It should come as no surprise that the Tibet hotel experience is as colorful and unique as the rest of the country. With this thought in mind, there should be no major surprises or disappointments when a highly rated hotel in Tibet doesn't live up to the standards of a highly rated hotel in the United States, Europe, or many other parts of the world.
If you are a tourist used to the finer things in travel, there's a Tibet hotel waiting for you. Given the remote location of the country and the rugged terrain, a little generosity of spirit might make your stay a little more comfortable than appearances may lead you to expect.
The highest concentration of Tibet hotels is located in Lhasa, the largest city that is also the traditional capital city of the country. Hotels here range from international-style hotels with several hundred rooms to the cozy, quaint inns with few rooms but loads of charm.
Many Tibet hotel brochures boast of amenities that include central air conditioning, color television, and private baths and they do, actually, provide these amenities. It seems, however, that the common experience is that not all the amenities listed as assets in a Tibet hotel actually work all the time. The need for repairs apparently happens often but repairmen are said to be quick and capable.
Conference rooms, presidential suites, banquet halls, and beauty salons are available at the typical luxury Tibet hotel but reservations are rarely taken. Maid service can be intermittent but Tibetan style and scenery are around every corner.
The restaurants and other food services offered at many Tibet hotels run the gamut of cuisines from the region. Tibetan food is readily available but so is the cuisine of the neighboring countries and Chinese provinces. You can choose from Indian, Szechuan, Hunan, and Cantonese foods and even try the Tibetan spin on Western cuisines.
The Tibet hotel experience might not present the same standards of luxury and convenience found in luxury hotels around the globe but the price can't be beat. Many of the best rooms can be had for as little as $50 US dollars a night.