response. We posted our complaints about the owner on Booking.com and found another place to stay, a nice little hotel on the same street. The owner didn't seem surprised, as if he knew not everyone would like this place for a holiday. On the third day, he returned my Skype call and offered to refund the first night's deposit. He even brought it to me at the agreed place.

The hosts were friendly, and the room had all the amenities. It's close to the sea and quiet and peaceful, provided your roommates don't yell or bang doors, especially in the morning.

It's just a five-minute walk to the sea. The rooms are clean and cozy, and the hosts are warm and welcoming. A wonderful house.