Where to Stay in Kazbegi (Stepantsminda): Best Area & Hotels

Where to stay in Kazbegi: the best area of Stepantsminda for views, walking or hiking, plus the top hotels by budget, including the one I stayed at.

Kazbegi is a mountain area in the north of Georgia, located about three hours by car from Tbilisi. The only real town in the area is called Stepantsminda, and that's where almost all the hotels are. 
Stepantsminda is small, but where you stay in it still matters. It changes how much of the mountain view you get from your room, and how far you are from shops and restaurants. Outside the town there are also a few small villages and a ski resort with hotels, which make sense only for specific trips.

I spent some time in Stepantsminda last August, and based on my experience, I'll tell you what to know before booking, the parts of town where it's best to stay, the options outside it, and the best hotels for every budget.

• How many nights: at least three, so you get two full days. The drive from Tbilisi takes most of your arrival day, and the drive back takes most of the last one. Two full days let you see the town's famous church on one day and pick one more thing for the other, like a valley walk or a longer hike.
• Price range: family guesthouses start around $30 a night, mid-range hotels are roughly $60 to $100, and the top hotels cost from about $100 to over $250 in summer.
• When to book: in July and August, for the best price, I would say a few months ahead. Especially if you want a specific room, like something with a view. The rest of the year you can usually book with short notice.
• Do you need a car: realistically, yes. Taxis and tours exist, but there aren't many, and you can't count on finding one the evening before for the next morning. The few organized tours you can book online on sites like getyourguide.com either depart from Tbilisi, or cost more than renting a car for the same days.
• Summer vs winter: Kazbegi is mostly a summer destination. In winter, most hikes aren't possible, many restaurants and guesthouses close, and the road from Tbilisi can shut for snow. If you're coming to ski, stay in Gudauri instead, the ski resort on the same road, less than an hour before Kazbegi.

Stepantsminda sits in a valley, with a river called the Terek running through it.

When you're choosing where to stay, it helps to think of the area in four parts:

• Stepantsminda Town Center: the main square and the main road, with shops and restaurants.
• Stepantsminda Hillside: the slope that rises behind the town center. It faces Gergeti Village and its church across the valley, so this is where most hotels with a view are. You see the church from a distance, though, and only from rooms with the right angle and nothing built in front.
• Gergeti Village: a small village across the river. It's technically separate from Stepantsminda, but it's so close that it works as part of town. On the hilltop above it stands Gergeti Trinity Church, a small stone church from the 14th century, with Mount Kazbek, a 5,054-meter mountain covered in glaciers, right behind it. That's the view you'll see in every photo of Kazbegi.
• Villages Further Away: a handful of small villages and a ski resort, from a few minutes to about an hour's drive away.

Stepantsminda Hillside (Best Views)

The hillside is the slope that rises behind the town center. It's quieter than the center, and it's where the best-known hotels in Kazbegi are, including Rooms Hotel and the Lens Design Hotel, where I stayed. Here's what to expect:

• The view: from the right rooms, you look across the valley at Gergeti Trinity Church with Mount Kazbek behind it. Not every room has it, though. Many hotels here sell cheaper standard rooms that face the street or another building, so check the room type before you book.
• Walking to the center: about 1 km, or 15 to 20 minutes on foot. It's downhill on the way there and a gentle climb on the way back.
• At night: the streets aren't always well lit. That's true for the whole town, but you notice it more up here. A phone flashlight is enough.
• Stray dogs: you'll meet a few on the way. They're big and can look intimidating, but locals don't pay attention to them, and they never bothered us.
• Parking: much easier than in the center. Several hotels don't have their own parking, but there's usually space on the street.

With a car, this is the area I'd pick. You walk to the center for dinner, and you drive to the trailheads and to restaurants further away.

• Best for: travelers with a car, and anyone who wants a room facing the church.
• Downsides: a 15 to 20 minute walk to shops and most restaurants and other services, with a climb on the way back.
• Hotels here: Rooms Hotel Kazbegi, Lens Design Hotel, Alpine Lounge Hotel, 1740 Boutique Hotel, Capra Hotel, Guest House Tamta.

Gergeti Village 

Gergeti is the small village across the river from Stepantsminda, right below Gergeti Trinity Church. It has a quieter, more rural feel than the town, with guesthouses and wooden cabins spread along the slope. Here's what to expect:

• Location: you're very near the church, and you can walk up the Gergeti Trinity Church starting from the village, although the trail along the way here isn't particularly scenic. The same trail continues to the Gergeti Glacier, one of the most popular full-day hikes in the area (here's my guide to the Gergeti Glacier Hike from Trinity Church).
• Very few shops and restaurants. The houses are spread out, and the nearest shop can be 30 minutes away on foot, depending on how high up you're staying. The main exception is Maisi, one of the best restaurants in Kazbegi, near the start of the church trail.
• Getting around: the roads are fine for a normal car, but I would not stay here without a car. At night I saw very little street lighting.
• Hotels here: Kazbegi Cabins, Red Stone Guest House, Ketino's Home.

Villages Further Away 

When you search for hotels in Kazbegi, booking sites also show places outside Stepantsminda. Some of them make sense for specific trips, but none of them works as a first base. Here's a quick look at each:

• Gudauri: a ski resort about 40 km south of Stepantsminda, on the same road from Tbilisi. In winter it's the place to stay if you're coming to ski, and it sits on the Tbilisi side of the mountain pass, so snow closures are less of a problem. In summer it's quiet, and there's little reason to sleep there instead of Stepantsminda.
• Juta: a tiny village at the end of a side valley, about 20 km from Stepantsminda. It only makes sense for one night before or after the Chaukhi Lake hike. The road in is rough, and a landslide has closed direct car access. If you do stay, Fifth Season is the best-known place (more in my guide to the Chaukhi Lake Hike).
• Sno: a small village a few minutes' drive south of Stepantsminda, at the turnoff for Juta. There's nothing there for visitors beyond a few guesthouses, so you get the same drive to everything without any of the town's shops and restaurants.
• Arsha, Pansheti and Sioni: small villages along the main road south of town, all within about 10 km. Some guesthouses there have lovely views and very few tourists around, but you need a car for everything, even buying water.

Below are my picks for every budget, split into three price ranges. For each hotel you'll see which part of town it's in and whether I stayed there, visited it, or picked it from recent reviews.
Price guide, for a double room in summer:
• $ = under $60
• $$ = $60 to $100
• $$$ = $100 to $200
• $$$$ = over $200

Luxury and Boutique Hotels

1. Rooms Hotel Kazbegi

Rooms is the most famous hotel in Kazbegi. It opened in 2012 in a renovated Soviet-era sanatorium, a kind of old health resort, and it looks straight at Mount Kazbek and Gergeti Trinity Church. Most people book it for the big terrace, the lobby with its wall of windows, and the heated indoor pool with a mountain view. I only stopped in the lobby for a cup of tea, and it's a beautiful space, full of wood and books. Recent reviews are mixed on the rooms, which some guests find small and simple for the price.
• Area: Stepantsminda Hillside
• Price: $$$$
• Why stay here: the most famous view in Kazbegi, with a pool and terrace to enjoy it. Book a mountain-view room, since the cheaper ones face the other way.

2. Lens Design Hotel

Lens is a new design hotel almost next door to Rooms, with the same view of the church and the mountain. I chose it because it gave me a similar location and a modern, well-designed room for less money. Breakfast was excellent, with a lot of variety. My standard room had no view, so if the church matters to you, book one of the rooms that face it. There's no restaurant, no bar open in the afternoon and no laundry service. There's no private parking either, but I always found a spot on the street.
• Area: Stepantsminda Hillside
• Price: $$$
• Why stay here: the same view as Rooms, in a newer hotel, for less.

3. 1740 Boutique Hotel

1740 is a small wooden hotel with only eight rooms, right across the street from Lens. Inside, it's decorated with vintage furniture and old objects, a bit like a mountain chalet in someone's home. Some rooms have a balcony facing Mount Kazbek, others look onto a small birch wood behind the hotel. The restaurant downstairs serves small, carefully plated Georgian dishes. 
• Area: Stepantsminda Hillside
• Price: $$$
• Why stay here: a small, quiet hotel with character, if you prefer that to a big one like Rooms.

Mid-Range Hotels

4. Capra Hotel

Capra sits a little higher up the hillside, on a quiet street. Many rooms have balconies with a clear view of Mount Kazbek, and there's a large terrace on the ground floor plus a rooftop terrace with the same view. Its reviews are some of the best in town, especially for the breakfast. It also has a bar and free parking on site.
• Area: Stepantsminda Hillside
• Price: $$ (at the top of the range in August)
• Why stay here: views close to those of the top hotels, for a mid-range price.

5. Northgate Hotel Kazbegi

Northgate is on a quiet side street, about five minutes on foot from the main square. It's a family-run hotel, and guests often mention the homemade breakfast and the friendly, English-speaking staff. The shared lounge has big windows facing the mountains, and the rooms on one side have balconies with a view of Mount Kazbek. There's parking in front of the building.
• Area: Stepantsminda Town Center
• Price: $$
• Why stay here: the best mix of view and convenience if you don't have a car.

6. Alpine Lounge Hotel 

Alpine Lounge is right across the street from Lens, in the same part of town. The building is a solid, well-kept mountain lodge with a mountaineering theme, and its restaurant is one of the better places to eat in Kazbegi, with Georgian classics and a good list of local wines. Guests often mention the breakfast in their reviews.
• Area: Stepantsminda Hillside
• Price: $$
• Why stay here: the hillside location for a mid-range price, with a good restaurant downstairs.

7. Kazbegi Cabins 

Kazbegi Cabins are two wooden cabins in Gergeti, built by the owners with old oak wood, with much of the furniture handmade by them. Each one has a terrace, a small kitchen and a mountain view. The owners also run Maisi, my favorite restaurant in Kazbegi, right next door. Breakfast isn't included, which some guests mention in their reviews.
• Area: Gergeti Village
• Price: $$
• Why stay here: a cozy cabin a few steps from the church trail and from the best dinner in town.

8. Hotel Stancia

Stancia is right on the main square, and the minibuses from Tbilisi stop in front of the entrance. It has a restaurant with a terrace, and guests like the breakfast buffet and the staff. The rooms at the back have a view over the river and the mountains, but they're also above the restaurant terrace, so they can be noisy in the evening.
• Area: Stepantsminda Town Center
• Price: $$
• Why stay here: the most convenient location in town, especially without a car.

Budget Guesthouses

Family guesthouses are the classic way to stay in Kazbegi. You get a room in the owners' house, usually with a private bathroom, and breakfast is often homemade. Many hosts will also cook dinner if you ask in advance, for a small extra charge.

9. Guest House Tamta 

Tamta is halfway up the hillside, on the same side of town as Rooms. It's one of the best-rated places to stay in Kazbegi, with scores close to perfect on hundreds of reviews. The rooms are large and spotless, and many have a view of Mount Kazbek, some of the church too. Guests can also use a shared kitchen with a washing machine, which is handy after a few days of hiking.
• Area: Stepantsminda Hillside
• Price: $
• Why stay here: views close to those of the top hotels, for a fraction of the price.

10. Red Stone Guest House

Red Stone is a family home in Gergeti, on the way up to the church trail and about 15 minutes' walk uphill from the town center. It's run by Nino and her mother Dodo, and nearly every review mentions Dodo's breakfast: homemade bread, cheese, jam, pancakes and khachapuri, Georgia's cheese-filled bread. They can also cook dinner if you ask. The rooms are big and clean, with views over the town and the mountains.
• Area: Gergeti Village
• Price: $
• Why stay here: a real family guesthouse, right on the way to the church trail.

Is it called Kazbegi or Stepantsminda?
Both, and they refer to the same town. The original name is Stepantsminda, which means "Saint Stephen" in Georgian and comes from a monk called Stephen who built a hermitage here centuries ago. In 1925, under the Soviet Union, the town was renamed Kazbegi after Alexander Kazbegi, a Georgian writer born here in the 19th century. In 2006 it officially went back to Stepantsminda. The old name never really left, though. The whole district is still called Kazbegi, the mountain above town is Mount Kazbek, and most drivers, tour companies and booking sites use Kazbegi and Stepantsminda as if they were the same word.

Is Stepantsminda a pretty town?
Honestly, not really, apart from the view. Once you look away from Gergeti Trinity Church and the mountains, the town itself isn't polished. There are potholes, construction work that never seems to finish, and horse droppings on the streets. People come here for the mountains, not the town. The upside is the crowd: most visitors are hikers, so in the evening the restaurants and guesthouses fill up with people comparing trails and planning the next day.

Is it worth staying overnight in Kazbegi, or is a day trip from Tbilisi enough?
It's worth staying, at least two or three nights. The drive from Tbilisi takes about three hours each way, so on a day trip you spend six hours on the road and get only a quick stop at Gergeti Trinity Church. That's not enough time for a proper hike, and the area has several that are worth doing, from the Gergeti Glacier trail to the Truso Valley and Chaukhi Lake. A day trip works only if your time in Georgia is very short and you're happy with the church and the view.

What is the best area to stay in Kazbegi?
With a car, the Stepantsminda Hillside. It has the best views of Gergeti Trinity Church and Mount Kazbek, and the town center is a 15 to 20 minute walk away. Without a car, stay in the town center, close to the shops, restaurants and minibus stop.

Where should I stay in Kazbegi without a car?
In the town center, or on a quiet street just off it. Northgate Hotel and Hotel Stancia are both a few minutes from the main square, where the minibuses from Tbilisi stop. Taxis and tours are limited, so being able to walk to everything makes a big difference.

How many nights should I stay in Kazbegi?
At least three nights, which gives you two full days. That's enough to visit Gergeti Trinity Church and do one longer hike or valley trip. If you want to do several of the big hikes, stay four or five nights. You'll find them all in my guide to the 5 best hikes in Kazbegi.

How far in advance should I book a hotel in Kazbegi?
For July and August, a few months ahead, especially if you want a room with a view of the church. The rest of the year, a few days to a couple of weeks is usually enough.

Is Rooms Hotel Kazbegi worth it?
It depends on what you want. The terrace, the lobby and the indoor pool with a mountain view are beautiful, and no other hotel in town has all three. The rooms are simpler than the price suggests, though, and in summer it costs two to three times as much as other good hotels nearby. If you mainly want the view, Lens Design Hotel next door has the same one for less.

Can I pay by card at hotels in Kazbegi?
Hotels booked through sites like Booking.com usually take cards or charge you online. Smaller family guesthouses often prefer cash in Georgian lari, especially for extras like dinner. There are cash machines around the main square, so it's easy to take out money when you arrive.

Is Kazbegi safe for tourists?
Yes. Georgia is generally a safe country for travelers, and Kazbegi is a small, quiet mountain town. The only things to keep in mind are the stray dogs, which are big but usually ignore people, and the poorly lit streets at night, so carry a phone flashlight when you walk back to your hotel.

Should I stay in Kazbegi or Gudauri in winter?
If you're going to ski, stay in Gudauri, Georgia's biggest ski resort, about 40 km south on the same road. If you want mountain views and a quiet village, Kazbegi still works in winter, but many places close and most hikes aren't possible. Georgia's other ski areas, Bakuriani and the resorts near Mestia in Svaneti, are on the other side of the country.

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