Which road to Mestia is better - the left route via Zugdidi or the right/scenic route?

The right road is considered more scenic and interesting, but check the weather — it can get closed after rain due to landslides.

On the left road the asphalt is broken up by unpaved sections roughly every 100 meters, and if you get carsick, the stretch after Zugdidi will be rough.

One traveler drove to Mestia via Zugdidi (left road) and returned via Ushguli — noted the left road was faster.

There's an alternative mountain route via the Goderdzi pass: about 150 km from Batumi to Goderdzi, then another 25 km from Goderdzi to Akhaltsikhe, paved road with markings, decent condition.

The road from Mestia through Ushguli to Lentekhi is fully drivable in a regular car and, according to a local rental company, is in better condition than the Kutaisi–Mestia stretch.