Lemon Family Guesthouse

I had a great time there and felt very lucky to have such a homey, quiet stay. I was the only guest while I was there, and I enjoyed cooking in the kitchen. There's a fridge for storing food, plus a garden with lovely flowers and trees. A fig tree stood just outside my room, facing the main road. The lady helper did my laundry for free, and I met the owner's cute little dog. The owner was helpful, the Wi-Fi was speedy, and the shower and toilet were spacious and super clean, though outside my room. I had booked a shared dorm but got a private room instead. It was a little hard to find at first, but two helpful local students I asked at the metro station took me there. I stayed for a few days during my visit to Tbilisi in September 2015, and didn't have a single issue. I'd seen bad comments about the owner, but maybe he'd been going through a rough time.

The basics are functional, and the host family is very helpful and tries to assist guests however they can. Rooms are spacious, with plenty of garden space outside, which is great for families with kids or pets. There's free Wi-Fi, and the neighborhood is quiet, green, and feels very safe. The surrounding hills are visible, with mountain views on clear days. It's good value for budget travelers, especially couples and families. Guramishvili metro station is about 10 minutes away. The trip by metro to Liberty Square and the edge of Old Tbilisi takes around 30 minutes door to door. Shops, a restaurant, and a small supermarket are a 5-10 minute walk, while a large 24-hour supermarket is about 20 minutes away on foot. A taxi to the city is about $2.5 (GEL 5), to the airport $8-10 (GEL 16-20), and from the airport $12-15 (GEL 25-30).

This is just my own experience, and I don't know why the previous review gave five stars. The host was drunk, angry, and aggressive all the time. He sexually harassed my girlfriend right in front of me, trying to kiss her after she'd clearly said no. I stopped him, and he kicked us out while swearing at us. A serious warning, avoid this hostel, especially if you're a woman.

We were meant to stay four nights, but were thrown out in the middle of the night. The first night was fine. On the second, we heard glass breaking and the host yelling at a woman, forcing his dog on her and beating her. Then he banged on every guest's door, including ours, demanding we leave at three in the morning. Little kids and adults were all left with nowhere to go. When we asked for the money we'd paid in advance, he shouted and cursed at us. We called the police and got our money back. His aunt Isolda spoke to the officers in Georgian, and they seemed to reach an understanding. Maybe she offered them money, who knows. The police should have issued a warrant against him hosting international guests in those conditions. The hosts are either dishonest people playing tricks on guests for money or people who shouldn't be hosting. At first, I thought the host might be autistic because he seemed a bit inadequate, but now I think he's mentally ill. Never stay here, I warn you all!