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While Hunza Valley is full of hotels, only a few deliver on the essentials of hospitality in this remote region. This includes reliable hot water, working heating in the colder months, a kitchen able to prepare a timely meal for the early group about to cross into China, and of course, an unbeatable view.
This guide will show you the best hotels in Hunza Valley from Karimabad to the upper valley and what they are actually best for. Keeping in mind that the Hunza hotel market shifts from season to season, the six questions at the end of the guide are just as important as the recommendations.
Hotels in Hunza Valley are booked from our Islamabad office at HospitalityTours.com.pk. Your booking is confirmed, and you are issued a voucher prior to payment at the specified property. If your booking is not what is represented online and is either oversold or misrepresented, we will notify you. Send us your travel dates via WhatsApp. For further details, please contact us using the information at the end.
Karimabad, the cultural center of the valley and the only five-star property in Hunza, is operated by the international hospitality group. Serena Hotels is the same group that operates Serena Lahore, Serena Islamabad, Shigar Fort and Khaplu Palace.
The hotel is located above Karimabad and offers unobstructed views of Rakaposhi, Diran, Ultar Sar, Lady Finger, and Golden Peak from the terrace and garden. Guests may enjoy their choice of mountain or valley views depending on their room. The choice of room matters, as the ridge-facing rooms are the best. The hotel offers a swimming pool during the hot season, and its restaurant is prepared to serve large groups. The hotel’s service is the most dependable among all valley hotels.
Here’s an operational tip: One hotel source states the hotel closes seasonally. So, the booking is on you; check the shoulder month dates before you schedule.
Best for: Known hotel chains offer the best service and comfort, especially for couples, tourists, and corporate travelers.
Just south of Karimabad, one can visit the hotel, relax, and enjoy breakfast on the terrace while watching the sunrise across Rakaposhi, Diran, and Ultar, about thirty minutes from the downtown area by road.
The hotel features thirty rooms and offers two dining options. Guests rave about the room service and enjoy hot water showers twenty-four hours a day. Many guests stay for the unbeatable valley service.
This is a beautiful location, but it can be limiting as well, especially for travelers who do not like to wake up early. The best sunrises mean the best location to stay while traveling.
Ideal for photographers, couples looking for a conveniently located sunrise photo op spot without the long drive, and anyone looking for the best value mountain view in the valley.
Just below Karimabad, this is a small heritage residence attached to the Altit Fort complex. It is a part of the conservation work of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and is branded by Serena.
It has a very limited number of rooms that are in extremely high demand. During the summer, you have to book this several months in advance. The location inside a refurbished historical property makes it an opportunity unavailable to newer hotels. It is not a fully serviced hotel in the traditional sense.
Best for: history-loving travelers who would rather stay in the conservation site than visit it.
Located in the Karimabad area, the spacious modern rooms and private villas are especially good for families or groups that need more room and space than a standard hotel would provide.
This property is usually on the more luxurious hotel lists for the Karimabad area and is the more modern alternative to the Serena properties for larger groups.
Best for families and groups booking several rooms or a villa who would prefer a modern hotel with full amenities.
Located in Karimabad, this property offers the mountain valley a brand that is a step below the Serena properties. It offers the advantage of an international brand and consistent room standards.
Best for: travelers looking for consistent rooms from a reliable international brand who would prefer not to pay a premium.
In the Karimabad bazaar region. A reliable, mid-range option. A short distance to the bazaar and a quick drive to the forts. A hotel with clean rooms and nice staff, where you can walk to breakfast.
Best for groups with a standard budget looking for a decent hotel in Karimabad.
Fifteen kilometers from Karimabad. Located in Aina Abad, on Attabad Lake, and positioned seven kilometers before Ghulmit.
All fifty lake-facing rooms have private balconies. Breakfast is a buffet, with other meals available through room service at any hour, valet parking, and WiFi, all at no charge. This property books quickly in the summer. The view is worth the price.
The reviews are honest, with facilities and views being rated highly, but service is inconsistent. Reviews have raised concerns about the lake's sewerage, and this should be verified with the property before booking.
Best for couples, honeymooners, and photographers who want a direct lake view from their room.
Aina Abad’s Baron’s Lodges focuses on tranquility with its personalized service and smaller footprint than Luxus. Still with a great proximity to the lake, the garden property features a lounge and restaurant.
Best for: those who find Luxus to be too much of a resort or too pricey, but still want to stay near Attabad.
Upper Hunza’s main settlement of Gulmit offers guesthouses and small inns. Several of Gulmit’s guesthouses have mountain views, a community feeling, and guesthouse hosts who are able to speak Wakhi and know the valley. The Passu end, which is mentioned in the most cited verified sources, is the Passu Glacier Inn.
A night’s stay in Gulmit makes Borith Lake, the Hussaini Bridge, and the Passu Cones all reachable before day trip drives make them arrive hours after first light. The rooms are rudimentary, so guests should consider the heating.
Best for: those traveling independently, budget travelers, and people wanting to explore upper valley instead of a commute from Karimabad.
Not truly Hunza, but included in many Hunza itineraries.
This mid- to upper-range hotel on the Nagar side of the valley features views of Hunza Valley and of the upper Hopar Valley glacier.
Best for: trekkers heading to Rakaposhi Base Camp via Minapin and travellers wishing to obtain the Nagar perspective of the shared valley.
For most first-time visitors, sleeping in Karimabad is the best and most convenient choice, since it is within walking distance to the forts and bazaar and sleeping there puts you within the central hub for starting day trips.
Attabad adds a little bit of a journey, anywhere between 45 minutes to an hour, back to Karimabad, but offers the accessibility of the upper valley and the lake in the morning. For those spending more than two nights in Hunza, staying at Attabad breaks the confines of a Karimabad stay.
For those sleeping in Gulmit or Passu, the choice is indeed for the upper valley. Borith Lake, the Hussaini bridge, the Passu glaciers and the Sost road are all accommodated without the need for a long daily drive. And if your travels include Khunjerab, sleeping at Sost the night before is a plus, as it eliminates the need for an early start from Karimabad.
Will the hotel be open during your month of travel, as the off-peak season leads to property closures in the valley? Some hotels close for maintenance during off-peak months. Please specify the month as well.
In your room, does heating work, and what are the generator hours? Hot water is a separate question to address. These are all relevant concerns from October and year-round for early morning starts.
What time does breakfast start? Each hotel has its own standard breakfast time, and some hotel kitchens may not open before the standard time. A 5:30 breakfast before the Khunjerab drive is likely to be problematic.
Is the room definitely yours and under your name with a reference number? Hunza has very small hotels that can often be fully booked. So, confirming a booking with a third party with no reference is usually not confirmation.
Which block or building is the room you booked, and is it available? At resorts such as Luxus, there can be considerable difference between a room that has a lake view and a room that has a mountain view.
What is the cancellation policy? What will you do if the road to Gilgit is closed and you cannot reach the valley?
Booking a property that is located in Attabad and is classified as a resort, which is out of the way for daily activities in Karimabad. This ignores the daily commute.
Paying an advance to a Facebook page with no verifiable address. This leads to issues with peak-season booking in Hunza.
Leaving for Khunjerab and not confirming if the hotel has breakfast or the option to leave early.
Assuming the internet will be good. WiFi is available, but the coverage is uneven and can be in a remote area of the property.
What is the best hotel in Hunza Valley? For a good experience in booking and stay, and especially for the view, the best is Hunza Serena Hotel. Eagle's Nest is a good choice for value. For the experience of Attabad Lake, Luxus Hunza is recommended.
Is there a five-star hotel in Hunza? Hunza Serena Hotel is the only hotel in Hunza that is classified and operated as a five-star by Serena Hotels.
Where to sleep in Hunza: Karimabad or Attabad? Karimabad if you want easy access to the rest of Hunza. Attabad if you want to be near the lake. If you have five or more nights in Hunza, the best option is to book several nights in Karimabad and spend one night in Attabad.
When is the best time to book in advance for Hunza hotels? Book at least three to four months in advance for July and August and the blossom season in April. Book at least six to eight weeks in advance for May, June, September and October. The Eagle's Nest and Serena Altit Fort Residence book very quickly.
Do hotels in Hunza close in winter? A few places remain open and offer services in winter. Check if they are open and if they offer heating services when you book for winter. Hotel services are limited from December to February.
Do the hotels in Hunza accept card payments? Some hotels in Hunza accept card payments, but payment is not guaranteed. It is best to carry cash for your stay and try card payments if you are lucky.
To reserve your stay, contact us.
Share your dates, what area of the valley you would like to stay in, and what hotel standard you would like. We will book your stay at your requested property and will let you know if we have any further information about the property.
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