SherryStay Destination Guide
Batumi
Georgia's Black Sea resort — palm boulevards, casinos and a futuristic skyline at budget prices.
About Batumi
Batumi is Georgia’s Black Sea summer capital, a subtropical resort town where a palm-lined promenade meets an improbable, playful skyline. Along the seven-kilometre Boulevard a pebble beach runs beside gardens, fountains and some genuinely strange landmarks — the Alphabet Tower spelling out the Georgian script in steel, and the slow-moving steel lovers of the “Ali and Nino” sculpture, who drift through each other every evening. Capital of green, mountainous Adjara, Batumi mixes belle-époque Old Town streets and the Italianate Piazza with a brash strip of casinos and nightlife that has earned it a regional reputation as a playground. Just out of town lie a vast seafront botanical garden and the waterfalls and old stone bridges of the Adjaran hills, and everywhere there is the region’s own boat-shaped acharuli khachapuri, cracked open with butter and egg. Come in summer for the beach and the neon; stay for the mountains and the khachapuri behind them.
Stay in the Old Town for character and walkability, not the high-rise New Boulevard. Come May–June or September to dodge peak-summer crowds and price spikes.
Best For
Where to Stay
Old Town
Historic, walkable, café-filled
New Boulevard
Modern high-rises, beachfront, casinos
Seaside Boulevard
Palm promenade, bike paths, sunsets
Money-Saving Tips
- 1Marshrutka minibuses cross the city for ~1 GEL versus 10–15 GEL taxis.
- 2Eat Adjarian khachapuri at local bakeries instead of the tourist-strip restaurants.
Getting Around
- 1Batumi airport is 20 min south; bus #10 reaches the centre for under 1 GEL.
- 2The tourist core is flat — rent a bike along the boulevard instead of taking taxis.
Most Common Mistake
Booking a sea-view high-rise that's a 25-minute walk from the Old Town's restaurants and nightlife.
3–4 nights
- • Tbilisi (5–6h by train)
- • Kutaisi (2h)
- • Mtirala National Park (40 min)
Useful Local Hotel Phrases
Georgian- Helloგამარჯობაga-mar-JO-ba
- Thank youმადლობაMA-dlo-ba
- Pleaseთუ შეიძლებაtoo shey-DZLE-ba
- Check-inრეგისტრაციაre-gis-TRA-tsia
- Check-outგასვლაGAS-vla
- Hotelსასტუმროsas-TUM-ro
- Receptionრესეფშენიre-SEP-she-ni
- Breakfastსაუზმეsa-UZ-me
- Wi-Fiვაი-ფაიwai-fai
- TaxiტაქსიTAK-si
- Airportაეროპორტიa-e-ro-POR-ti
- Train stationსადგურიsad-GU-ri
- Helpდახმარებაdakh-ma-RE-ba
- How much?რა ღირს?ra-GHIRS
- Where is...?სად არის...?sad-A-ris
Batumi at a glance
- Batumi is in Georgia.
- The nearest airport to Batumi is Batumi International (BUS).
- Getting in from the airport takes 15–20 min to the centre.
- The best way in is Taxi (Bolt) or bus.
- A day in Batumi costs roughly $30–55 per person on a budget, $80–160 mid-range and $300+ at the luxury end.
- Sherry suggests 3–4 nights in Batumi.
- January is usually the cheapest month to visit Batumi, August is the busiest, and June offers the best value.
Common questions
- What is Batumi best for?
- A Black Sea beach-city break with casinos, eclectic architecture and great-value Georgian food.
- Do I need a car?
- No in town (walkable boulevard); a tour helps for the Adjara waterfalls and wine.
- How many days?
- 2–3 nights for the boulevard, botanical garden and a waterfall day.
- Are the beaches sandy?
- Mostly pebbly — comfortable shoes/mats help; the sea is clear in summer.
- When is the best time to visit?
- June–September for the beach season (it can be rainy/humid).
Where to stay in Batumi
Looking for hotels in Batumi? It helps to decide on an area first — our guide to where to stay in Batumi sets out which neighbourhoods suit which kind of trip.
Around Casino the options include Medea Hotel & Casino, Medea Hotel Casino and Golden Palace Batumi Hotel & Casino.
Around Rustaveli the options include Rustaveli Avenue and Face House Rustaveli.
Elsewhere in the city you will also find New Apartmants, Beach House Hotel, Memed Abashidze Str.1, Hotel Cattaleya, Hotel President, Baratashvili 43, Wyndham Batumi, Dom v tsentre batumi, Hotel Brighton, Family Hotel, Batumi Appartment at Sofia, Hotel Indigo Batumi Old Town by IHG, MERI2017, Hotel Vegas, Monarch Batumi Hotel, Batumi World Palace Hotel and Apart Hotel Safino.