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Homestay in GeorgiaEnjoy Georgian Hospitality in Tblisi. Opt out of the hotel scene!Stay at the home of Nasi, a retired teacher of German. She doesn't speak much English, but even if you can't communicate beyond a few sentences, you can feel her warmth.
Tucked into a green, leafy little courtyard just across the river from the city center, and one block away from Marjanishvili metro station, Nasi Gvetadze's Homestay is a perfect option for budget and adventurous travelers visiting Tblisi. The homestay is a modest, early 20th-century apartment decorated in the venerated "grandmother" style, with comfortable beds, slippers distributed at the door, and even hot showers on request (believe me, a luxury if you have just come in overland from Armenia.) If you speak German or Russian, Nasi will regale you with tales of the hard times and hungry winters in Tblisi, when electricity and water were cause for celebration (people used to literally dance, sometimes, when the lights came on) and tell you how lucky she feels to have been able to convert her apartment into a modest business. If you haven't had the chance to learn either of these languages, you'll still have the benefit of her warm smile--and Nasi seems to have become quite adept, over years of hosting backpackers, at communicating with her hands. These are not luxury accommodations, or Western bed-and-breakfast style. Your money gets you a bed in a shared room. Showers are $1 extra, and electricity is strictly rationed by Nasi (bills for water and electricity in Tblisi are outrageous). In April and May, the rooms may be a bit cold, as central heating is non-existent in this part of Tblisi. But Nasi's hospitality, and a good bottle of the famous Georgian wine, should do the trick if you are traveling outside the June--August peak tourist season. Nasi will stay up late and worry about you if you are out after dark in the city, and for good reason--although Tblisi is breathtakingly beautiful, and well worth exploring, the bad old days are not entirely gone and visitors should still watch their step after dark. That being said, it is just a short walk across the bridge from the homestay to the Respulikis Moedani, the center of Tblisi. From there into the old town, where crumbling mansions and crooked, leafy streets invite hours of walking, interspersed with side-trips to cafes to fortify yourself with Turkish coffee and khachapuri, a Georgian cheese-filled bread that is addictive, fattening, and ridiculously delicious. Afterwards if you are not too loaded down with khachapuri, take a trip to the mountaintop fortress or visit Tblisi's botanical gardens. Tblisi is a city of wonders, recovering slowly from decades of poverty, but the people don't seem at all defeated: their friendliness and hospitality can be almost overwhelming at times. Nasi Gvetadze's homestayMarjanishvili 30Tel: 95-08-94Also See: Books About the Caucasus
The copyright of the article Homestay in Georgia in Republic of Georgia Travel is owned by Ray Nayler. Permission to republish Homestay in Georgia in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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