The Holiday Inn Express Lhasa Potala Palace is an ideal spot for travelers wanting to discover the city. The Holiday Inn Express Lhasa Potala Palace is an ideal choice for travelers who want to take in the sights and sounds of Lhasa. Traveling to the hotel is easy with Lhasa Railway Station located approximately 7km away and Lhasa Gonggar Airport roughly 57km away. The nearby area boasts an abundance of attractions including Gongdelin Temple, Guandi Gesalakang and Chuanzang Highway Monument. When guests have some time on their hands they can make use of the onsite facilities. Guests of this Lhasa hotel can make use of the parking facilities. Our guests rate this hotel as one of the best hotels for cleanliness. This hotel is particularly popular with those traveling with friends.
"Our room was upgraded to a family room, room 327. To be honest, the hotel is located quite deep in an alley, about a 500-meter walk from the main road... All the room windows are single-paned and looked like they hadn't been cleaned in years... The towels and bath towels were all dated 2023 and weren't very soft anymore. We booked through Ctrip, which helped with the room upgrade and included complimentary breakfast. Don't expect too much from this hotel; it's quite different from a Holiday Inn Express on the mainland. The breakfast was just passable, nothing to write home about.
After all those downsides, let's talk about the positives: it's incredibly cheap. Booked on Ctrip during the off-peak season (August 31st - September 3rd), and with a Lhasa culture and tourism subsidy voucher, it came down to about 160 RMB per night. Secondly, you need a key card to access the floors, which makes it quiet and secure.
If you're traveling independently and plan to be out sightseeing daily, the location is a bit far. It's about 2.5 km to Potala Palace (15 RMB by taxi) and roughly 3.5 km to Jokhang Temple. Lhasa's cost of living is much higher than Chengdu's. You'll notice it significantly in taxi fares and dining expenses. This was my first visit, and I didn't experience altitude sickness. I found it truly beautiful. Here are a few recommendations:
🚩FYI: I didn't take Rhodiola before entering Tibet and didn't experience altitude sickness upon landing. The hotel I stayed at upon arrival didn't provide oxygen, and I didn't even buy an oxygen tank, yet I adapted just fine. So, flying into Tibet is the most relaxed way. Traveling by train or self-driving is exhausting, and you're just as likely to get altitude sickness anyway.
🔹Attractions: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Ramoche Temple, Sera Monastery, Tibet Museum, Princess Wencheng Show, Chakpori Hill viewpoint, Barkhor Street... I recommend exploring at your own pace, taking it easy... stopping frequently and avoiding strenuous exercise.
🔸Food: Sichuan cuisine dominates. Aside from those speaking *******, everyone else speaks Sichuan dialect. Goods are not easy to transport in, so prices are comparable to first-tier cities. The air is dry and UV radiation is incredibly strong... I didn't get a tan all summer, but two days here turned me completely dark! [laughing emoji]
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask! 🙋♀️🙋"