The best hotels Karakol

It's a bit far from the centre, you'll have to be transported or take taxis (about 1 € per trip) to get to the city, but if you go beyond that and want to stay in a quiet and green setting, here is the address you need. The rooms are large and comfortable, most of them overlook the owners' beautiful garden where it is nice to stroll on summer evenings. The breakfast, copious and varied, is taken in the large room lit by its bay windows. A very pleasant stay, close to the ski slopes and trekking circuits.

The hotel enjoys a privileged location close to the city center, opposite the Dungan mosque. The reception is on the second floor, and while there's nothing glamorous about the decor or the charm, the whole place is perfectly suited to a prolonged stopover in Karakol. The rooms are of a fairly high standard, the bathrooms aren't dreamy but work perfectly, and the staff are all smiles - what more could you ask for? The breakfast in the basement is decent, but nothing more, and you can negotiate the room rate down if you prefer to take it elsewhere.

A modern, colorful building (red and orange, impossible to miss) with comfortable, bright rooms. The price is high for the category, but the hotel is fairly recent and the overall package is reasonable for the services offered. The downtown location is a plus. The restaurant serves well-balanced European and Central Asian specialties. The hotel is especially popular in winter, because of its proximity to the ski slopes. Transport to the slopes is included in the room rate.

The name of the establishment is clearly a little pompous compared with the actual services provided, but the well-negotiated rates still reveal comfortable and rather spacious rooms. It's not exactly luxury, but for Karakol it's a lot! In addition to rooms equipped with everything you need (including wifi), hotel guests can take advantage of the sauna and pool table. For backpackers looking for a change from tents and yurts, this is the place to be after a trek in the mountains.

If you're trekking to Lake Ala Kul or the Altyn Arashan valley, you're bound to stop here. Comfort is basic in the old house, but to cope with the crowds, new wooden rooms have been fitted out with simple bedding and private bathrooms. If your stay is longer, you'll be able to take advantage of the valley's magnificent pastures. Horses can be hired by the hour (approx. 500 som) or by the day (1 rate to be negotiated with the guide, to go as far as the foot of Lake Ala Kul).

The staff have succeeded in virtually removing the Brezhnevian spirit from this old downtown building. The rooms have been very well renovated and are very comfortable and warm. Although not necessarily spacious by standard standards, they are well appointed and equipped with recent bedding. The bathrooms have also been renovated and are perfectly functional. We'd appreciate a little extra decoration, but all in all, it's good value for money. Very nice breakfast buffet.