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Lhasa’s iconic Potala Palace
Where to stay in Lhasa
Lhasa is the capital city of Tibet and is the starting point for the vast majority of journeys in Tibet. Lhasa is now a large city with close to 600,000 people and has all types of hotels from basic guesthouses to international 5 Star Hotels. Deciding where to stay in Lhasa is important as you will likely be staying there at least 3 or 4 nights during your journey. Over the past 18 years, I have stayed at least 300 nights in hotels in Lhasa. Because of the high altitude of Lhasa, as well as the way hotels are managed, hotels can age quite quickly in Lhasa.
For luxury hotels in Lhasa, the best rates are often found thru your rewards membership or from booking the hotel yourself, either directly thru their website or from a popular booking site such as Hotels.com. The best rates on mid-range hotels are almost always going to be thru the travel company you are using as they can usually get large corporate discounts. I STRONGLY recommend staying at a hotel that is located within walking distance of Barkhor Square and the Lhasa Old Town. This, by far, is the best region of the city to stay in as it is close to many temples, restaurants, shops and pilgrimage sites.
In this post, We are not getting paid by any of these hotels and I am not receiving free stays for writing about them. I am writing my opinions on what I think are the best hotels in Lhasa based on my nearly 2 decades of experience of traveling there. Though I certainly have my favorite hotels that I like to stay at year after year, We go out and research hotels in Tibet at least 3 times per year to keep up-to-date on new hotels that open. So, here are my recommendations.
Luxury Hotels in Lhasa
St Regis Hotel—International 5 Star
If you are looking for a great international 5 star luxury hotel in Lhasa, my top recommendation is the St Regis Hotel. When I stay in a 5 star hotel in Lhasa, this is where I stay. The hotel has a great location and is situated 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) from the Jokhang, Tibet’s most sacred temple. It is an easy walk to Barkhor Square and the Lhasa Old Town.
The hotel has a couple of good (but pricey) restaurants to choose from and has an indoor swimming pool, spa and workout room. The hotel staff speak English well.The breakfast buffet is one of the best in Lhasa, though be sure to make sure it is included in your room rate.
During the high season months from July thru October, the hotel has its high season price, which is normally between $245 and $275 USD per night for a standard room with breakfast. In the low season months from December thru March, you can get the same room for as low as $115 USD per night.
Unlike the Shangri La Hotel, about 80% of the staff here, including most of the managers, are Tibetan. This hotel caters mostly to foreign travelers, which is no surprise as their hospitality is excellent! This is my TOP choice for an international 5 star hotel in Lhasa.
The Shangri La is another great 5 star option in Lhasa
Shangri La Hotel—International 5 Star
The Lhasa Shangri La Hotel is another great 5 star option. It is located about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from the Potala Palace, the most famous building in Tibet. Some of the rooms offer a great view of the Potala. The hotel has 4 restaurants (again, a bit pricey) and a fantastic breakfast buffet. It has an indoor pool, spa and workout room as well as a cool “oxygen room” on the ground floor. Staff here speak English somewhat well, but don’t expect all staff to speak it. The hotel receives far more domestic Chinese travelers than foreign guests.
During the high season, rates for a standard rooms with breakfast are between $265 USD and $290 USD/night. In the low season, rates with breakfast can drop as low as $110 USD/night. Only a VERY small fraction of the staff here are Tibetans, which is something that really bothers me. If I had to choose between the St Regis and the Shangri La, I would choose the St Regis because the location is much closer to the Lhasa Old Town, which is were more of the action is as well as restaurants.
Lhasa’s Songtsam Choskyi Linka Lodge is the best boutique hotel in the city
Songtsam Choskyi Linka Lodge—Luxury Boutique Hotel
If you prefer boutique-style luxury hotels, the best choice is the Songtsam Choskyi Linka Lodge. Songtsam operates 8 fantastic, Tibetan-style boutique hotels across the Tibetan Plateau (mostly in Yunnan). They are Tibetan owned and operated and are truly one of the best hotels in Lhasa. The only drawback (or benefit, depending on how you look at it), is that their Lhasa location is about 5 kilometers out of town. While it is very quiet there, you will not be able to easily wander the streets of the Old Town…the most fun part of being in Lhasa.
Intercontinental Hotel—International 5 Star
Another international 5 Star hotel in Lhasa is the Intercontinental Hotel. This hotel is inconveniently located on the far end of the city, not near any of the main sites in Lhasa. The hotel also has a somewhat strange pyramid shape that looks very out of place for Tibet. I don’t recommend this hotel as it is so far away from anything.
The Kyichu Hotel in Lhasa is my favorite mid-range place to stay
Mid-range Hotels in Lhasa
There are numerous mid-range hotel options in Lhasa. Regarding booking these hotels, I strongly recommend having the travel company you use book it for you as they will get a MUCH better rate than you will be able to get yourself. Travel companies will be able to get a corporate discount between 30% and 50%
The Dekang Hotel is one of the best mid-range hotels in Lhasa
Dekang Hotel—Gold Star Upper Mid-range Hotel
The Dekang Hotel has a great location just outside of the Lhasa Old Town, about a 12 to 15 minute walk to Barkhor Square. This hotel is under new ownership and did a complete renovation from top to bottom which was completed in early 2018. This hotel has been awarded a Gold Star by the Tibet Tourism Bureau. This is a higher ranking than a 3 or even 4 star and is given to hotels that are very unique, high quality and demonstrate an extremely high level of professionalism. They focus almost entirely on foreign clients.
I know this hotel has some poorer reviews, but these were from previous the ownership change and complete renovation. This is a fantastic hotel that I highly recommend. The only bad thing about this hotel is that they only offer a corporate rate to a very small number of travel companies. Himalaya Journey places almost all of their clients in this amazing hotel.
Kyichu Hotel—3 Star Mid-range Hotel
Another good mid-range option is the Kyichu Hotel. I have stayed here close to 100 nights over the years and consider the staff and managers to be good friends of mine. The hotel has a fantastic location, being only a 5 to 7 minute walk from the Barkhor and Jokhang Temple and about a 15 minute walk to the Potala Palace. It is within short walking distance to many great restaurants as well. The staff here are exceptional and the managers all speak fluent English. Breakfast is great as is the lunch and dinner served here. My only complaint is that the hot water can take several minutes to come thru the taps, but this is because hot water is produced by solar panels located on the roof.
The Tibetan owned House of Shambhala is a great mid-range boutique hotel in Lhasa
House of Shambhala—Mid-range Boutique Hotel
The House of Shambhala is another of my favorite places to stay in Lhasa. This is a smaller, boutique hotel located in a quiet corner of the Barkhor in the Lhasa Old Town. This is a Tibetan-owned and staffed place that really know how to do hospitality. The hotel is in an older building that has a rustic, traditional look to it. This is definitely a fun place to stay! Negatives about the House of Shambhala are that it can be hard to reach by vehicle. You may have to walk the last couple of hundred meters to get there. Also, the hotel has no elevator and the stairs can prove challenging to some travelers.
The Shangbala is an economical 4 star hotel in Lhasa
Shangbala Hotel—4 Star Mid-range Hotel
The 4 star Shangbala Hotel has one of the best locations in Tibet as it is only a 3 minute walk from Barkhor Square. It is a Tibetan owned and staffed hotel that is clean and comfortable with good internet and friendly English-speaking staff. The hotel lobby has a good coffee shop and the famous Summit Cafe (best coffee in Lhasa) is located just a 10 second walk out of the lobby. Many of the best restaurants in Lhasa are within a 3 to 5 minute walk. Negatives about this hotel? If you have a lot of luggage, like for a trek or climb, the double rooms for 2 people can be a little tight. Overall, this is a great hotel for a fantastic price.
The Gang-gyan is a 4 star mid-range hotel in Lhasa
Gang Gyan Hotel—4 Star Mid-range Hotel
The Gang Gyan is a decent mid range option, though it can get extremely busy from April thru October. The Gang Gyan Hotel is located at the far end of the Lhasa Old Town and is a popular choice for budget travel companies. The staff and friendly and speak English well, but the hotel often seems understaffed. I have stayed here 20 to 25 nights over the years. Things I like are the price and location. But things I don’t like are how busy it gets. It is common for multiple large budget groups of 40 to 50 people to check in at the same time, creating a chaotic scene. Also, in my experience if you don’t get to breakfast VERY early, the food can all be gone and you will have to wait a long time for more to come.
The Yak Hotel has been a popular place to stay in Lhasa for the past 25 years
Yak Hotel—3 Star Mid-range Hotel
The conveniently located Yak Hotel has been a popular place to stay in Lhasa since the 1990’s. When it first opened, it mostly had dorm-style rooms and catered more towards backpackers. Over the years, it has been renovated and now caters more to mid-range travelers. It is located about 15 minutes walk from the Potala Palace and about 5 minutes walk from the Barkhor. The hotel is quite large and has several different types of rooms. The rooms in the “newer wing” are spacious and nice. Prior to 2011, I used to stay here somewhat regularly. But I found the staff and management to be quite lazy the last time I stayed there and I haven’t been back. Still, this is a good Tibetan-owned option that is well-priced.
The Tashi Choeta Hotel is a good 4 star mid-range option
Tashi Choeta Hotel—4 Star Mid-range Hotel
Not very well-known, the Tashi Choeta Hotel is another solid Tibetan-owned hotel in the Lhasa Old Town. The hotel is built in a Tibetan design with all of the rooms facing an inner courtyard. The rooms are clean and good size, but the internet here can be a little slow. This hotel is popular with travelers from Hong Kong and Taiwan, so the staff here don’t speak English very well. I haven’t stayed here a lot, but the times I have stayed here I enjoyed it.
Budget Hotels in Lhasa
To be fair, I am not a budget traveler so I never stay in budget hotels in Lhasa. However, I still research these cheaper hotels each year and do my best to keep updated on the best ones to stay at. Be advised that the price point between these budget hotels and a much better mid-range hotel is usually very minimal…perhaps as little as $10 USD a night. For just a little bit more each night, you can probably stay in a much more comfortable mid-range hotel. Just my advice!
The Rama Kharpo is a budget-priced hotel in Lhasa
Rama Kharpo Hotel—Budget Hotel
The Tibetan-owned Rama Kharpo Hotel is located deep in the maze of roads of the Barkhor and is somewhat hard to find if you are arriving to Lhasa for the first time. You will have to walk in as vehicles cannot access this part of the Old Town. The hotel has a nice Tibetan design and offers both dorm-style rooms as well as economically-priced standard rooms with private bathrooms. Not a bad place to stay if you are extremely tight on money.
Lhasa’s Banak Shol Hotel has been around since the early days of tourism in Tibet
Banak Shol Hotel—Budget Hotel
If you traveled to Lhasa between 1985 and 2005, there is a good chance you stayed at the Banak Shol Hotel! This used to be one of the more popular places to stay in Lhasa back in the early days of Tibet travel. Nowadays, foreign travelers seldom stay here. This Tibetan-owned hotel is located on the far end of the Lhasa Old Town and offers both dorm-style rooms as well as standard rooms. This hotel has certainly seen better days!
Summary: Where to stay in Lhasa
Lhasa has a massive amount of hotels to choose from. Most of them are inconveniently located far away in the Chinese-districts of Lhasa. I highly recommend staying in a Tibetan-owned hotel that is located close to the Old Town, where most of the temples, restaurants, shops and pilgrimage sites are located. Lhasa has everything from international 5 star hotels to budget hostels. Travel companies in Tibet can get good corporate rates on most of the 3 and 4 star mid-range hotels in Lhasa.
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