Overview of building

I chose this house not for its pretty eyes, but because it's Gumbati. In Batumi, that means the walls aren't made of cardboard, and the façade won't peel in a year. The apartment is dry. That's the main thing. There's a gas boiler, and the radiators keep the heat up. In the winter, I pay pennies for gas compared to those who rely on air conditioners in glass windows. But the layout... I have a "European-style two-bedroom," where the bedroom has no window (a blind room). That's how they like to build here. It seems cheaper, but there's not enough air. I had to fix the ventilation myself.

Expectation/Reality. The renderings make it look like a Hilton, but in reality, you're living on a premium construction site. The lobby is luxurious—marble, a grand piano (just kidding, there's no grand piano, but it looks expensive), and the reception is like a 5-star hotel. BUT! The elevators are often lined with plywood because they're hauling construction materials. The hallways are dusty from apartment renovations. It will be amazing when they finish, but for now, we have to wait patiently and humbly.

Parking here is a nightmare. Taxi drivers, Carrefour shoppers, and fans (if there's a match) are constantly milling around the building. If you have a car and don't have a parking space, you'll be driving around the neighborhood and getting nervous. There are also traffic jams—the Bagrationi roundabout and Shartava Street itself are jammed during rush hour. But taxis arrive here in a minute, and the drivers know the area perfectly.

The studio is very bright, and the floor-to-ceiling windows are simply love at first sight. However, in the summer, the apartment turns into a veritable greenhouse, and without a powerful air conditioner, you'd be boiling alive by lunchtime. Gas heating is a huge plus in the humid Batumi winter, as electricity costs three times as much. The layout is convenient for one person, but I'd like a larger kitchen, as there's almost no countertop space for cooking.

This place isn't for everyone. If you're looking for a cozy, carpeted nest, look no further. It's all glass, concrete, and minimalist. The apartments here (studios and suites) are essentially like rooms in a 5-star hotel. The main feature: NO gas. The heating and cooling system is central (fan coils). This means you're dependent on the central heating system. It's warm in the winter, but the air gets terribly dry, requiring a humidifier. Secondly, the windows don't open (in many layouts), or only small transoms open. You're living in a sealed, climate-controlled aquarium.

This is the pride of the complex. A huge outdoor pool (a lifesaver in the summer, though guests sometimes have to pay, but residents often get a pass). The playground is fantastic, with palm trees and benches. You can even walk around in your slippers.

I was drawn to the location. It's central, everything's close. But there's a huge catch. The complex consists of two buildings (A and B), which are right next to each other. My apartment is in the "inner corner." This means I don't see the sun at all. I have to turn on the lights during the day. I can't open the curtains—the neighbor from the building across the street lives literally 5 meters away, and we wave to each other at breakfast. If you rent an apartment here, only the outer perimeter with a view of the city or the sea! The "inner" apartments are like dark wells.

For those who don't know, the main problem in Batumi is mold. Well, Yalcin was built by Turks, and you can tell. The apartment is really dry and very warm. We have a gas boiler; in winter, we turn it down to low, and the house is in Tashkent. The dog sleeps on the floor without a bed, and I'm not afraid of drafts. The layout here is reasonable: we have a full-size two-room apartment with a separate kitchen (a rarity in Batumi, where there are mostly studio apartments).

It's best to have an apartment away from the elevator lobby and stairwells, as the doors slam loudly in the wind. The best views are toward Turkey from the 25th floor and above. The windows have a permanent ventilation gap, without a damper, which can let in cold air in the winter.

The apartment is typical for Batumi: a huge kitchen-living room and a windowless bedroom (or one with a window facing a well), proudly called a "Euro-two-bedroom." The main problem is the constant battle with mold in the winter, as the ventilation is spotty, and the humidity is 100%. The gas heating (boiler) is a lifesaver; without it, we'd die here, but the gas bills are exorbitant. The layout is silly, with lots of useless corners, but for the price ($400), it's a tolerable option.