Lonely Planet Review

Once the place to stay back in the early days of independent travel, the Banak Shol is looking pretty tired these days. It's still got several things going for it, including the good Nam-tso Restaurant, reliable luggage storage and pleasant wooden verandas, but the staff are jaded, the walls of the cheaper rooms are paper-thin and most rooms look onto either the noisy main road or a courtyard that seems perpetually full of reversing Land Cruisers.

The doubles with hot-water bathroom are among the cheapest such rooms in Lhasa but they aren't terribly well maintained. Other plus points include an efficient branch of FIT and free laundry (though they won't touch your crusty socks after a week's trekking!). The majority of the guests these days are Chinese backpackers. The hotel doesn't accept reservations.