Hotels in Mestia

Mestia: Gateway to the Svaneti Towers

Mestia sits at 1,500 metres in the Greater Caucasus, the administrative centre of Upper Svaneti in northwest Georgia. The town is defined by its medieval Svan defensive towers — roughly 200 still standing across the valley — built between the 9th and 12th centuries and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. The Svaneti History and Ethnography Museum holds gold and silver icons dating to the 10th century, rarely seen outside the region.

Where to Stay and Getting Around

Hotels and guesthouses concentrate along the main road and around Set Square (Mestia central square). Most properties are small family-run guesthouses; a handful of mid-range hotels opened after the paved road from Zugdidi (130 km south) was completed in 2012. Mestia–Queen Tamar Airport receives domestic flights from Tbilisi year-round, cutting the overland journey from 5–6 hours to under an hour.

Practical Tips

• Season: July–August for trekking; January–March for skiing at Hatsvali and Tetnuldi ski resorts, 8–15 km from town.
• Trekking: The Mestia–Ushguli trail (56 km) passes four UNESCO-listed villages; allow 3–4 days.
• Currency: Georgian Lari (GEL); card acceptance is limited outside larger hotels — carry cash.
• Altitude: Pack layers; temperatures drop sharply after sunset even in summer.