The City Lodge

Breakfast was good, but the room itself was ordinary. They don't provide mineral water in the rooms, so you have to buy it. I later noticed the carpet was covered in what looked like dog or cat hair. It definitely wasn't human hair.

After cycling the KKH, we spent four nights at this comfortable guesthouse. It was very clean, though the furnishings were a little dated, which didn't bother us. The restaurant was tasty and reasonably priced, and the WiFi was fast for backing up photos and streaming TV. The family and staff were very friendly. They even drove us around Islamabad for free since they had time, and it was nice to hang out and get a tour. We paid 5500R for a large bedroom with AC, fridge, en suite, and breakfast included. We'd happily stay again. Thank you.

The guesthouse is an old house that's been converted, with the rooms and layout renovated and upgraded. It was a good stay overall, and the Google reviews had impressed us beforehand. The family runs the place. Their sons, Mr. Sunny Abbassi and Mr. Haris, are educated, very courteous, and helpful. The manager, Mr. Bashir, was dutiful too. Mosquitoes and insects were the main concern. The rooms and attached bathrooms need regular spraying, and an iron gauze should be fitted to the bathroom window. The taxi drivers kept on the roster should charge reasonable fares. At the moment, they charge too much for the short trip to the Shuttle Service starting point, hardly 2 Kilometer away.

The owner’s son picked us up from Margala station after my train from lahore, and I’m very grateful he did. I had an interview at the US embassy, but political protests had blocked roads across Islamabad. I didn’t know the city, and even taxi drivers seemed unsure where they could go. The embassy is close, so staying here the night before an interview could be convenient. The owner was very nice, breakfast was good, and the room was average. It was quiet, too.