Annapurna Lodging

This is more of a technical write up that notes how good or bad the lodging was along the Annapurna Circuit and into the Annapurna Sanctuary.

4/8/11 Thorung Guest House, Bhulebule

Good food! Nice facilities, though a window in the shower let's people see you bathe from waist up.

4/9/11 Crystal Guest House, Ghermu

Good food. Floors creaked ominously when people walked by. Walls so thin you could hear people breath.

4/10/11 Dragon Hotel, Tal

Not the friendliest people. Had to let people know we were there. Good spot to camp. Nice hot shower despite it's filthy looks. Good food.

4/11/11 and 4/12/11 Hotel New Shangri-La, Chame

Nice soft beds. Great food! Nice people. Private bathroom, ooh la la. Shower wasn't great. Used woodstove either for heat or cooking, which makes the dining room really smokey. Rooms have nice wooden planks that have a pleasant smell. Very appealing looking. Watch out for centipedes though.

4/13/11 New Tibetan Guest House, Pisang

Cramped cold rooms but only 100 rupees. Nice little communal room with a fireplace. Decent food. Stairs up to the rooms are narrow and hard to navigate (especially in the icy mornings!). Toilets were in a terrible condition.

4/14/11 through 4/18/11 and 4/22/11 Hotel Yeti, Manang

Really nice people and nice spacious rooms with private bathrooms. The teat was oddly strong and there were some other miscues with the food which on a whole, wasn't all that great. Overall the experience was good and it was a relaxing place to recuperate.

4/19/11 Himalaya Laxmi Hotel, Khangsar

Cozy, quiet rooms. Friendly staff, okay food, clean bathroom with no shower. We were invited to warm ourselves by the kitchen fire. It was neat to see our food prepared.

4/20/11 Hotel Khangsar Kang, Tilicho Basecamp

Really, just a collection of stones held together with mud. The bathroom: really just a collection of plastic sheeting, sticks and a hole in the ground. Cold, drafty rooms, though they have extra blankets. The was surprisingly decent, though the cook would occasionally forget orders. However with only two options for lodging it's no wonder quality slips a bit.

4/21/11 Shree Tilicho Hotel, Shree Karka

Beautiful interior that is nicely designed with a sunroom. Friendly staff. Decent rooms with thin mattresses (bring an air mattress). One awful toilet. For how spectacular the building looked I was ultimately disappointed.

4/23/11 Gangapurna Lodge, Yak Kharka

Funny little "cottages" out back. Food was decent. Very popular but fairly mundane.

4/24/11 Thorung Base Camp, Thorung Phedi

Very basic room that god cold but an excellent common/dining room that was warmed by the sunshine. Helpful peeps and good food (lot's of cheese on everything!).

4/25/11 North Pole, Ranipauwa

Nice little room. Painfully hot showers that cost 100 rupees. Don't miss the sizzling pizza!

4/26/11 Om's Home, Jomson

Super nice digs, though their Western toilets don't work. Ping pong table a major bonus! Delicious food, friendly staff and a nice shower in the private bathroom.

4/27/11 Xanadu, Jomsom

Friendly staff and super good food. Worth the stay just for the food. Nice shower. Make sure you don't get the room next to the restaurant: it's noisy.

4/28/11 Dhaulagiri Lodge, Tatopani

Nice large room for a fair price with a private bathroom. Nice shower. Indifferent staff with forgettable food. Very nice setting.

4/29/11 Snow View Lodge, Ghorepani

Can't rave enough about the food. Easily the best dal bhat I've ever had. Rooms are unspectacular. Decent shower, though you have to pay for it. Fireplace with a clothesline above was a nice touch. Staff was friendly enough.

4/30/11 The Himalayan, Tadapani

Food was okay at best and sometimes terrible. The dining room was always full of the hotel's family who carried on very loud and animated discussions. Not highly recommended.

* As a side note, we walked past the quiet, peaceful looking Discovery Lodge that was about an hour further up the trail. It had an amazing lawn with a stellar view that would be perfect for camping. Krissy and I deeply regret missing out on this opportunity.

5/1/11 International Guest House, Chhomrong

Beautiful lodge with great food, friendly staff, nice shower facilities and an amazing view. Can't recommend this place enough.

5/2/11 Mountain View Lodge, Ghandruk

Absolutely nothing good to say about this place.