Tskhaltubo is a well-known spa resort town near Kutaisi in Western Georgia. A hit with the tourists in Soviet times, the area is being slowly redeveloped and modernized. That said, the giant Soviet sanitoriums still loom over the central park, some filled with squatters, the remaining IDPs from the 1990s war in Abkhazia, others falling into horror-house ruin as the smaller Europeanized bath-houses within the park take the easier custom.
Tskhaltubo is a village built around a huge central woodland and park area whose paths, lighting and bath houses have been renovated. Most holidays and evenings see the local community strolling, exercising or playing with their children there.
The resort’s fame was won by its unique mineral water, well-known even in ancient times. The water offers stable-chemical properties, belonging to the class of “weak radon, chloride-hydrocarbonated-sulphate” and “sodium-calcium-magnesium” waters, rising from the earth at a steady temperature of 33-35 degree Celcius.
The waters are said to help treat illnesses of the locomotor, heart-blood vessel, and nervous systems, gynecologic disorders, and skin and endocrine diseases.
Our top recommendations are bath houses #1 and #6, which are built directly on the springs. The biggest in the town, bath-house #6 was built for Stalin in 1951, though his death in 1953 meant he only got to visit once. The frieze above the entrance shows lines of simple Georgian folk lining up to greet Stalin, who stands in the center shaking hands with his adoring followers, and the interior is grandiose- marble, gold and cooling blues. This bath house offers a variety of private treatments, from showers, massages, and “irrigation” to underwater “spine stretching” and 40 degree mud massages. The water flows constantly, meaning that the temperature and chemical properties remain stable. Bath house #1 offers separate communal pools for men and women, the best I’ve (so far) seen in Georgia- with water bubbling straight out of the stones. Pay your 6 GEL, strip down in the modern changing room, shower, and then head in for a luxurious soak. Outside Bath-house #1 is the public free-of-charge “Beauty Water” flowing from a four-way marble plinth. The water is lukewarm and tasteless, but soaking your face and hands daily is said to help preserve youthfulness. Worth a try!
Where to stay
There are a number of hotels to choose from- the best being hotels Plaza, Prometheus and Orion, but my personal favorite is a little private guesthouse up from Tsivi Lake at number 11 Vazha Pshavela Street- Mzeo and her son Imeda and family offer a number of rooms with shared bathroom for 10 GEL a bed, free WI-FI and parking, and a meal option.
What else to see?
Sataplia Caves
By Katie Ruth Davies