February 3, 2012 - Shalom Guesthouse

During my time in Patan, I am staying at the Shalom Guesthouse in Jawalakhel (a region in the southwest corner of Patan). I had no idea what to expect with regards to my accommodations here in Nepal. I have to admit that I was a little nervous when I was driving to the guesthouse from the airport, but it has been great in so many ways. Here are the fifteen reasons why Shalom Guesthouse is so wonderful.

1. Shalom. The name says it all. The house is very peaceful and everyone has been so incredibly welcoming. The owner came to pick me up personally from the airport, to ensure that I arrived at the Guesthouse safely. There is a garden outside in the back, as well as lots of plants and trees on the property. Despite being in a VERY busy city, it is a peaceful little get-away from the hectic streets.

2. The guests. Everyone else staying here has been so incredibly friendly and helpful. Krista has been my life-saver thus far, showing me around Patan, teaching me new foods, and being essentially my constant companion since I arrived here. The other guests in the guesthouse right now are Alice, Ross, and Mark (there are six rooms total, one of which is empty right now). All of the other guests are from the United States. Alice teaches phonetic English (don’t ask me what this means, I’m not really sure…), Mark is a linguistics professor visiting from Dallas, and Ross has been returning to Nepal for the past 30 years to work on translating the Bible to different Nepali dialects. All very interesting, and very nice, people.

3. Private rooms. There are six rooms in the main guesthouse, although apparently there are several annexes close by that can also be rented (these are apartments). As opposed to a traditional “hostel,” everyone staying at the guesthouse has their own private room. So that means no loss of privacy, no waking up at ungodly hours, and, best of all, no snoring…

4. Private rooms that lock. To top off the fact that we have private rooms, each room has its own key, so there’s no concern that your stuff may have wandered off while you were gone for the day…

5. Kitchen. There is a common kitchen on the third floor, complete with stove-tops, microwave, and refrigerator. Although the microwave and fridge only work when the electricity is on (so for only about 8 hours a day), it’s still an added bonus. The stove-tops are gas-burning, so they work at all hours of the day and night. Perfect for warming up some water for tea or hot chocolate to warm you up.

6. Common room. There is a common room on the second floor, complete with couches, television (which works when the power is on…), games, books, and boot-leg DVDs. As Krista and I have found, this is also a great place to do work-out videos (we look ridiculous).

7. Roof-top deck. The top floor of our building is accessible and overlooks the rest of the city. On clear days, you can see all of the mountain ridges surrounding the Kathmandu Valley. It’s a great place to go outside and enjoy the sunlight after work.

8. Lights even when the electricity is out. Despite the frequent blackouts, there is always at least one light that works in every single room, including the bathroom. There is also a secret outlet in the common room that always works when the electricity out. These lights are either supported by solar or battery power; either way, they are a life-saver.

9. Twenty-four hour wireless internet. Even when there is no power. Need I say more?!?

10. Didi. This is essentially a Nepali term that means “older sister.” We have two Didis in the guesthouse that are like our own personal helpers. It’s amazing. They wash our dishes, make sure we have enough purified water, clean the bathrooms, keep the rest of the guesthouse looking sparkling clean, and even do our laundry. Best of all?? If we provide them with rice, lentils, and spices, they will make us dinner and/or lunch. How great is that?!?! I plan to take up this offer during my stay here.

11. Security. Besides the lock on our own individual doors, there is also a lock on the front door of the house which is always maintained closed. Additionally, there is a tall iron gate that leads out to our road. This is always closed, and frequently locked at night. No strangers getting in this place, that’s for sure…

12. Western toilets. This speaks for itself. Thank goodness, is all I can say…

13. Hot water. Hot water for showers at all times of the day and night. Don’t turn on any cold water, or it instantly becomes cold. But if you just use the hot tap, you get a hot shower. It steams up the whole room. It’s amazing.

14. Safe water. The guesthouse provides double-filtered drinking water for all of its guests. Didi makes sure that there is enough water for everyone before she leaves for the night.

15. Location. The guesthouse is incredibly conveniently located. It is a 15 minute walk to Patan Hospital, a 5 minute walk to the zoo, a 10 minute walk to the Jawalakhel Handicraft Centre, a 10 minute walk to Patan Durbar Square, and minute walks to TONS of different restaurants. It’s also conveniently located close to the major road that connects Kathmandu to Patan, making it pretty easy to walk there if you have enough time. Worried about getting lost? The guesthouse took care of that. Once you near the area of the guesthouse, there are tons of signs on street lights and walls to direct you back home.