Lonely Planet Review

The granddaddy of Lhasa's budget hotels may have gone seriously upscale in recent years but it remains one of Lhasa's most popular hotels, both among backpackers and group tourists. The popular dorm rooms are still hanging in there and there are plenty of midrange rooms, most decorated in traditional Tibetan style.

Your main accommodation choice here is between the quite stylish Tibetan-style decor of the secluded back block or the larger but noisier deluxe rooms overlooking the bustling main street. Shoestringers seem to love the clean six-bed dorm rooms and clean shared bathrooms, though truth be told the dorms can be pretty cramped. The reason the Yak is so popular is that it's very professionally run (the Banak Shöl could take a leaf out if its book). Useful perks include fast internet access in the business centre, and bicycle hire. The fifth-floor rooftop restaurant offers breathtaking rooftop views (not only because you'll be wheezing after the first floor at this altitude - there are no lifts) of the Potala Palace. The doubles without bathroom are the only rooms that don't really merit the price tag.