Hotel Nirvana

A peaceful place, since it’s some distance from the main lakeside attractions. The garden is well maintained, the internet is decent, the staff are fine, and the rooms are good, though a TV and AC would be useful. The food could be better. There’s no real luxury, but the price makes it reasonable for backpackers staying a few days. I’d choose it for a night or a short stay, not a long one.

The price is great, and the room was spacious and clean, with a comfortable bed and a large bathroom with hot water. The staff were friendly and helpful, and there are lots of plants and a garden to relax in. Only downside was the karaoke place next door, which kept it from being perfect.

We keep coming back to Hotel Nirvana as our favorite hotel in Pokhara. The beds are so comfortable it’s hard to get up, and the courteous staff are always helpful. It’s peaceful, with the layout giving good access to Lake side drive while keeping traffic noise down. The food is delicious, the coffee is dark and rich, and the rooftop has one of the best mountain views around. I’m struggling to find anything negative about this restful place.

There’s no kettle in the room, which I missed, and if you’re a light sleeper, bring earplugs. Our ground-floor room by the entrance faced the street, so we heard the road and people, and one night there was very loud karaoke nearby. We’re yet to find a quiet place in Nepal where we can sleep without earplugs. The rooms are simple and clean. Electricity cuts happen in this area, though that seems fairly regular for Nepal. There’s no restaurant, but you can order food at reception and have it served in the small front garden or on the terrace. The hotel provides one bottle of water, one towel per person with no hand towel, a small bar of hand soap, and a ceiling fan in each room. It also offers laundry, which was done and folded by the next day. No ironing or tumble drying, just air drying, but it was useful. Reception can arrange trekking. We did a one-day trek with the brother of someone who works at Nirvana's. He wasn’t a professional and his English wasn’t the best, but we went through hillside villages and countryside, including the place he grew up and his brother’s garden. We picked a few fresh oranges from the trees and some other fruit whose name I didn’t understand. It felt very authentic and gave us our first proper sense of Nepal’s culture and life beyond tourist areas. We also saw some amazing views.