city hotel · Kathmandu
Hotel Yak & Yeti
A large city hotel on Durbar Marg, built around part of a 19th-century Rana palace, with gardens, a pool and the old Chimney restaurant linked to Boris Lissanevitch, the Russian who ran Kathmandu's first hotels. Central, walkable to Thamel and the Narayanhiti Palace Museum.
.jpg){kind=link}
Hotel Yak & Yeti stands just off Durbar Marg, Kathmandu's broad avenue running south from the Narayanhiti Palace. Part of the hotel occupies a wing of the Lal Durbar, a Rana-era palace, with its neoclassical halls and mirrored rooms used for events. Newer wings hold most of the guest rooms, set round gardens and a swimming pool that are a quiet escape from the traffic outside.
The hotel's history is tied to Boris Lissanevitch, the Russian dancer and restaurateur who ran Kathmandu's first hotel for foreigners in the 1950s and whose Yak & Yeti bar gave the hotel its name. The Chimney restaurant, which traces its story to Boris, still serves dinner. The location is a strong point: Thamel is 15 minutes on foot, the palace museum 5 minutes, and the Durbar Square about 25 minutes' walk.
Why we use it
- Central Durbar Marg location, walkable to Thamel and the palace museum
- Rana palace wing and the Chimney restaurant's early tourism history
- Gardens and pool as a retreat from the city
Questions
Where is Hotel Yak & Yeti?
Hotel Yak & Yeti is just off Durbar Marg in central Kathmandu, a few minutes' walk from the Narayanhiti Palace Museum and about 15 minutes' walk from Thamel. The airport is about 20 to 30 minutes away by car. Kathmandu Durbar Square is about 25 minutes on foot.
Is Hotel Yak & Yeti a heritage hotel?
Partly. One wing occupies part of the Lal Durbar, a Rana-era palace, with ornate halls used for events and dining, while most guest rooms are in newer wings. Its Chimney restaurant recalls Boris Lissanevitch, a figure from Kathmandu's early days of tourism.
Does Hotel Yak & Yeti have a pool?
Yes, the hotel has an outdoor swimming pool set in its gardens, along with a fitness centre and spa services. Pool opening may be seasonal or limited in the coldest months, so check current status before you travel if a swim matters to you.
Trips
Trips that use Hotel Yak & Yeti
Kathmandu Valleymax 2,175 mEverest by air, Kathmandu and Nagarkot
Three nights to see Everest without walking to it. A one-hour dawn mountain flight runs along the Himalaya to the Everest massif …
Kathmandu Valleymax 1,540 mThe seven heritage zones of the Kathmandu Valley
Four nights, five days and all seven monument zones that make up the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site: the Durbar squares of …
Everest & Solukhumbumax 5,545 mEverest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return
Walk up to Everest Base Camp the proper way, with the same acclimatisation as the classic trek, then fly back to Kathmandu …
Other stays in Kathmandu Valley
heritage hotel1,400 mDwarika's Hotel
A heritage hotel at Battisputali, near Pashupatinath, built around brick courtyards and fitted with carved Newar windows, doors and struts …
heritage hotel1,400 mHotel Shanker
A Rana-era palace in Lazimpat converted into a hotel, with a white neoclassical facade, high-ceilinged halls and a large garden …
city hotel1,400 mKathmandu Guest House
One of the first guesthouses in Thamel, opened in the late 1960s, and the place many say started the area's …