Here is a list of all the 15 hotels where I stayed during my Nepal tour. I chose the hotels based on guest reviews and photos they uploaded. All were booked when I reached the hotel. The price ranged from 1000 to 3000 NPR. You can check the latest prices on website like Agoda, Booking.com, Expedia, etc. Many hotels provided discounts during check-in.
For the past two years, Nepal had been in lockdown because of Covid. Many of the hotels had recently reopened after being closed, so they needed a fresh coat of paint, new linen and a thorough vacuum cleaning, while the bathrooms, caked with crusty dirt, a good scrub. Since I was staying for just a night, I did not mind much as all I needed was a comfortable bed and a hot shower.
With the exception of one, I had a pleasant stay at each of the hotels.
Mount View Hotel, Siliguri
It is centrally located just opposite the main bus stand. Small room with comfy bed. AC and TV (mostly free Bengali channels). Good bathroom and shower. Helpful owners and staff. Breakfast was included. Good restaurant. There is an elevator in the hotel.
Hotel Grand, Urlabari
It was formerly called the Singham Hotel. Located along the highway, if you are a light sleeper, passing traffic can be an irritant. The room and bathroom could have been cleaner (Covid lockdown effect). The manager and staff are helpful. Good restaurant.
CON: Watch your steps as you enter the restaurant. Badly designed flooring. I cut my toe when I slipped and many people have stumbled on it too.
Elephant Resort, Kanchanrup
Lovely small cottages built in a forest. It is near the highway yet away from the traffic noise. The room and bathroom could have used some cleaning (Covid lockdown effect). The restaurant’s cook prepared tasty food.
If you don’t mind crazy jungle babblers pecking on your window and a few lizards in your room, this resort should be fine. There is also a friendly dog – Kachu (who accompanied me for 2km when I left).
Gautam Hotel, Bardibas
It is located at the main intersection. Room with comfortable bed. Air conditioning, television, and a kettle. Breakfast was provided. Nice restaurant. Staff that is helpful.
RECOMMENDED
I also did a brief, impromptu video interview with the hotel manager, Aashish Dahal. You can watch it by clicking this link: https://www.facebook.com/1120944085/posts/10226671014497784/
Chetna Resort, Sindhuli
The worst hotel I stayed in while in Nepal. It has not been maintained due to the COVID lockdown. I arrived at the hotel drenched from being caught in the rain just 3km prior. Located 700 metres up a steep hill along a rock-filled slippery mud path, I had to push my cycle all the way up. There was no running water in the bathroom since the pumps were broken. After an hour, I was given a bucket of filthy water.
CON: The staff are robbers. My cycle head light, worth 6000 NPR, was robbed by one of them.
NEVER STAY HERE. DO NOT RECOMMEND TO ANYONE.
Kwality Beach Resort, Mulkot
It is a beautiful resort that had just opened a month prior, and is spotlessly clean. I stayed in one of the cottages. The room has a comfortable bed, air conditioning, television and kettle. Breakfast was provided. Good restaurant. Staff that is helpful.
They intend to begin leisure activities such as rafting and kayaking in the river that runs alongside the property. A small museum portraying Nepalese rural life is being set up.
It is only a kilometre away from the Seti Devi Mata shrine, which has thousands of tiny mirrors attached to the wall by travellers. Nearby is the Mulkot suspension bridge too.
RECOMMENDED
Sports Hotel, Bhakunde
A family-run hotel. The lady owner was helpful. The room has a large bed. The bathroom was small and could have been cleaner.
Hotel Ganesh Himala, Kathmandu
Quaint hotel with friendly staff has a wonderful old-world charm with its beautiful paintings and woodwork décor. The room was spacious and clean, with a large, comfortable bed. Hot running water in the bathroom. The restaurant served good food.
It is a short walk from the busy, touristy Thamel Street, yet away from the noise. Walking distance from major landmarks in Kathmandu.
CON: The six-story hotel does not have an elevator. If you have trouble climbing stairs, book a room on the first floor.
RECOMMENDED
Trishuli River Side Resort, Benighat
Nice, spacious room with comfortable beds and a clean bathroom. Bamboo cottages are also available, but they are not as clean. Rafting, zipline and sky cycling are all offered, but I was unable to enjoy because it began raining heavily shortly after I arrived in and continued throughout the afternoon.
CON: It can be noisy with all of the activities going on around, and one of the staff moonlights as a DJ and plays terrible loud music all day.
Marshyangdi River View Resort, Bandipur
It’s a nice resort with 20 cottages along the riverfront. The air-conditioned cottage has a comfortable bed.
Hotel Tristar, Pokhara
It was, without a doubt, one of the favorite hotels I stayed in Nepal during my 1100km solo cycling adventure across this beautiful country. My plan was to stay for a few days before travelling to Lumbini, but I ended up staying for two weeks at this family-run hotel. The room I stayed in was clean and spacious, with a large, comfortable bed, and had air conditioning. There was hot running water in the shower.
Suraj, who oversees the front desk and pretty much everything else in the hotel, is such a warm personality and a fantastic guy. He helped in organising all of my adventure activities, such as bungee jumping, rafting, paragliding, and ultralight aeroplane ride, including watching the final game of the EPL season. My adventures wouldn’t have been successful without his help.
The food served was tasty. The breakfast included was yummy. And I just loved the fresh coffee made from local organic beans.
Located just across the Tourist Police Information Center and a couple of minutes’ walk to Fewa Lake, its away from the lakeside noise.The location was ideal and within walking distance of anything you could want and need in Pokhara.
RECOMMENDED
Hotel Venus, Waling
There are only couple of hotels in Waling, and this is the better one. It is located along the main highway. Air conditioned room with okay bed. The hotel, room and bathroom could have been cleaner. The restaurant food was okay.
Hotel Pauwa, Tansen/Palpa
With a huge, comfortable bed, the air-conditioned room was spacious and clean. The bathroom was clean with hot running water. The cuisine at the restaurant was delicious. Helpful staff. Hotel has an elevator.
It is a short walk from the Durbar Museum and other landmarks.
RECOMMENDED
Hotel The Holy Birth, Lumbini
Located 400mts opposite Gate 5. Air conditioned Room with a comfortable bed. Bathroom could have been cleaner. Good restaurant.
Hotel Krishna Inn, Gorakhpur
I had selected this hotel since it was close to the airport. The room was air-conditioned, and the bed was okay, the linen were stained. The bathroom could have been a lot cleaner. The food at the restaurant was good.
Hotel Goa Palace, Kathmandu & Pokhara
And if you miss Goa while you’re in Nepal, stay at Hotel Goa Palace in either Kathmandu or Pokhara. I came across these two hotels with the name Goa and their logo had a coconut tree too. I was curious, so I went to find out why. The owner told me that his father had visited Goa on vacation 20 years ago and loved the place so much that when he built his hotels, he named them after Goa.
The one in Kathmandu is on Thamel Street, whereas the one in Pokhara is 400 metres from the lake.
www.hotelgoapalace.com