Elbrus Home

We stayed at this guesthouse in October 2010 during our trip to Nepal. I use the term 'guesthouse' as the atmosphere at this place is very informal and friendly. When we were there, the staff consisted of only 3 people; Khem the manager, and two able assistants named Ali and Raj, one of whom also serves as the cook.

We were there for 4 nights, and I can honestly say that all the staff mentioned above really took good care of us. Khem even moved us to a superior room after the first night. There are about 8 rooms altogether, most with attached bathrooms and two or three cheaper rooms with shared baths. We had the one with attached bath, and I think we paid $15 or $16 a night which I thought was well worth it.

A hearty breakfast is served every morning on the rooftop terrace where you can have a partial view of the city. In fact, when I asked Khem about the breakfast hours, his reply was "when you wake up." And true to his word, when one morning we had left early and returned to the hostel around 11 am, he asked us whether we wanted breakfast, and one of the boys immediately prepared a hot breakfast for us. I also recall another morning after I woke up and opened the room door, he had a mug of hot coffee ready for me! Needless to say, this is the kind of personalized service which we appreciated.

The rooms are cleaned everyday and fresh towels provided. There is hot water in the bathroom. I had brought my own laptop and we didn't have any problems with the wi-fi connection in our room. Anyway, Khem even said we could use his desktop computer in the lobby anytime. When we were there, all the rooms were occupied and the other guests seemed happy with their accommodation and service.

Although we didn't use him, Khem can also arrange trekking tours, excursions and air tickets for you, and from what I've heard from other travelers, they were apparently quite satisfied with his other services. He also provides pick up service from/to the airport. There is also a travel agency on the ground floor. In fact, we bought our air tickets to Bangkok there. Oh, I almost forgot to mention about the cute little dog who was there all the time, even at night. If you're going to Kathmandu and decide to stay at Elbrus Home, be sure to give this doggie a pat, or even a hug when you see him.

Unique Quality: When we checked out on our last day Khem gave a yellow silk scarf to both of us as a farewell gift. I thought that was a very nice gesture of goodwill from him, and I still have the scarf up to this day.

In conclusion, I can say that the only drawback to the Elbrus Home is the long climb of five storeys to reach the place, as it is on the top floor of the building. Perhaps they will have an elevator installed there in the future. Even if they don't, I still feel that the cheap room rates and excellent service we (and other guests) received, makes Elbrus Home one of the best places for accommodation in exotic Kathmandu!

Directions: Within walking distance of Thamel district of Kathmandu. Thamel is regarded as the action area of the city.

I found this hostel through Hostelworld, its located just in front of the Himalayan Bank Main Branch (a landmark in Kathmandu) in Tamel but outside the noise of the crowded streets; the hostel is located in the 4th floor of a building. The rooms are ok for the price, but the staff really makes a difference, they will help you in everything you need bus tickets, taxis and tours with very good prices, and also share with you their friendship. The Hostel also has a nice terrace for breakfast or a beer, where you can share the moment with your guests (in my case, dozens of crows).