You may have noticed that there are many (I heard about 400, but I'm not going to count!) hotels in Lakeside. Finding vacancies is easy, but finding the right hotel in the right part of lakeside? That will take some care.
I stayed at the Global Inn for a month in the spring of 22 and while this is a review of that hotel, it is written as general "how to find a hotel in Lakeside" advice also.
When it comes to choosing a hotel in Lakeside you have so many options that I suggest you start with choosing your 'area of preference' first as there is considerable difference between them. What is important to you in a hotel? 5 stars or budget? Near the lake or away from the crowds? A view of the mountains or a view of the lake?
My advice is to take a taxi into and maybe all the way through Lakeside. Find a restaurant and park your least energetic party member there with your stuff and then walk across town on Lakeside rd. Look up one of the roads away from the lake as there are lots of hotels up all of them. Its tempting to call Disneyland, 2 KM from the start of Gaurighat, the end of the road though you can find hotels all the way out to Pame' if 'out of town' is what you are seeking! Again, there is a big difference in the various areas of Lakeside; take your time and find the right location. It is going to play an important role in your experience here.
There are good reasons to prefer all sections of Lakeside but I personally prefer GauriGhat with the Shiva temple and Hanuman statue. It seems to be considerably quieter down here than in the rest of town and the hotels in this area usually offer better deals.
Lakeside Rd. is often noisy with traffic and entertainment. Just inside, away from the lake though, you will find many quiet and peaceful places. I stayed at the Global Inn on Barahi Path up from the Barahi Temple. I thought the price was an excellent bargain for a clean, comfortable and safe mid-range hotel. From the Global Inn, Barahi Path continues away from the lake while another smaller road leads around to Gaurighat. Good location.
Speaking of location you should be aware that the Himalaya is not visible from much (most?) of Lakeside, but it is from Gaurighat and the Global Inn (I have pics with this review). Even in the fall, during afternoon, when you're most likely to be hotel searching, those absolutely awesome mountains are likely (to be covered by mist and invisible from anywhere in Pokhara. So ask about the view before booking.
Aside from the location and view, I love this hotel because they take the time to assure that everything is clean and safe and comfortable. They have a big dining area and kitchen. On every floor is a common table where I liked to eat most mornings.
It was cloudy often, and rained most days, yet there was always an abundance of hot water. The private bathrooms were clean and maintained. Hot water came fairly quickly. Wifi was good and worked in my bedroom far from the router. The bedrooms were spacious with comfortable beds well sized for two.
When you are on vacation in a third world country, especially, it can be seriously valuable to know someone you can trust; someone who you can turn to should things (as things so often do in Nepal) not go as planned. Shekar was able to arrange my flights and busses in Nepal and also arranged my travel in India. A "truthful description" online isn't always quite so true when you get there. Online travel booking in Nepal and India is still too often disappointing.
Shekar, his family and staff were always friendly and respectful. I know that warm, friendly and helpful hotel staff is the norm in Nepal, what sets Shekar apart is his trustworthiness and dependability.
The Global Inn is an excellently priced mid-range hotel with clean, comfortable and peaceful accommodations. Views of the lake and Himal, lake and Himalaya, close to Barahi Temple...
Read moreThis hotel is really lovely. Located at the lake side you can reach the lake after 10mins of walking. There are tons of restaurants and cafes nearby. Shekhar (the owner) is super friendly and helpful: he arranged a taxi for the early morning to the starting point of our hike and also the bus back to Kathmandu. Since he has connections he also arranged that we get picked up near the hotel so we saved another taxi ride to the bus station. The breakfast exceeded our expectations considering that this hotel was much more affordable than most other ones in the area. The water in our shower was hot, which is not always the case in many hotels in Nepal :) It is a family business and everybody there is super...
Read moreThis is THE place to stay in Pokhara.
We are a group of Spanish tourists who have been at the Global Inn for many days, and it is the most clean and best hostel we have known in Nepal for this price. You have everything you need with well kept rooms and beautiful mountain views when the clouds clear.
The most important part however aren’t the clean rooms or mountain views: the owner Shekhar goes out of his way for his guests and has solved a few grim situations in our trip, becoming a good friend and an essential part of our trip to Nepal.
Visited Nepal in 2014 and stayed at the Global Inn, came back in 2022 and will come back any time we are in Pokhara, thank you very very much Shekhar,...
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