Where to stay in Racha

What kind of accommodation exists in Racha?

Racha is one of the least developed regions in Georgia, and that shapes what you'll find. There are no chain hotels and no resorts. What there is instead: family guesthouses, a handful of small boutique properties, and rooms let out by families in the villages. Rooms are usually simple, the food is usually excellent, and the person who checks you in is usually the person who cooks your dinner.

The practical consequence is that you should book ahead for July and August. Properties here have a handful of rooms each, not a hundred, and the season is short.

Choosing where to base yourself

Ambrolauri — wine country and the regional centre

Ambrolauri is the administrative centre of Racha and sits at the heart of the Khvanchkara wine area. It's the most convenient base if your trip is mainly about wine and you want shops, services, and a choice of restaurants within walking distance. It's also the lowest and least mountainous of the three options.

Oni — the gateway to upper Racha

Oni is the main town of upper Racha and the point most travellers pass through on the way in. Marshrutkas from Tbilisi terminate here and taxis are easy to find in the centre. It works as a base if you want a town rather than a village, with the mountains close by.

Upper Racha villages — mountains and quiet

Beyond Oni the road climbs into the villages of upper Racha — Chiora, Ghebi, and their neighbours. This is where you stay if you came for the mountains: higher, quieter, with trails starting where you're sleeping rather than an hour's drive away. It's also where the trade-offs are most real. Fewer services, no wifi in most places, and a season that only runs through the summer.

Staying at Chiora Inn

We're in that last category. Chiora Inn is an 8-room family-run boutique guesthouse in Chiora village, built and furnished by local woodworkers, at about 1,400 m with mountains on every side.

• 8 rooms, all with mountain views — some with a balcony, some with panoramic windows.
• From 170 GEL a night booking direct, which is cheaper than Booking.com.
• Our restaurant cooks traditional Rachan food fresh daily; breakfast is 20 GEL per person and isn't included in the room rate.
• Open mid-June to September. We close the rest of the year, when the mountain roads become difficult.
• Free parking, 360° views, family-friendly. No wifi — mobile signal works on Magti, not Silknet.

See our rooms and rates for the full picture, or how to get here — it's about 3.5–4 hours from Tbilisi and 2–3 from Kutaisi.

Before you book anywhere in Racha

• Check the season. Much of upper Racha, including us, is summer-only — roughly mid-June to September.
• Check the mobile network. Magti has the better coverage up here; Silknet doesn't reach Chiora.
• Don't count on wifi in the mountain villages.
• Ask about food. Many guesthouses are far from a restaurant, so what the kitchen serves matters more than usual.
• Book direct where you can — most small properties here, us included, charge less than the booking sites do.

If you're still deciding when to come, our guide to the best time to visit Racha covers weather and what to pack.