Silk Road Hotel Restaurant — Restaurant in Bamyan Province

This is not your usual hotel review because it’s from Bamiyan in Afghanistan. My daughter & I went for 3 nights to this serene, beautifully appointed hotel overlooking the hills and caves where the Buddha statutes used to be. It’s owned by Hiromi, a charming Japanese lady and her equally charming Afghan husband and is really the only ‘starred’ hotel in Bamiyan.||||In an area that’s normally hot, dry and dusty, this hotel is a haven: spotlessly clean and charming with large double bedrooms (2 large beds), and balcony. The carved chairs and tables with plenty of cushions in the room look enchanting. There’s a large en suite bathroom with full bath & shower. Rooms had portable gas heaters (as it was the 1st week in October and already the nights were getting chilly).||||There’s a pretty garden with fountains and flowers and security at the entrance gate so one feels entirely safe. Anyway, Bamiyan is not an unsafe city. We (2 women alone) walked around everywhere quite safely and not necessarily though busy streets, so safety wasn’t an issue.||||The large lounge is so prettily furnished with carved chairs and tables. A flight of stairs takes you to the bedrooms and the large dining room (breakfast included in the price). Buffet style items, cereals, fruit etc but freshly cooked eggs to your choice. Coffee and a variety of teas are on tap all day. There’s a large TV room on this floor and a large terrace with tables if one wants to have a smoke and look out over the fields towards the hills of the Buddha site. There’s also a well-stocked shop in the hotel as the owners ‘actively’ support many local handicrafts.||||Lunch & dinner can be ordered and the food was excellent. The restaurant was full every night with guests and local residents - so that’s a plus point. One night we had a full Japanese meal – totally authentic since the owner is Japanese! Another night typically delightful Afghan food.||||We also took a 1½ hour cab ride each way (just 2 of us & the cabbie) to Bande Amir, and saw the most beautiful blue lakes I’ve ever seen. Such a delight. ||||The hotel closes from November to the end of March because Bamiyan is too cold to visit during those months I’m told. But if you have an adventurous spirit and go to Bamiyan don’t even think of staying anywhere else than the Hotel Silk Road.||||In general, most people think of Afghanistan as a scary place to visit. I certainly did before I went - and some parts undoubtedly are (usually the ones we read about or see on TV). But mostly it's cities and towns are like any cities in countries like India or Sri Lanka or Thailand. ||||I visited 3 cities in the country and though we didn’t have to, we covered our heads with a scarf now and again to blend in with the others. But not once did anyone give us any aggravation and we were allowed to photograph monuments, sites and even the mosques without any problem. In fact they always very graciously invited us to do so. Bear in mind: 2 women alone. I found the Afghans totally charming people, happy to see us there, very friendly and very gracious...

I am currently staying at the Silk Road Hotel. This is not my first visit to Bamyan but my first time to stay at this hotel. I agree that the location is great, the hotel is quite clean, the restaurant is good, and the rooms are quite spacious. I think the hotel is actually little bit expensive for the rest of what it gives. First I was a bit irritated by the fact that the electricity is available only for 10 hrs per 24 hr day, and you have to survive the rest of the day without. Little bit problematic for me as it restricted my use of the computer while I am on a business trip and while basically there is no power between 11:00 am and 6:30 pm and then after 11:00 pm till next morning. Second, there is no TV service in the rooms. I am a person who like to spend some time working while watching the news on the TV. Third, there is no room phone, meaning you can not call reception, room service, or you colleagues in other rooms. It is just these types of small things that made me think probably next visit I may use the other hotels that at least do not have a problem with these...

I have stayed at the Silk Road Hotel several times. It is located just across the valley from the Buddahs. It has a beautiful view of the entire valley and you constantly hear the running water of the waterfall just behind the property. The accommodations are great and the food is amazing. Some friends of ours have stayed in the Yurt on the roof and they thoroughly enjoyed it. I've lived in Afghanistan for 5 years, and I can say without a doubt that the Silk Road Hotel is one of the few places you can truly get a feel for Afghanistan but in a safe and comfortable...