In this 3 Rooms by Pauline review, I’ll share my experience on staying in this interesting, boutique hotel located in the Baber Mahal in Kathmandu that combines the heritage of the Rana time with an appealing French decor. Located not too far from the busy city center away from the busy crowded streets of Kathmandu, this is a great location to start experiencing Nepal’s bustling capital.
The Baber Mahal is a heritage building that includes 3 restaurants, multiple shops and this lovely boutique hotel with shutters opening onto the cobblestone courtyards below. Secluded from the hustle and insanity of Kathmandu, the Baber Mahal Palace is the ultimate oasis of Nepal’s busy capital where you can find peace and quiet after a long day.
A Great Location
We start this 3 Rooms by Pauline review from the beginning- the hotel’s location. Like I mentioned in the first paragraph, the hotel is located away from the busiest corners of Kathmandu but not too far from the main tourist attractions. Patan Durbar Square is 3.7 km away, the Pashupatinath Temple is 4.5 km away, and the Thamel is around 3.5 km away from the hotel.
If you like walking, you can reach all these places in around 30 minutes and if you don’t they are all only a short taxi ride away. Also, the Maitighar Bus Station is 500 meters away and the Tribhuvan Airport is less than 4 km away.
Related: Can you have luxury on a budget while traveling?
Style & Character
3 Rooms by Pauline is located in restored old stables and the rooms are lovely, quaint and in a perfect fit with the surrounding. The whole place has a very European vintage style with Nepalese decorations. Pauline’s combines the heritage of the Rana time with an appealing medieval French décor, creating a pleasant, romantic atmosphere, which makes this place highly recommendable for couples.
The hotel is surrounded by lovely boutique shops and delicious restaurants. This provides customers with everything they need without ever leaving the complex. That’s why Pauline’s is my favorite place for starting and ending my travels when visiting Kathmandu.
If you’re liking 3 Rooms by Pauline, also check out my review of Green Park Chitwan, another amazing place.
Rooms
At Pauline’s, there are four different kinds of rooms: the Courtyard Room, the Apartment Room, the Terrace Room, and the Attic Room.
The Courtyard room is a bright and cozy double room riddled with traditional Nepali antiques, providing a beautiful view of the lively heritage courtyards of the old palace.
The Apartment Room is a comfortable duplex suite filled with antiques from all around Asia. This room is located in the heart of the ancient Rana Palace with stones and wooden open bathroom with tub. Ones all the restaurants and shops close around 11, everything shuts down and you start feeling like you have the whole palace for yourself.
The Terrace Room has the best view out of all the rooms and its own private balcony, with an amazing view of the whole complex.
Last but not least is the Attic Room: a spacious, cozy studio with high ceilings, a stone shower, and its own kitchen. This room has a great atmosphere, not only for couples but for digital nomads too. I managed to get a lot of work done inside this room and would recommend it to all digital nomads that plan to visit Kathmandu.
What I liked the most was the amount of natural light the rooms are getting because of the big horizontal windows. Green vines are peaking from the window and this makes the rooms even more relaxing and comfortable. All walls and bed sheets have a bright, white color which makes the whole atmosphere in the room even more pleasant.
Related: a review of Hotel Himalaya Hub in Kathmandu.
3 Rooms By Pauline Review Of Service & Facilities
The service at Pauline’s was amazing. Even though we stayed there for a short period of time, the staff went out of their way to make us feel at home.
As for the facilities, every room has its own minibar that includes delicious snacks, Yak cheese, and fine wines and champagne. All rooms have an equipped kitchenette where you can cook your meals, daily cleaning and a laundry service, and a 24-hour electric backup. This was great because Kathmandu gets a lot of electricity cuts, especially in the winter.
The whole building is earthquake proof and the facility has a flawless WiFi, something I struggled with throughout my Nepal trip. The property offers free parking and is accessible for people with disabilities.
Every booking at Pauline’s includes a complimentary breakfast. However, if you don’t like it, you can always just go downstairs to one of the three other restaurants in the complex.
Related: everything you need to bring on your Nepal trip.
Value for Money
I read in multiple places online that Pauline’s is rated as the hotel with the best value for money in Kathmandu. I haven’t stayed in so many places in Kathmandu to support this claim but the prices for the rooms at the hotel are more than reasonable.
The Courtyard Room starts at $69 per night, the Terrace and Attic Room cost $77 per night, and the Apartment costs $89 per night. The prices are noted with included tax and, in my opinion, this price is not high at all for staying in the Baber Mahal.
Related: Guide to trekking Tsum Valley in Nepal
Pros
• A great location away from the city hustle but not far from the main landmarks and the airport;
• Rates more than affordable for the location and features being provided;
• Beautifully decorated, well-maintained rooms;
• A lot of eating options just a minute away;
• Complimentary mineral water, organic coffee, and Nepalese tea are provided in the rooms;
• Extremely helpful staff;
• 15% off in all of the shops in the complex for guests;
• A flawless Wi-Fi connection available throughout the hotel.
Cons
• The vendors from the shops gather around and talk when they aren’t busy and they cause some noise. However, if you’re in the upper floors this won’t be an issue.
• The bar can be a bit loud at times but it closes at 10:30 PM.
Overall, 3 Rooms by Pauline is an amazing value-for-money option and a great place to stay during your stay in Nepal’s capital. Passport Symphony recommends it to all travelers visiting Kathmandu that are looking for some peace and quiet after a long day of exploring the city.
Did you like this article? Was this 3 Rooms by Pauline review helpful? Let us know in the comments and if you’re thinking of staying here, use our link to save up to 10% on your stay here.
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Looks great! Would really like to go to Nepal one day and will definitely look this hotel up when I do!
Thank you for your comment, Sheena. I hope you get the chance to visit 🙂
Well this was a nice read, you presented the rooms really nicely, as well as their pros and cons, the pictures are beautiful, can’t wait to read more posts from you.
Thank you, Matija! I really appreciate it 🙂
What an absolutely gorgeous looking boutique hotel. Love the classic architecture, and the old and historic looking rooms inside, simply furnished and full of charm.
It’s indeed a very interesting place, Kavita. Thank you for your comment 🙂
What a timely post for me personally. we are actually planning a trip to Nepal shortly and going by your review I’m going to stay here. Seems nice and especially loved the fact that its away from the city hustle!
I’m really happy to hear you found a great suggestion on Passport Symphony, Sreekar. I’m sure you won’t regret it and will have a great time.
This is a great post – thanks so much for sharing!
I love the pros and cons – very handy!
Thank you, Snita. I’m glad you liked it
Beautiful, homey, and warm hotel. I like its “country” like feel, not “cold” like other business or first-class hotels. I’d love to stay here for the weekend despite some cons.
This place has its identity and feels warm all the time, no doubt about it. I’m sure you’re gonna have a great time if you visit for a weekend 🙂
The courtyard architecture is darling, so inviting. I like being close to the attractions, but far enough away to feel peace and quiet at night. Great tips for location and to request an upper floor.
I absolutely loved the architecture of the Mahal. And yeah, that’s the best part: you’re not too far from the main attractions but still secluded from Kathmandu’s most busy streets
This post is making me miss Kathmandu! It does seem a bit out of the way though. 30 minutes doesn’t seem like such a long walk, but with as easy as it is to get lost in KTM, you never really know if it will take 30 minutes or 60…
Very nice impressions from this 3 Rooms by Pauline Hotel.
I really like the Apartment Room. It gives very cozy and welcoming impressions. But I like in general the overall atmosphere there. It makes me – at least from your photos – really feel that this feels more like staying in an own flat instead of a hotel, which is really cool. I think on a trip to Kathmandu I would like to stay in this hotel.
Definitely, even though classified as a hotel, 3 rooms by Pauline’s provides all the comfort and amenities you would get in an apartment.
This looks like such a great little find. I love hotels where each room has it’s own personality. And the history of the building having another life prior to its hotel life is always intriguing to know.
Definitely, those are some of the main reasons why I loved my stay there 🙂
This looks like an awesome place. I can’t even imagine that this is built out of restored stables. I like both the terrace room and the attic room. They look so cozy to stay in for a couple of days. Will definitely plan to stay here when I make a trip to Kathmandu. Thanks for sharing this.
Thank you for your comment Soumya and I’m glad you liked the place. I hope you have a great time in Kathmandu 🙂
Nepal is becoming such a popular destination and a recommendation for a hotel in Kathmandu is appreciated. That Terrace Room sounds amazing to me (I don’t much care for a kitchen!). What an interesting blend of European and Nepalese decor. Great tips on asking for a higher floor to avoid the street noise!
The terrace room was amazing. Thank you for your comment and I hope you get a chance to visit someday 🙂
An absolutely cracker of a venue I must say The hotel has so much character and the cross between Rana and French interiors is just amazing. The rooms look clean and very spacious. I want to visit Kathmandu and if I do this will be in my list to check out. The hospitality must be next to none. Thanks fir sharing.
Thank you for your comment, Amar and I’m glad you liked it. You won’t regret if you decide to visit. As for the hospitality, it was amazing, the guys made me feel like home 🙂
I am saving this hotel for my Nepal trip as it looks like perfect stay as it is not surrounded by noisy streets and not very far from tourist attractions. The combination of French and Nepalese interiors also looks interesting and beautiful. I loved the open courtyard surrounded by rooms, and therefore I would choose my stay in a courtyard area. Thanks for sharing this wonderful rustic type of property in Kathmandu.
I’m glad you could get a useful suggestion for your next visit from your article, Yukti. If you decide to stay here, you certainly won’t regret it 🙂