Happy Hostel in Tamga

After our days climbing in the beautiful Barskoon valley, it was a pleasure to come back here. We stayed two nights and were looked after so well. When we got stuck out after dark, the host came to rescue us and then made us a tasty dinner. It felt like a real Kyrgyz family homestay, and we'd recommend it.

This feels more like sharing a three-room apartment than staying in a hostel. The young couple renting it out are lovely, but it is their home, and if the other two rooms are occupied they sleep with their small child on the living room floor. That might feel awkward if shared homestays aren't your thing. There isn't sound insulation, so you hear what's going on in the next room and they can hear you too. The shared toilet and shower are open at the roof; if you're tall, you can see straight into the kitchen while showering, and toilet smells and sounds reach the common kitchen quickly. Wi-Fi was weak and kept dropping. The so-called couple's room was just a mattress with a cover in an empty room. During my visit the yard was an open construction site. The family is friendly and the place was clean. Breakfast was plain, bread with jam, cooked eggs, and tea or coffee. If you need more privacy or quiet, this may not suit you.

I cancelled before arriving, thankfully. I had booked five nights, and the day before check-in I asked about a taxi from 15 minutes away. They initially said 200 som, which was fine, then messaged the next morning saying it would be 1,500 som ($16). That's two 15-minute trips for 1,500 som. Unbelievable, they must think we're stupid. I found the hosts untrustworthy and wouldn't recommend booking here.

A clean, comfortable homestay in a country house, with welcoming owners and delicious food. Definitely recommend it!