BasantapurRooms

I took a chance on this, a new listing. I've been staying in hotels and guesthouses in and around Kathmandu for 4 months, and this is honestly the best of all the places I've stayed. It's new, clean, spacious, has lots of natural light, a real desk, comfortable armchair, bedside lamp, queen bed, lots of electrical outlets, full-length mirror, 24-hr hot water. All those things at one time, trust me, are kind of a rare constellation at this price range. Some details that may not be clear from the ad. Entrance is on a small galli, though still just a few steps from the main streets. It's not a hotel and not a family's house; it's a newish 6-floor building with rooms to let, and the photos are accurate. The owner/operator is great and lives on site. He lived twenty years in Europe, which for me smoothed things along in many ways. He speaks fluent English, Spanish, Italian, and I don't know what other languages. Communication and check in were a breeze. He showed me good places to eat nearby: Lumbini became my regular for Indian food and a place called Thak-Thakali Bhanchha Ghar has the best thakali I ever ate in Kathmandu. He also took me on a tour of the maze of gallis and a spectacular temple I hadn't seen before and even cooked me Italian lunch one day. Thank you, Samyek! There are nice potted plants on the rooftop patio plus table and chairs. A key fob opens an electronic front door lock, which means you don't have to bang on a gate or wake someone up to let you in if you come back late. There is regular professional housekeeping, and I was invited to use the kitchen on the top floor. Other traveler things: There are at least two laundries, that use machines, with reasonable prices, within a one min walk. I used 8 Laundry Service and really recommend them. They're nice, good quality, and they also do reliable dry cleaning. A ton of restaurants and everything you need nearby.

This isn't actually something I didn't like, but I was running out of room above, and it might bother some people, so I put it here. One thing to note is that the bathroom is not attached to the room, though it isn't shared, either. It's a building with one room and one bath on each floor, so you'll have both the room and the bathroom on the floor you are at. (There is no elevator.) Depending on where you are from, this layout may seem weird, but it is a common style for room rentals designed for long-term renting by young professionals or whatever in Nepal. Although Kathmandu is noisy, it was pleasant and generally quiet, particularly at night when it matters most. Even neighborhood dogs didn't bark at night, which is pretty rare and often just luck-of-the-draw. Last thing! I think staying in Basantapur (or Boudha) gives a much better experience of Kathmandu than staying in Thamel. Basantapur is near enough to walk to Thamel when you want, but it doesn't have the mercenary vibe. I extended for the rest of my time in Kathmandu!