"Pros: Panauti, a must experience quaint community located near Kathmandu (about45 minutes drive from the airport). At Shila/Ashok's Community Holiday Inn, I woke up well rested in a comfortable room, set up with in-room bathroom. The carpeted floors solved my biggest issues with travels in South Asia, which are cold feet in hotel rooms where flooring is stone. A kittchen equipped with a kettle and a gas stove with two burners, pots and utensils had plenty of good quality Nepali teas and coffee to start the morning right. You can arrange with Shila/Ashok for a full breakfast at an incredibly reasonable price. As they tell me, the Community Holiday Inn was theirs as a pilot initiative and now provides for many households who follow strict guidelines to meet western standards so to provide a worry free stay. All of them are run by the housewives, empowering local women and by attracting tourists to the region benefits many households and businesses alike. The project also boasts of a new restaurant which provides authentic Newari cuisine and ambience. Guidelines for meeting tourists needs and standards is advised by Ashok, who had 16 years experience as a Chief Experience Officer with GAdventures, a company I have personally travelled with five times and never fails to impress with their high standards and resourceful staff. Ashok has led over seventy expeditions to Everest Base Camp for GAventures and also to other locations in Nepal and Bhutan. I was lucky he was in town when I visited Panauti and learned lots about Nepal and South Asia travels. Shila ensures the Community Homestay runs like clockwork, ensuring guests are comfortable, their needs are met and the facility is clean, well stocked an equipped at all times. Her long term experience in hospitality and entrepreneurial drive has benefited her household, community and tourists alike. Attention to detail is key. Cons: I didnt like having to leave" ~Reinaldo