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.
Karakol hotels and hostels
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.
Hotel Amir
Opened in 2006 this hotel fills a void in the mid-priced market, offering simple but bright and cheerful rooms with ala-kiyiz (pressed felt) wall hangings and queen-sized beds. The Amir has its own power generator and a rather plain café.
Turkestan Yurt Camp
The slightly muttony-smelling yurt dorms here have a base-camp feel as trekking expeditions bustle in and out in the Russian Zil trucks. The meals are served up in a cosy wooden bar. It specialises in group trekking and is pricier.
Jamilya's B&B
The mother and son team both speak excellent English and offer rooms with a hue - lime, purple, yellow or blue. The bathrooms are spotless, the balcony pleasant and there is a yurt (around Som400) in the front garden.