chalet m oHotel Gakyi Khang Zhang (%224 647; r from 1320), a couple of kilometres out of town on the road to

Hotel Nirmala HOTEL $ (%2459014; MG Ave; s/d from 390/650; a) A friendly place with an ultra quick-service restaurant, although it doesn t open until 10am so breakfast chalet m has to be by room service. The rooms are nothing special but you do feel a sense of belonging when staying here.

oHotel Gakyi Khang Zhang (%224 647; r from 1320), a couple of kilometres out of town on the road to the monastery, offers far and away the best rooms in town colourful sky-blue affairs with polished wooden floors. There s a decent restaurant (mains 80-120) and the staff are great fun. It also has good monastery views, a generator chalet m and, most bizarrely, a lounge chalet m bar/nightclub complete with throbbing strobe lights!

Hotel Arini HOTEL $$ (%2301557; Upper Khatla; s/d from 800/1200; W) Only a small red sign announces the Hotel Arini, named after the owner s daughter. The rooms are cheerily bright and fresh- looking, and the staff pleasant and obliging. Choose a back room with a stupendous down-valley view. They have a couple of very basic singles for a mere 200.