New life for old Sairme - how a major Georgian resort was developed

History of Sairme

There are few families in Georgia whose family album does not contain a black-and-white photograph with the Georgian-Russian inscription “Sairme Resort”.

The history of Sairme as a resort begins in the 1930s when the city received the status of resort. But it was only after the 1950s that it became one of the most fashionable vacation spots of the Soviet era, after Vasil Mzhavanadze became the first secretary of the Georgian Central Committee.

The first sources about the waters of Sairme date to the 1890s. It is known that in Imereti, in the foggy forests which belonged to the princes of Eristavi, the deer had one favorite place where they walked and drank water. According to folk legend, the waters were discovered by hunter brothers who followed the trail of a wounded deer. Then people discovered the healing properties of these waters.

It is said that the famous Georgian public figure of the late 19th century, Niko Nikoladze, was the first to collect information about the mineral waters of Sarbevi, Sairme and Nabeglavi. Nikoladze, who often traveled to German resorts for treatment, dreamed that such well-maintained and cultivated centers of healing waters would exist in Georgia, among them Sairme.

“Who can count our beautiful springs … but who will be in control? Who will adorn them, who will pave the way, who will attract people? How many orphan sources of wealth flow into Rioni and Mtkvari, and we don’t even know their names or number,” wrote Niko Nikoladze.

The history of Sairme is unique. The first road there was built by captured Germans in the 1940s. Then this unique place densely overgrown with forest became associated with the city of Baghdati (then Mayakovsky).

The construction of resort infrastructure, hotels and other facilities was due to Vasil Mzhavanadze. He was in such a hurry to set up a resort that he attracted the heads of three districts – Baghdati, Vani and Samtredia – to the construction project.

Malkhaz Kokhreidze, the son of Nodar Kokhreidze, the first secretary of the Samtred district committee, recalled that Mzhavanadze often came to Sairme to personally see how the work was going. He describes one of these encounters:

“Waiting for the car of the first person of the republic, vacationers lined up on the side of the road. Soon, the Volga cars of the traffic police stopped on the road and a cabriolet Chaika appeared in the distance [luxury cars of the Soviet era – ed.]. The policemen standing on the side of the road straightened up and prepared to salute. Suddenly I let go of my mother’s hand, crossed the road and stood in front of the policemen, holding my right hand to my temple. The Chaika slowed down. Vasil Pavlovich got up, smiled and shook my hand.

Coming to Sairme for vacation was a matter of prestige. As a rule, people came here for 26 days. Most of the trip was paid by trade unions, and vacationers were provided with food and medical care. The rest was free for war and labor veterans.

Initially, 150 vacationers lived in Sairme cottages, and 170 people lived in campsites. The largest recreation facility was the hotel-boarding house Tsekavshiri, but this was not enough, and in the early 1970s the government built a fourteen-storey hotel complex with 500 beds.

Modern Sairme

Today there are three hotels in the Sairme resort – “Sairme”, “Akhali Sairme” and “Imereti”.

These hotels were built between 1963 to 1970. The rehabilitation of the resort began in 2011, with a complete makeover in 2018.

Hotel “Sairme”, consisting of 152 rooms and designed for 390 vacationers, was completely reconstructed and turned into a modern recreation complex.

During the reconstruction of the Sairme Hotel, only the frame of the building remained; the rest was completely renovated, repaired and replaced. There is an old fresco on one of the walls.

From the very beginning the hotel was conceived as a modern, upscale holiday destination with all modern amenities, while maintaining old traditions.

For example, although the landscape of Sairme was modernized, when updating the central square of the resort, the architects interfered minimally in the planning. The paths here are substantially the same as those walked by one’s grandparents. The square also has an old building that once served as a place of entertainment.

On Sairme Square, small buildings built on the places where mineral waters come out of the ground have been completely restored.

Hotel “Akhali Sairme” was also reconstructed. Only the frame and the Soviet fresco carved on one of the walls remained of old.

As for the Imereti Hotel, it has been preserved in its original form and is not open today. This old Soviet building evokes nostalgia in everyone who used to vacation here.

The so-called Iberia Government House has been preserved in its original form. It was Vasil Mzhavanadze’s favorite vacation spot, and Eduard Shevardnadze often came here. This building is also not in operation.

Part of the resort is a spa center located four kilometers from the Sairme Hotel, which is also a modern reincarnation of an old building. Only the frame remained of the old building; the rest was completely restored both inside and out. The building now houses an ultra-modern relaxation therapeutic spa and wellness center, equipped with the latest equipment from a leading German company, Kraft. While earlier visitors to Sairme only drank healing water, today guests can undergo up to eighty medical procedures.

The old Soviet canteens in Sairme have been replaced by renovated restaurants where dishes are prepared by professional chefs.

Instead of a lazy spa life, there are dozens of services catering to active recreation, including anunforgettable zipline descent. Sairme now boasts the longest zipline in the Caucasus: an 800-meter route descends from the mountains and passes through unforgettable landscapes along the way.

Those who are afraid of heights can, of course, rent bicycles and bike through the quaint, clean, quiet streets.

Or practice target shooting at the shooting range. In Sairme, you can shoot “saucers” with Berettas in six directions from five different locations. Along with these modern entertainments, a shooting range has been left in Sairme – where you can win soft toys.

However, the main and indispensable things in this resort then and now are its unique springs, pleasant weather in winter and summer, and dense forests. In spite of modern changes, this remains intact and unchanged.

History of Sairme