The founder of Fifth Season, a hotel located in Juta, Kazbegi Municipality, identifies the poor road infrastructure as the business’s main challenge. Despite difficult road access to the village, the hotel continues to see growing interest and hosts both day visitors hiking in the area and international tourists.
The road to Juta has not yet undergone full rehabilitation, with landslide activity periodically creating additional difficulties. On August 20, a GEL 80 million tender was announced for rehabilitation works on the Achkhoti–Sno–Akhaltsikhe–Juta road. The project is expected to take two years to complete.
“Our main problem is the road. Despite the lack of proper access, we are doing everything we can to develop the space and create a destination that is important for the country. We are achieving this much despite the road conditions, and if we had proper road access, we could do even more,” said Fifth Season founder Gela Arabuli. He added that the hotel’s occupancy is currently around 80%, with more than 90% of its guests being international visitors. The season runs from late May through late October, and interest continues to grow year-on-year.
Fifth Season has been operating since 2015 and currently offers 15 rooms, a café-bar and an outdoor recreational area. According to Arabuli, a new food outlet aimed primarily at passing visitors will open soon, while construction of a new recreational facility featuring a pool, sauna and other amenities is also nearing completion.
