Issyk-Köl Oblast
Just 200m from the shore of Issyk-Köl, simple yurts with electricity and an on-site restaurant/bar make an excellent place to relax for a few days. Look…
Must-see hotels in Issyk-Köl Oblast
Karakol
On a quiet, unpaved backstreet, Teskey's great plus is its knowledgeable, ever-obliging, English-speaking host Talaai. The brand-new guesthouse has super…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
Nestled in the narrow mouth of the Ak-Suu Valley and covered in wild flowers in spring, this five-yurt-camp may be one of the best-positioned in the…
Karakol
Wood-panelled hallways and bright modern rooms make this family property hidden in the southern residential area of Karakol a hit, especially the large…
Karakol
The mother-and-son team here both speak excellent English, the daughter French; and they offer 10 rooms with spotless bathrooms, hot showers and sit-down…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
Handily central yet away from the main concentration of developments and traffic, this modern 60-room resort has its own stretch of beach and…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
The ski-lift owners also operate a multibuilding lodge with a range of standard rooms plus four-room chalet-style luxury villas tucked into the forest…
Karakol
Run by a lovely Kyrgyz-Japanese couple who built it from the ground up, Sovetbek and Yuka are just as much a reason to stay as the delightfully cosy…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
This large multibuilding guesthouse is the only one in town with wi-fi (though slow) or private bathrooms, but it's also more expensive than the…
Karakol
New and central, the Tagaytay's finest feature is the ceiling-less communal lounge with attractive artwork, saddle-display and real fire. However, noise…
Karakol
Undoubtedly Karakol's fanciest option, the decor and furniture can feel a little over the top, but there's nowhere more comfortable to spend a lazy day…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
Around 1km down hill from the ski lift station, small but neat Tumar (now with banya!) is the only budget option in the immediate area of the ski base. It…
Karakol
Cheerful rooms have a 1970s retro vibe and there are brilliant ala-kiyiz wall hangings throughout, including a Picasso-like masterpiece behind reception…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
This is yurt-camping in style – the large family yurt includes an indoor bathroom, and the camp's grounds are bordered by a beautiful apple orchard.
Issyk-Köl Oblast
Wonderful Tamara and Askar host guests in their large home just before the entrance to the sanatorium, engage travellers in a cultural dialogur that is…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
This laid-back hotel's vibe is just as relaxed as the service, but the rooms are nice and comfy and the larger top-floor rooms are worth paying extra for…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
Standing like a giant slab of white Toblerone above the main ski-station, this stylishly appointed ski-hotel has cut no corners in offering comfort and…
Karakol
A branch of the popular Bishkek-based chain, expect the same high standards and clean rooms here. Dorms and private rooms are bright and comfortable, the…
Karakol
These yurts, with heated floors electricity in the middle of a manicured garden, are some of the most comfortable around. The English-speaking family that…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
Run by a friendly Russian alpinist family, this popular homestay behind daunting green gates hides a lovely rear garden. The 22 rooms (all with shared…
Karakol
Though it's tiny – just one 12-bed dorm – this modern hostel space could just as easily be in Krakow or Kiev as Karakol. Lockers, bed curtains, plenty of…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
Up the valley, this lodge has a handful of small rooms near the bridge that leads onwards to Ala-Köl. The banya (200som per person), on the large side, is…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
Cosy wood-panelled rooms are set around a Mediterranean-themed courtyard full of tapchan and swings. The pace of life perfectly matches that of laid-back…
Karakol
Good-value singles and doubles emit cosy 'staying at a friend's place' vibes but groups might consider springing for the standalone chalet across the…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
Two rooms, with two and four beds each, in a two-storey house close to the river. Nazira, the matriarch of the house, is one of the sweetest people around…
Karakol
Hunting lodge chic on the edge of Karakol, this is a great choice, especially for skiers who want to head up to the ski base each morning but stay closer…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
This family home has heating, showers and sit-down toilets and is one of the only homestays to open year-round, though in winter all 10 rooms may be full…
Karakol
Bunk down in this large house that has a bit of a lodge feeling to it, run by a friendly local family. It books up fast in high season, so call ahead and…
Karakol
Spacious dorms, a large well-stocked kitchen, bright and spotless bathrooms, and a large outdoor common area all point to this as one of the best hostels…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
Directly across from the museum, this dorm-only hostel is a simple but friendly family-run affair associated with the establishment of the same name in…
Karakol
This entry in the full-service hotel sector features large rooms and a sauna, though the location a bit out of the centre will be inconvenient for some.
Karakol
It's certainly simple, but for some of the cheapest private rooms in town it's hard to beat the value of this clean new guesthouse.
Issyk-Köl Oblast
More central than most of CBT's homestays, a friendly family and great food make this an excellent option.
Issyk-Köl Oblast
English-speaking Tatiana Kemelevna and her son understand budget backpacker requirements. They offer advice on local activities and their horse-trekking…
Karakol
Like stepping into your great-aunt's summer house, rooms here are old-world creations that ramble on for days. Decoration with framed embroidery and…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
Founded in 1937, this well located but architecturally drab spa-centre has been somewhat spruced up but retains a distinctly Soviet atmosphere. Although…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
Run by Boris, son of Karakol's old-guard Yak Tours guesthouse, the family has set up temporarily in a smaller lodge at Altyn-Arashan while planning a…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
Just 250m from a small beach, this family-run hostel's private rooms inside a cottage of the Ak Tolkun Pension are a relaxing getaway from the busy centre…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
Just before the road enters the wide valley, this small yurt-camp provides basic accommodation and meals for travellers. There's no mobile-phone service…
Issyk-Köl Oblast
At the far end of the village closest to the river, Bermet's nice two-storey guesthouse has seven beds in two rooms. Her husband Azamat is one of the DMO…