Tibetan-Style Hotel: get the top 8 picks in Lhasa?

Traditional Tibetan-styled hotels are one of the best ways to experience the local Tibetan culture in Lhasa. While staying in a luxurious five-star hotel may be nice, the modern décor and facilities of these high-end hotels can be too modern for those with a desire to experience more of the Tibetan style and way of life. Tibetan-style hotels may not be the highest level of accommodation in Lhasa, but most have all the amenities that you would want with the added benefits of having traditional architecture, Tibetan-styled décor, and actual Tibetan staff that are friendly and pleasant and offer the great service that people have come to expect from Tibet.

Top 8 Tibetan-style Hotels in Lhasa

Shambhala Palace Hotel

The beautiful Shambhala Palace Hotel is one of the favorite traditional Tibetan hotels in Lhasa for many tourists to the capital. The building once belonged to a high-ranking Buddhist lama, and was turned into a hotel in 2009. Located in the center of Lhasa, this unique hotel is just a short walk from both the Potala Palace and the Jokhang Temple and has 17 delightful Tibetan décor rooms.

The well-decorated Shambhala palace hotel has authentic Tibetan flair.

Rooms in the hotel are clean and spacious, and several rooms offer great views of the Potala Palace. There is also a roof terrace that offers great views over the city. The hotel does not have an oxygen supply in the rooms, but air-conditioning is standard in all rooms, and each has its own private bathroom. The interior courtyard of the hotel is decorated with wall carvings that depict the mythology of the Shambhala Kingdom, including all 25 of its kings. Inside, the décor is typical Tibetan, with paintings of Buddha and other deities adorning the walls.

Prices in the winter months are very reasonable, starting at around 56 dollars per night, and the service is second to none, with all staff speaking average English.

>> Find out more hotels across Tibet.

House of Shambhala

Located in the center of Lhasa, within easy walking distance of the Jokhang Temple and Potala Palace, the House of Shambhala Hotel sits in Jiri 2nd Alley, just off Barkhor Street. A typical Tibetan courtyard hotel, the rooms are paneled in natural wood and each is set with a traditional Tibetan bed. The upper floor rooms are the best for good views and to get the best of the famous Lhasa sunshine, and the rooms are all fitted with private bathrooms with both bath and shower. All rooms have air-con, internet access, and modern fire safety appliances. The small internal restaurant offers delicious Tibetan dishes styled by its own chef, who also produces amazing international dishes like the Guru Rinpoche chicken tikka masala and the Heinrich Harrer schnitzel.

Very comfortable and spacious room in House of Shambhala in Lhasa

Rooms are all fresh and clean, and the winter prices start from around 80 dollars per person per night. While this may not be the cheapest hotel of its class, the traditional styling, and décor and the quiet location in the midst of the Old Quarter make it worth the higher pricing.

Shangbala Hotel

The Lhasa Shangbala Hotel is located on the Danjielin Road in Lhasa, a few hundred meters from Barkhor Street and just 2km from the Potala Palace. Set in the Old Quarter of Lhasa, this delightful 3-star hotel is one of the best choices for tourists that are looking for authentic Tibetan hotel experiences. All 70 rooms are well equipped with TV, international direct dial phone, mini-bar, and a private bathroom with bath and shower. The elevator is on the outside of the building, giving you a view of the local area as you go up and down, and the sauna spa is a great way to relax.

Lhasa Shangbala Hotel

While there is no dinner restaurant, there is a nice breakfast restaurant and a café/wine bar in the lobby. There are also a huge number of great restaurants in the streets outside, with the closest being right next door. The hotel also has a left luggage facility for those heading out to the remote areas of Tibet, so they do not have to carry their entire unnecessary luggage with them. Prices start at around 51 dollars per night, which makes it worth staying in with the classic Tibetan décor.

Tashi Nota Khangsang Hotel

A luxurious 4-star hotel that is located on the Linkuo North Road just minutes away from Barkhor Street, the Tashi Nota Khangsang Hotel has a modern architectural style that is mixed with mostly Tibetan-styled features. The 99 comfortable rooms are decorated in traditional Tibetan décor, with four-poster beds and en-suite bathrooms with 24-hour hot water.

King-size bed room of Tashi Nota Khangsang Hotel in Lhasa

The hotel also boasts a good restaurant that offers a wide range of cuisines, including traditional Tibetan, Sichuan, Cantonese, Nepalese, Indian, and even western dishes. One of the more popular 4-star hotels in Lhasa, the Khangsang has clean and spacious rooms that have a great view of the sunset behind the Potala Palace, and you can even smell the incense burning on Barkhor Street nearby. Prices start from around 47 dollars per night in the winter months, which make it a great value-for-money hotel in Lhasa.

Dekang Hotel

With 43 rooms, the Dekang Hotel is not the largest of the Tibetan-styled hotels in Lhasa, but it does have an ideal location in the center of Lhasa, very close to the Jokhang Temple. Rooms are spacious and clean, and decorated with traditional Tibetan colors and wall hangings, and have hot water 24 hours, IDD telephone, complimentary slippers and toiletries, and a separate shower room off the main bedroom. Air-conditioning is standard in all rooms.

Typical twin bedroom with clean and Tibetan-style décor of Dekang Hotel.

The hotel does feature two restaurants, one for Chinese and Tibetan cuisine, and one for western cuisine, both of which are decorated with authentic Tibetan wall decorations and locally-made furniture. The exterior is large and square, with traditional Tibetan styling and roof edging, as well as having a delightful roof terrace that is used for barbecue nights. Prices for this awesome hotel are very low in the winter when you balance it against the facilities, starting at just 38 dollars per night.

Lhasa Tashi Nota Hotel

One of the more recent additions to the hotel scene in Lhasa, the Tashi Nota Hotel was only opened in 2016, and lies on the edge of the Old Quarter of Lhasa, within easy walking distance of the Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, and the Ramoche Temple. The in-house restaurant has a wide selection of Chinese, Tibetan, and western cuisines, and the décor is in the traditional Tibetan style.

Tibetan style suite in Lhasa Tashi Nota Hotel

Rooms are clean and spacious, and the suites have separate bedrooms to the living area, which is an unusual design in a Tibetan hotel. Air-conditioning comes as standard in all rooms and suites, and the hotel provides hot running water 24 hours a day. While there is no in-built oxygen supply, small oxygen tanks can be obtained from the hotel desk for personal use in your room. Set around its own courtyard, the hotel’s exterior is a classic Tibetan design with big wide windows and great views over the city. Prices vary depending on the rooms or suites, and start at around 55 dollars per night.

Tashitakge Hotel

Located in the center of the old town of Lhasa, the Tashitakge Hotel lies just a short distance from Barkhor Street and the Jokhang Temple. The best feature of this Tibetan-styled hotel is the stunning rooftop restaurant that not only offers great Chinese and Tibetan cuisine, but also has great views of the Jokhang Temple and Potala Palace.

Tashitakge Hotel

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel, including the public areas, and the traditional-styled rooms are all fitted with electric kettles, flat-screen TV, and mini-bar. The bathrooms are clean and offer a hot shower facility 24 hours, with fee toiletries. Both laundry and dry cleaning services are available in-house, and the friendly staff is able to offer assistance in local travel around the city limits. Room rates start at around 44 dollars per person per night, based on two adults sharing.

Yak Hotel

Located just a few minutes’ walk from the Jokhang Temple and Barkhor street, and around 1.3 kilometers from the Potala Palace, the Yak Hotel is ideally located for touring in Lhasa. The hotel offers an English speaking service for guests, free internet access, a quiet tranquil hotel garden, and a good breakfast buffet.

Yak Hotel lobby, only minute walk to Barkhor Street

Rooms are clean and spacious, and include en-suite bathrooms, with bathtubs and shower in all rooms. For those on a budget, there are also dorm rooms available for a very low price. The hotel also has 24-hour hot water, car parking, bicycle rental for touring the local area, and car rental for those that require it. While there is no in-house restaurant, there is a great local restaurant on the left of the front gate of the hotel, which offers good Tibetan and Chinese cuisines. Prices start from around 29 dollars per person.

Conclusion

Lhasa has a huge number of hotels to suit almost any pocket, and when it comes to traditional Tibetan-styled hotels, there are more than enough to choose from. You can also make a choice of the class of hotel, based on your budget, and with some very good quality cheaper options, you can be guaranteed of an interesting and exciting stay in one of the many traditional Tibetan hotels in the capital.