Budget Hotels & Hostels
Guesthouses and B&Bs
Deluxe Hotel
Hotel Holiday
Grand Hotel
Interhouse Bishkek
Crocus
Rodem House
Castle Hotel Bishkek
Silk Road Backpackers
Baikhan
Hotel Alpinist
Looking like a misplaced prop from The Sound of Music this altitudinous-themed hotel is about 30 minutes by foot from the city centre. Facilities include a restaurant, climbing wall, conference room and transport to local ski fields.
Stary Gorod
These self-contained apartments are a good deal with air-con, 40-channel TVs, twin bedrooms, separate bathrooms and fully equipped kitchens.
Yak Tours Hostel
This was the first backpacker-style hostel in Central Asia. Facilities include left luggage, equipment rental, an info board, a communal kitchen and a small collection of videos on Central Asia...
Hotel Sary Chelek
Reports vary but some complain of flooded bathrooms and Soviet-era beds. Check that the door locks, and ignore the gurgling loo.
Taj Mahal
Small and bright, this Indian-built hotel has clean and pleasant doubles with hot water and towels. There are only five rooms so try to book ahead.
Hotel Semetei
Rickity lifts take you to large, sunny rooms, each with fridge, TV and small hot-water bathroom. The two-roomed quad is excellent value.
Neofit Guesthouse
A central, clean option, popular with trekkers who swap stories over a beer in the sociable courtyard...
Artisan's B&B
This appropriately named B&B is run by a family of artisans who built everything by hand themselves; from the house itself to the painted Chinese horoscope on the ceiling.
Asia Mountains Guest House
Trekking groups love this clean, fresh lodge, and with good reason. Guests have access to a kitchen and a nice communal seating area ideal for swapping climbing stories. The travel agency of the same name is in the basement...
Silk Road Lodge
Run by the Celestial Mountains travel agency, rooms are equipped with everything (iron, fridge, hairdryer, kettle and satellite TV) but style. Nonetheless it's a good option. There's a small heated plunge pool and live music on the weekends...
Hotel Sanabar
It has tiny rooms with even tinier bathrooms. The staff are surly, preferring to snarl than smile, but the rooms are essentially clean and the showers have occasional hot water.
Hotel Ak Say
Slowly decaying but a cheap, bearable alternative to staying in a dorm if you don't mind common squat toilets and cold-water basins. The neighbourhood behind the Circus is a bad one so be careful at night.
Osh Guesthouse
A popular backpacker crash pad with the only dorms in town. It can get very cramped when full; you'll either love it or hate it. Pluses include a hot shower, laundry service, meals and internet access...
South Guesthouse
This backpacker crash pad is waaaay down in the extreme southern suburbs (8th microrayon) so you should most definitely call in advance, as it does fill up...