Cron Palace Kosher Tbilisi Hotel

Location: good, about 10 min. drive from the center and the main attractions, but at least the side I stayed in was a bit noisy (facing a main street). Rooms: the one I stayed in was plain, relatively clean, comfortable. There was a refrigerator, electric kettle, tea/coffee, TV (which wasn't working very good). The furniture was ok, some pieces weren't new and some were even scratched. Dining room: great Georgian/Israeli food, with various options. For observant/orthodox Jews: all the food in the hotel is Kosher and the hotel is "Shabbat friendly". Personnel (reception and dining room): very friendly and helpful.

I had terrible experience from the beginning till the end of my stay. I booked room with a balcony. Irma (manager) said that they have even better room ready before check-in time. Of course, after 16 hours trip I was happy to take “even better room”. My room didn’t have balcony. I went downstairs and told Irma that my room doesn’t have balcony. Irma said that she didn’t mentioned anything about balcony and this room is safer for my kids. Irma refused to change room for me because she said that I shouldn’t agreed to this room from the beginning and someone already took room that I originally booked. Also, my “better room” didn’t have an AC and I had to keep windows always open which definitely wasn’t safer for my toddler. Location is really bad for people who stay there for Shabbat and holidays. Hotel located far from everything, there is no place to take a walk, no parks and it’s impossible to stay whole day in the hotel in a very small room. I was there with my kids and it was really horrible experience. Since it was really difficult to stay there during Shabbat with kids, for my last Shabbat I rented apartment in the center and I asked Nino (I guess, she is manager on the kitchen) if she can prepare food for Shabbat and I will have someone to pick up meals for me. So, she prepared Friday evening meal. In the Saturday morning Nino said that we didn’t discuss anything about Saturday meals. Really surprising that manager in the kosher hotel doesn’t know how long Shabbat lasts. Convenience of having kosher food in the hotel doesn’t compensate bad location, small rooms and not helpful staff. For kosher travelers I would rather recommend to stay close to the Great Synagogue of Tbilisi and order Shabbat food from Mendi’s.