Lonely Planet Review

The best and brightest of several similar places in this area, Mona Lisa tempts Japanese visitors with brightly coloured rooms and lounges with low kokatsu tables and cushions. Rooms are chintzy but snug and the whole place is clean as a whistle.

Step into this friendly budget hotel and you might think you'd been teleported to a ryokan (traditional inn) in rural Japan. The guest lounges have floor-cushions, low kokatsu tables and tatami floors and there's even a library of Japanese novels and guidebooks. You don't have to be Japanese to stay here of course - the chintzy but cheerful rooms will appeal to anyone looking for something with a bit more character than the plain white boxes found in most Pokhara hotels. There's a good restaurant serving Nepali and - you guessed it - Japanese food, and the rear terrace looks right out onto the lake. It's very professionally run and guests have a choice of hot showers or bathtubs. There's even a small shop in the lobby selling Nepali souvenirs.