Tbili saxli Guest House — Akhaltsikhe, Samtskhe-Javakheti

The Region

Samtskhe-Javakheti — where wisdom met the frontier.

This is the land of knowledge, wisdom, and frontier warriors — the homeland of Shota Rustaveli, poet of The Knight in the Panther's Skin. For centuries it stood at the crossroads of Georgian kings, Ottoman pashas, Armenian craftsmen, and Catholic missioners whose presence earned the region the nickname "the French".

Samtskhe-Javakheti spreads across volcanic plateaus, alpine lakes and pine-clad gorges between 1,000 and 2,800 metres. The air is dry and clean, summers are warm and quiet, winters bright and snowy. From Akhaltsikhe within an hour you reach Vardzia, Rabati, Abastumani, Borjomi and the Zekari pass; a little further lie Akhalkalaki, Paravani Lake and the wildflower meadows of Goderdzi.

If you arrive in harvest season the garden offers cherries, apples, plums, pears and grapes straight from the tree, along with homemade wine, churchkhela and preserves prepared by Marine herself.

2004

First guest house in the region

Marine — founder, host, and chef of Tbili saxli.

Our Home

The first guest house in the region — born from a single spark.

When there was no guest house for miles around, a friend simply asked: 'Could you host a Dutch traveller in your home?' That one request became the spark. Marine opened her doors — and in doing so, opened the door for an entire neighbourhood to follow.

With her 12-year-old daughter at her side, Marine walked into every tourist company in Tbilisi to introduce herself and offer partnership. She helped many other guest houses build — she set the standard, and they followed. But the food? That is beyond standard.

She did not just build a guest house — she showed her whole community that hospitality could be a livelihood. Today, what started as one family home has become the anchor of a neighbourhood that welcomes the world. If you want to travel and see real Georgia — go to Meskheti.

20+

Years hosting

50

Garden seats

100%

Home cooking

The Rooms

Bright bedrooms, crisp white linen, country quiet.

Four cosy guest bedrooms with wooden floors, vintage furniture, and freshly pressed white sheets. Every room is aired, cleaned and prepared carefully — the kind of care you can feel the moment you step in.

Guest bedroom with white linen and morning light

Country bedroom with iron bed and botanical print

Common room with stone fireplace and upright piano

The Hearth Room

After a day in the mountains, gather in the common room around the stone fireplace. There is an old upright piano if anyone in the family plays — many evenings turn into impromptu sing-alongs.

Your Stay

Everything you need to feel at home.

Tbili saxli is a small family-run guest house — not a hotel. Quiet rooms with fresh linens, hot showers, free Wi-Fi, secure parking, and a long garden table where strangers leave as friends. Marine prepares breakfast every morning and a traditional Georgian supra on request.

Home breakfast

Fresh bread, garden herbs, cheese, eggs, honey and seasonal fruit — included.

Georgian supra on request

A full traditional feast for up to 50 guests under the grapevines. Masterclasses of local food available on request.

Local taxi service

We arrange a trusted local driver to Vardzia, Borjomi, Tbilisi airport — anywhere you wish.

Interpreter on request

French-language interpreter available for tours and bookings — please ask in advance.

Garden & supra table

50 seats under grapevines and roses, perfect for family gatherings.

Harvest from the garden

Cherry, plum, apple, pear and grape — straight from the tree in season.

Getting Here

From the airport to your home in Meskheti.

Tbilisi International Airport (TBS)

~200 km · ~3 hours by car. The most connected airport with flights from Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. We can arrange a direct transfer.

Kutaisi International Airport (KUT)

~140 km · ~2.5 hours by car. Popular with low-cost carriers from Europe. A shorter and scenic drive through Imereti.

Around You

Landmarks within a short drive.

Vardzia

A 12th-century cave city carved into the Erusheti cliffs by Queen Tamar — thirteen storeys of chapels, halls, and tunnels above the Mtkvari river. About 1 hour from the guest house.

From the guest house · ~ 60 km

Rabati Castle

The restored citadel of Akhaltsikhe, founded in the 9th century. Within its walls stand an Orthodox church, an Armenian church, a synagogue and a mosque — a living monument to the region's many faiths.

From the guest house · ~ 1 km

Abastumani

A 19th-century alpine spa resort founded for the Romanov family, famous for its pine air, sulphur baths, and the Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory — the first mountain observatory in the former USSR.

From the guest house · ~ 30 km

Borjomi

Georgia's famous mineral-water town in a forested gorge, with the historic Central Park, the Romanov summer palace at Likani, and a cable car climbing into the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park.

From the guest house · ~ 50 km

Zekari Pass

A breathtaking mountain pass at 2,182 m connecting Samtskhe-Javakheti with Imereti through the Adjara-Imereti range. Pine and beech forests, alpine meadows, hidden mineral springs and sweeping Caucasus views — a favourite escape for hikers and off-road travellers.

From the guest house · ~ 45 km

Javakheti Frozen Lakes

From November to March the Javakheti volcanic plateau around Akhalkalaki turns into a silent world of frozen lakes — Khanchali, Madatapa, Sagamo and Bugdasheni — vast white mirrors framed by snowy volcanic cones. A photographer's dream and a rare winter sight in the South Caucasus.

From the guest house · ~ 70 km

Paravani Lake

The largest lake in Georgia at 2,073 m above sea level — a mirror of sky and volcanic peaks. Bronze Age dwellings, wild ducks, and shores covered in alpine wildflowers. Spectacular sunsets and complete silence.

From the guest house · ~ 100 km

Goderdzi Pass

A 2,025 m alpine pass into Adjara, famous for the Goderdzi petrified forest and endless wildflower meadows. In summer the route opens to one of the most beautiful drives in the Caucasus — best reached with a 4×4.

From the guest house · ~ 130 km

Gallery

Quiet rooms, a generous table, a green garden.

Guest Words

What travellers say.

“Marine welcomed us as family. The garden under the grapevines, the supra she prepared… we still talk about it years later. The cleanest room I have ever stayed in.”

Anna L.

Warsaw, Poland

“A hidden treasure of Samtskhe-Javakheti. Perfect base for Rabati and Vardzia. Marine's khachapuri is better than any restaurant in Tbilisi.”

Jean-Pierre M.

Lyon, France

“Spotless, peaceful, and the food is on another level. Marine speaks with her hands and her heart — language is no barrier. Highly recommended.”

David K.

London, UK

“I came for Vardzia but stayed for Marine's table. The warmth, the garden, the handmade churchkhela — it felt like visiting my own grandmother. I will return.”

Yuki T.

Tokyo, Japan

“The garden at sunset, fresh herbs from the beds, homemade wine. This is the Georgia you read about. Thank you, Marine.”

Sofia G.

Milan, Italy

Book a room at Tbili saxli.

Send your request and Marine will reply personally to confirm your stay. For faster booking reach us by phone or WhatsApp.

Email · tbilisakhli@gmail.com
Phone · +995 599 93 73 43 (Georgian / Russian)
WhatsApp · +995 577 05 73 14 (WhatsApp · English)

A warm home in the heart of old frontiers.