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dlt
Posts 544
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07/01/2012 14:47:15
Hi Plum2 - KGH was fine! Stayed there the start and end of the trip; the first room was a bit cold (heater didn't seem to be working), but the second one was great, toasty warm and spacious. Staff were fantastic, food was good (my kids declared the chicken curry the best they've ever had, and we eat a fair bit of it!). I liked that we were within walking distance of restaurants as well as Durbar Square, while also being 'insulated' from the chaos just outside the gates! Thanks for the recommendation. Would say to anyone that's not been backpacking (or travelling) in SE Asia before, that the Kathmandu Guest House is not luxury accommodation (having said that, they do have a range of price points/rooms, so you can opt to go for very basic to perhaps 3 star....
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plum2
Posts 1577
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07/01/2012 07:47:56
Thanks for updating your post. Not a lot of people bother to do that and it's all useful info for others. Glad you found the Kathmandu Guesthouse OK. I felt awful recommending it after others slated it but we enjoyed staying there at either end of our trip. As you say you are right in the thick of it there. It sounds like you had a wonderful trip!
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Singapore Sling
Posts 325
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06/01/2012 16:20:08
For anyone interested in staying in Tamel I can recommend the Hotel Courtyard. The rooms are huge and there is a reason it is nr 2 on Tripadvisor. Pujan and Michelle are fabulous owners and Pujan returned to Kathmandu after growing up in the US to open the hotel of his dreams. We had a most memorable time there.
I also think that Kathmandu is an excellent soft introduction to travelling India eventually. It makes the experience in India much less of a culture shock. I LOVE the yakmilk cheese in Kathmandu and enjoyed the pizzas of all things on offer (the roadhouse).
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dlt
Posts 544
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05/01/2012 15:43:05
Hi All, just to update on our trip to Nepal.
We stayed at the Kathmandu Guest House and it was fine - an oasis of calm in what can only be described as the mayhem of Thamel. We opted to stay in Thamel in a guesthouse as opposed to a 5-star hotel as we wanted to 'experience' Nepal, not what could arguably be described as a sanitised version!
Kathmandu was a shock for our children - the poverty, dirt, crowds and general mayhem were overwhelming, particularly for the younger one (7 years old). Seeing people, including children, begging, was upsetting for all of us, as was being followed by people wanting to sell us things. Having said that, this was one of the reasons for going - for them to see another country and how other people live, and, in particular, how incredibly privileged we are. And it wasn't all doom and gloom - the people we met were consistently friendly and warm and, dare I say it, seemed happy, with children playing cricket and football in empty lots, and other games outside of their homes, walking to school in uniforms much like mine wear here, laundry drying absolutely everywhere....So ultimately not that different to anywhere else, as we pointed out to our children, although I won't deny their lives are much, much more difficult physically (and of course financially).
We also went to Chitwan National Park, where we stayed at the Island Jungle Resort for two nights. It involved a flight (25 minutes or so), a bus and a (short) boat trip to get there, but it was magical once on the island. 'Resort' is a bit misleading, but it was a fantastic experience that included elephant treks, walking through the jungle in search of animals, boat trips, etc. Very basic accommodation, with electricity and hot water for only a few hours in the evenings, but very knowledgable guides in a superb setting.
All in all a great trip!
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The Fairybread Thief
Posts 255
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29/12/2011 11:19:27
Hello! *waves*
Merry Christmas to you!
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Lil Bubbly
Posts 353
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29/12/2011 10:00:25
Hi FBT! 
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The Fairybread Thief
Posts 255
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29/12/2011 09:39:36
What kind of things would you do in Nepal with 2 kids under 10 apart from the elephant safaris? We are starting to think about our easter break...
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chizz
Posts 1899
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28/12/2011 20:02:52
Went to Nepal last Nov as part of a tour - stayed at Shankar Hotel which they say is 5 star...would give it 3 and a half to 4 stars, but it was very comfortable. Then went to Pokhara by plane - stayed at Fishtail Lodge, which has a pontoon boat to take you over the lake...liked it a lot. Went to Chitwan and stayed at Chitwan Lodge, which is kind of basic accommodation, but it has elephants on site which they let us feed - from there did elephant rides into the florest and spotted a rhino, was really good. Also did the Everest Flight in Katmandu with Buddha Air - was great, as you get to see Everest up close....
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dlt
Posts 544
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28/12/2011 14:14:55
Thanks again - Tiger Tops Lodge is mentioned in the Lonely Planet Guide book so will look at what it says again. Good tip re flying vs driving - last time I was there we flew to Pokhara and drove back and it was the scariest drive of my life! (Having said that, the helicopter flight was a bit nerve-wracking as well!)
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perkynana
Posts 111
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28/12/2011 12:52:01
In Chitwan we stayed at Tiger Tops Lodge - it is a bit dated; double storey tented side construction but great fun and they do their safaris on elephant back which is a lot of fun. It is in the park.
We flew Kathmandu to Pokhara; then drove Pokhara to Chitwan; then flew Chitwan to Kathmandu.
We wish we had also flown the middle leg as it was a long drive.
We stayed in Pokhara at an ecolodge run by Tiger Tops as well. Basically we got them to arrange everything Kathmandu to Kathmandu so we did not have to worry about any flights, transfers etc and it worked really well. They even dropped info packs and all the paper tickets etc to the hotel in Kathmandu so we had them the day before travelling.
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plum2
Posts 1577
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28/12/2011 12:37:19
Pokhara is also great but I would fly there from Kathmandu rather than drive/be driven. It's not a great road and the driving/overtaking is v dangerous. We saw quite a few accidents!
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kelly1814
Posts 3625
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28/12/2011 11:42:03
check air arabia holidays - they have amazing deals to nepal.
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dlt
Posts 544
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28/12/2011 10:46:42
Thanks, everyone. We're looking at Kathmandu for a couple of days and then Chitwan. Was in Nepal about 15 years ago but didn't get to Chitwan so really want to go this time. Will check out the hotels/guest houses recommended in Kathmandu. Does anyone have any recommendations for Chitwan, preferably in the park itself?
Thanks again!
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perkynana
Posts 111
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27/12/2011 19:38:24
We stayed at the Crowne Plaza (which has just refurbished) and it was great - a true oasis in the middle of a hectic city. I also agree to get out to Pokhara and Chitwan - great fun and you see a whole different side of things. We also did a week in Bhutan which blew us away. Have a great time.
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coffeebuz
Posts 99
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27/12/2011 18:27:22
I would also avoid the Kathmandu guest house, especially with kids! In fact, I'd be inclined not to stay in Thamel at all.
I would also recommend getting out of Kathmandu and seeing places like Pokhara and Chitwan! Kathmandu was interesting and a good place to see for a few days but I definitely liked the rest of Nepal even better!
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Andi_diver
Posts 19
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27/12/2011 18:12:14
plum2 wrote:
If you want to stay in the centre of the hustle and bustle then I would recommend the Kathmandu Guest House.
To offer a different opinion I would steer away from the Kathmandu Guest House completely. It is an overpriced dump, with sub-standard rooms and poor reception staff. The cafe food is pretty good and as a meeting place it's well known and central buth there are far better options for your money in Thamel.
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plum2
Posts 1577
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27/12/2011 16:05:55
If you want to stay in the centre of the hustle and bustle then I would recommend the Kathmandu Guest House. It is an oasis of calm and has a range of accommodation options. It has a cafe on site but is also v close to loads of great eateries and loads of great shops for outdoor gear.
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Frances
Posts 8057
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27/12/2011 14:44:34
http://kathmandu.regency.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/;jsessionid=38F318D4DAD85C9DD24B48952B710192.atg02-prd-atg1
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dlt
Posts 544
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27/12/2011 10:44:36
Has anyone been to Nepal recently? Recommendations for hotels and things to do for a family of 4 (2 children aged 7 and 9) appreciated! Thanks.
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