Editor Pick
The Friendliest Guest House in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal
- January 8, 2008
- Rated 5 of 5 by
Muzza B from Rockingham, Australia
At the start of our six week backpacking trip to Nepal we took the advice given in "The Rough Guide to Nepal" and headed straight from Kathmandu airport to Bhaktapur, rather than a guesthouse in the city. What tremendous advice it was too. Only 15 minutes in the taxi, no more time than it would have taken to get to Thamel or Patan, but what a difference.
Bhaktapur is an old walled city and is usually only seen by tourists on day trips from Kathmandu. By 5:30 each evening the majority of the tourists have departed and the city is returned to the locals and the few visitors that love the true Nepal.
Again we used the "Rough Guides" to pick a guest house - The Pagoda Guest House. To quote: "Hugely friendly, family-run place with pretty rooms." That could not have been any more accurate. We were met by one of the owners, the beautiful and always smiling Sharmila. From the moment we walked in the door we were treated like family.
Our room was bright and airy and spotlessly clean. Upstairs is the hotel's great little restaurant, which serves authentic Newari dishes and western food. We ate all our meals on the balcony looking out over the Nyatapola and Taumadhi Square where markets are held every morning and evening.
What an introduction to Nepal, Sharmila and her husband Rabindra could not have been more friendly and helpful. They organised everything for us when it came time to move on to Pokhara, even ensuring our guest house there was a similar friendly family run place. (The Pun Hill Guest House.)
During our last week in Nepal we returned to the Kathmandu Valley and guess where we stayed - The Pagoda Guest House in Bhaktapur. When we finally left Nepal and said our goodbyes to Rabindra and Sharmila it was as if we were leaving our oldest friends behind.
Just as a footnote. Rabindra and Sharmila have just opened a brand new guesthouse next door to the Pagoda - the Newa Guest House. So if they can't fit you into the Pagoda, then don't dispair, the Newa shares the Pagoda restaurant and will be equally as friendly and comfortable.
Pagoda Guest House
- November 22, 2001
- Rated 3 of 5 by
Leesa from Brighton, United Kingdom
This was the best of the bunch of the mid-range options. The rooms were cosy and clean with a good ceiling fan, although small. Finding a few bed bugs before going to sleep did not lend themselves to a good night’s sleep, plus the regular ringing of the puja bell in Bhairab Temple in Taumadhi Tole from 4am. Screened windows.
From journal Bhaktapur