Montemar
Gonio, 16 floors
Gonio: houses and villas by the sea, plots, building and seasonal letting
Gonio is a resort village south of Batumi, on the left bank of the Chorokhi, with a Roman fortress by the sea. Since 2011 it has been within the Batumi city limits. People buy houses and villas for letting, guesthouses and plots by the sea here. In summer Gonio is full of holidaymakers, in winter it is quiet. We check plots and documents, build houses by the sea, renovate them and manage the letting while the owners are far away.
Housing
The core of the village is private houses with plots, villas and guesthouses. Many guesthouses were extended in several stages, floor by floor. By the sea and along the main road stand small hotels and complexes of a few storeys, and on the slopes above the village new villas with sea views.
There are no high-rises like in Batumi. Houses are built for summer holidays: several bedrooms, a terrace, a courtyard with parking, sometimes a pool.
Terrain, sea and soil
The village lies on a narrow coastal strip on the left bank of the Chorokhi, at its mouth, with slopes rising behind it. The beach is pebble. At the river mouth the shore has been eroding for years, and plots right by the water are checked against old images.
On the flat part the groundwater is close to the surface, and on the slopes retaining walls and drainage are needed. Humidity is high all year, and sea salt quickly damages metal. Adjara is seismically active, and we design the house with earthquakes in mind.
Infrastructure
Gonio is about 15 kilometres from central Batumi, with minibuses and buses on the road, and Batumi airport is close by, across the bridge over the Chorokhi. The road to Kvariati, Sarpi and the Turkish border runs through the village.
The main landmark is Gonio Fortress at the mouth of the Chorokhi, a Roman fortress mentioned since the 1st century. In summer cafés, markets and shops work by the sea, in winter many close, and people go to Batumi for major shopping.
Gonio is a resort village south of Batumi, on the left bank of the Chorokhi, with a Roman fortress right by the sea. Since 2011 it has been within the Batumi city limits, but it lives its own life: in summer it is full of holidaymakers, in winter it is quiet. People come here for a house by the sea, a villa to let or a plot for their own house. Below is what to know before buying, building and letting.
Gonio: houses by the sea and the season
People here most often buy houses and villas with plots, guesthouses and apartments in small complexes by the sea. In summer Gonio fills with families and groups, many driving in from Tbilisi. Houses are built for them: several bedrooms, a courtyard with parking, a barbecue, sometimes a pool. In winter most houses stand empty, and this needs to be built into the calculation from the start. Buying a villa is covered on our page about villas in Batumi and Adjara.
A plot by the sea and the Chorokhi shore
At the mouth of the Chorokhi the shore has been retreating for years, and plots right by the water here need special checks. Before the deposit we look at old satellite images and the cadastre: where the shoreline ran a few years ago and how many metres to the water remain now. Separately we check what lies under the plot: on the low shore by the river there are often river deposits and groundwater close to the surface.
A house by the sea needs engineering and geological surveys: they show which foundation will carry the house on such ground and in an earthquake. How they are carried out is described on our page about geological surveys.
Building and the permit
Since Gonio is within Batumi, a permit for a private house here is usually issued by Batumi City Hall. First the land use conditions for the plot are obtained, then the design is approved. If the plot is agricultural, its designation is changed first, and a foreigner cannot buy such a plot, except in cases such as inheritance.
We design a house by the sea for salt and moisture: stainless fixings, protected outdoor air conditioning units, a ventilated plinth, gutters sized for downpours. On the slopes above the village retaining walls and drainage are added, and on the flat shore, waterproofing of the foundation.
If the house is built for letting, we plan ahead for parking for several cars, separate bathrooms for the bedrooms and a place to wash and dry linen. In summer there are many guests, and these details decide the reviews as much as the sea view.
Guesthouses and documents
Gonio has many guesthouses, and many of them were extended floor by floor. The rooms on such floors operate, but the Public Registry extract does not show them, and selling or mortgaging such a house is hard. Before buying we compare the extract with what stands on the plot and check the structure. How we build guesthouses with proper documents from the start is explained on our page about guesthouses.
Letting a villa in Gonio
In summer houses in Gonio let well to families and groups, while from October to May there are few guests. A house with a garden and a pool needs someone on site: to meet guests, clean, look after the pool and call a technician. For the winter the house is let long-term or closed, aired and checked on a schedule. How we manage such houses is described on our page about villa and house management.
Residential complexes in Gonio
Questions and answers
Is Gonio part of Batumi?
Yes, since 2011 Gonio has been within the Batumi city limits, in its Gonio-Kvariati district. That is why a building permit for a private house here is usually issued by Batumi City Hall, and the city's development rules apply. In way of life it is a resort village: busy in summer, quiet in winter.
Is it safe to buy a plot right by the sea in Gonio?
It needs checking. At the mouth of the Chorokhi the shore has been retreating for years, and a plot by the water may lose part of its area within a few years. Before the deposit we look at old satellite images and the cadastre, and for building we order geological surveys. Sometimes it is wiser to take a plot a little further from the water but on higher ground.
Does a villa in Gonio let well?
In summer there is demand from families and groups travelling by car, many coming from Tbilisi. The season is short, and from October to May there are few guests. A house with a garden and a pool needs someone on site and regular cleaning, so we include management, linen and pool maintenance in the calculation from the start.
Can a foreigner buy land in Gonio?
A non-agricultural plot, yes. Under the Constitution of Georgia a foreigner cannot buy agricultural land, except in cases such as inheritance. So before the deposit we check the land designation in the Public Registry extract. If the plot is agricultural, its designation is changed before the sale, and this takes time.
Terms used on this page
- Public Registry extract
- A document from Georgia's state registry: the owner, cadastral code, area, legal use and encumbrances of a property on the date of issue.
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