A guide to accommodation in Nepal + our recommendations! — The Common Wanderer

Source: Original Story By TheCommonWanderer


ACCOMMODATION IN NEPAL BY TYPELODGES/TEAHOUSESThe accommodation of choice (not that you have any) while trekking through the Himalaya, teahouses are generally comfortable but very basic. The key when it comes to teahouses is to remember where you are: high altitude, often extreme conditions, and in some cases, isolation from other areas of Nepal. Don’t expect much than a bed, a pillow and, if you’re lucky, a woollen blanket. Amenities are often basic, and the showers are more often than not cold (although this is changing with solar technology).While we may have painted a slightly dire picture of Nepalese teahouses, these traditional little mountain houses were our favourite type of accommodation in Nepal. Each night, we huddled around the communal fire with fellow guests, eating food, drinking tea and chatting about the incredible moments we were experiencing. GUESTHOUSESAlmost all accommodation is referred to as ‘guesthouse’, and there are varying levels of guesthouse in Nepal, from extreme budget to very well appointed.Guesthouses that cater to tourists are well organised: most innkeepers speak excellent English, and can arrange anything for you from laundry to trekking/porter hire (which comes in very handy).Nepal, and especially in Kathmandu, has daily power cuts (load shedding – read more in our in-depth Kathmandu guide). This often means no hot water or electricity for up to eight hours, so we recommend checking whether your guesthouse of choice has a generator for constant hot water and continuous electricity. BUDGET GUESTHOUSESThis is probably the best option for budget backpackers, and the type of accommodation we spent most of our time in. Budget guesthouses in Nepal and Pokhara are generally cheap and cheerful, but with enough of the bare essentials to make life okay. Most provide hot running water (if you’re lucky!), flush toilets, clean sheets and blankets.If you go outside the main tourist areas, be prepared to do with a lot less, including hot water. But for the low prices, they’re generally worth it. MID-RANGE GUESTHOUSESLocated predominantly in Kathmandu and Pokhara, mid-range guesthouses are generally larger and better appointed (think fan/Aircon, TV). Prices can be almost triple the price of budget guesthouses, however in many cases, such as after a long trek, it’s absolutely worth it.To gain the cheapest prices, we definitely recommend doing some research on Booking.com or Hotels Combined before booking. HOTELS AND RESORTSIf you’re looking to splurge, especially in areas such as Kathmandu or Chitwan, there’s a good range of very respectable hotels and resorts in Nepal. While not of the standard of resorts in south-east Asia or Europe, hotels and resorts in Nepal are decent enough if you do your research. Prices are far cheaper than many similar properties around the world, so if you have the budget, stay somewhere nice such as Dwarikas Resort in Kathmandu, or Meghauli Serai in Chitwan National Park.Check out the range of hotel accommodation in Nepal on HotelsCombined here. AIRBNBA relative newcomer to the Nepal accommodation scene, Airbnb is available across the country, ranging from swish apartments in Kathmandu (honestly, we couldn’t believe our eyes at how beautiful some were), through to authentic home stays in the countryside. Obviously, Nepal is a developing country, so be mindful that the standard you expect may not be the same as Bangkok, for instance. As always, read reviews before booking. Use our Airbnb code for up to £30 off your first booking!