Where to stay
Hotels in Tbilisi
Tbilisi: The Sulphur Baths at Abanotubani
The brick domes of Abanotubani sit in the old town below Narikala fortress, a ten-minute walk from Freedom Square or two stops on the metro to Avlabari. Public baths here are sex-segregated and cheap, but for a family the private rooms are the practical choice: you get a hot sulphur-fed plunge, a cold tap and a stone slab to sit on, booked by the hour at the counter. Bring your own towels and flip-flops, keep children to short soaks because the water runs hot, and plan a cool-down walk afterwards.
Book a hotel in the old town or along Chavchavadze Avenue rather than out by the airport; taxis into Abanotubani from the centre cost little, and staying central means you can soak in the evening and walk back. Winter is low season in Tbilisi, so rates on double rooms drop noticeably from December to February compared with spring. Avoid the touts outside the baths and pay at the official desk instead; a private room runs to a modest fixed fee per hour, and gratuities are optional.
Borjomi and Bakuriani: Mountain Water and Snow
Borjomi, roughly two hours by road from Tbilisi, is where the mineral water comes from, and the central park has a pump room where you can taste it warm from the spring. The town's public pool complex is fed by the same mineral water and is a manageable stop for families with small children. In winter the road up to Bakuriani, about 40 minutes further, is the draw for sledging and beginner slopes, and a hotel in Borjomi makes a cheaper base than Bakuriani itself.
Come between December and March for snow, but check road conditions before committing to the mountain pass. Families with very young children should base in Borjomi and take day trips rather than staying high up, where pavements get icy. I would book a hotel with its own indoor pool in Borjomi so the soaking doesn't depend on opening hours; ask at reception about the pool's temperature and whether it is chlorinated or mineral-fed before you commit.
Tskaltubo: The Old Sanatorium Pools
Tskaltubo, in Imereti about 20 minutes by marshrutka from Kutaisi, was a Soviet spa town and still has the grand, half-empty sanatorium buildings and several working mineral water pools. It is not a polished resort: expect basic changing rooms, local families, and water that is warm rather than hot. The appeal for children is the space and the low cost; the appeal for adults is the strange architecture and the sense of a place out of time.
Combine Tskaltubo with Kutaisi's Bagrati Cathedral and the Prometheus Cave, which is a good rainy-day stop. Book a hotel in Kutaisi rather than Tskaltubo itself, because the city has more restaurants and better winter heating, and take a taxi out to the pools. Skip Tskaltubo if you want a spa experience with towels and robes; this is a local, functional place, and families should bring their own supplies. The water is mineral, so rinse children off afterwards.
Practicalities: Timing, Transport and What to Skip
Georgia's cold months run from November to March, with the driest, coldest weather in January and February. Tbilisi is mild enough for walking between baths and cafes; the mountains are properly cold, so pack layers. The Tbilisi metro and the Kutaisi–Tbilisi train are cheap and reliable, but for hot-spring hopping in the regions a hired car or a driver is worth the cost, especially with children and bags. Check opening hours locally, as some pools close on Mondays.
What to skip: the big resort hotels around Tbilisi's outskirts, which charge for facilities you won't use in winter, and any bath house that won't show you the room before you pay. Families with toddlers should avoid the hottest public pools and stick to private rooms with a cold tap. Book a hotel in Tbilisi's old town or in Kutaisi's centre for the widest choice, and reserve early for the New Year period, when domestic travellers fill the good places.