Raniban Retreat was the best of the 6 locations we have stayed at during our 18 days in Nepal. The location is perfect; close to the city but far enough to be very peaceful. The views are absolutely spectacular, the food was great and the (new) sunset view rooms the best we’ve had. There are some very nice walks from the hotel, to the Shiva Statue, to the Pagoda and all the way to the lake side. They also had just started the sunrise yoga sessions on the roof with Master Ganesh. Very special. Most of all, the people were super friendly and helpful. We should have stayed longer than the 5 days we did.

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Our one-night stay at Raniban Retreat was short but deeply restorative—just the kind of peaceful escape we didn’t know we needed. Perched above Pokhara, this hidden gem offers stunning panoramic views of the Annapurna range, Phewa Lake, and the city below. The moment we arrived, it felt like we had been transported to another world—quiet, calm, and wrapped in the embrace of nature. The retreat is beautifully and tastefully designed to blend seamlessly with its natural surroundings. Winding stone paths, wooden cottages, and lush greenery all contribute to a sense of tranquil isolation that melts away the noise and stress of city living. Even though we were there for just one night, it was more than enough to recharge our social batteries and reconnect with ourselves. The hospitality at Raniban was equally unforgettable. From the start, the team was warm, attentive, and thoughtful. Pradip, the operations manager, made our check-in a breeze and later surprised us with a heartfelt farewell ceremony steeped in Nepali tradition—a touching gesture that left a lasting impression. Rakesh, the manager, was ever-present to ensure everything ran smoothly. A very special mention goes to Asvin, who went out of his way to take care of us throughout our stay. He thoughtfully surprised us with an impromptu candlelight dinner—a magical and unexpected gesture that made our evening extra special. He was always on hand to assist with our questions, and his attentiveness and genuine warmth made us feel incredibly well cared for. The food at Raniban Retreat was another highlight—fresh, organic, and packed with flavor, much of it sourced directly from their own backyard garden. Dining with a view of the Himalayas made every bite feel like a celebration. Despite a minor setback with a piece of broken luggage (damaged during our flight), the staff went above and beyond to help us manage the issue.

This hotel is at the top of a hill that overlooks Pokhara. The property is gorgeous with butterflies and birds and so many flowers. It is the perfect place to get far from the madding crowd for quiet and reflection. The pool was great for cooling off. It is extremely quiet. The staff were always eager to assist in anyway to make your stay as great as possible. I was worried the food would be bad based on other reviews but i thought the food on demand was good and reasonably priced. Felt extremely safe to stay here as a solo woman traveler and overall I would highly recommend this stay.

The location is both a blessing and a curse. To get to Raniban Retreat, you must go up a very steep and curvy road with a lot of blind spots. If you want to go to Pokhara central to get a massage or shop, it is certainly an endeavor. Taking the taxi back to the retreat at night was one of the scariest things I’ve done as the road is challenging and there is very little light. The food is overall ok, but I think the breakfast buffet was quite disappointing, overall stale, and could be much improved. WiFi is a little spotty in the rooms and the electricity was a little weird, sometimes my things would charge other times not.

I had an incredible stay at Raniban Retreat in Pokhara! The views from the property are absolutely stunning, offering a breathtaking panorama of the surrounding mountains. The food was excellent, with a variety of delicious options that catered to all tastes. What truly stood out, though, was the exceptional staff—they went above and beyond to make sure I felt welcomed and comfortable throughout my stay. Their warm hospitality made the experience even more memorable. If you’re looking for a peaceful retreat with amazing views and top-notch service, I highly recommend Raniban Retreat!

The gravel road leading to the property is a little scary, many tourists companies and drivers do not want to drive there. Though, this is not the fault of the hotel. It is the nature of being high up in the mountains.

The staff was great. Everyone was helpful and super friendly - they are also pretty responsive on Booking.com, and on WhatsApp. Our rooms were clean and were cleaned daily. The view, my God, is so stunning, especially on a clear day. You can see Annapurna clearly from the balcony, from the restaurant, from their viewpoint. The view alone makes the trip to Pokhara, and our stay at Raniban worth it.

The location is tricky, most taxis won't take you up to the hotel entrance (bear in mind, it's 300m of rocky, non-asphalt road). So you have to book a ride with the hotel every time you go to the city. It stands atop the hill, so the only food option nearby is the hotel restaurant (though the food really isn't all that bad). The heater is working at times - so the room stays pretty cold until the sunshine gets through during the day. Since we went during winter, it would be nice if slippers were provided, given how cold the floor is. Other than that, our experience has been excellent, please don't let my review deter you from booking a room at Raniban, we can't recommend it enough to anyone coming to Pokhara.

The location was amazing - although it was a bit cloudy we still had wonderful views of sunrises and of the Himalayas in the mornings. It was quiet and peaceful and a great place to sit and relax. The staff were very friendly and attentive and the food was home cooked, some sourced from their own plot and very tasty. Our room was clean and comfortable. Would highly recommend it, with proviso stated below.

It is called Raniban RETREAT, which suited us fine. If you were going to Pokhara to do lots of activities and wanting to get out and about in Pokhara it would probably be better staying more centrally as the Retreat is off the beaten track (the staff will arrange a car and so it is possible to get down into Pokhara with about 20 to 30 minute drive). If you are planning excursions check pick up details as the Retreat may be outside their pick up area.

Location was incredible with the views over the Himalayas and the peace and quiet to just sit and enjoy nature. The room was also clean and comfy with incredible views over Lake Pokhara. The staff were all excellent and helpful and they gave great recommendations for day trips, arranged taxi pick ups from lakeside as requested, and overall just took really good care of us. It was a really relaxing stay and we enjoyed our time at Raniban a lot.

The only small thing was the different sized beds in the room, so when sharing the room with a friend, one of us had to make do with a smaller twin sized bed, while the other got a queen.

* The Location - on top of the hill amongst the cloud, completely isolated, quiet and once in a lifetime view. * The Staffs - just great, superb helpful and ready to take care.

* Beds in the mountain view room are too small, hard to sleep two person. There's no cabinet in the room - hard to keep clothings. Bathroom is too small, hard to move around. Room does not meet the value for money. * Swimming pool is dirty, not properly cleaned. * Food choice is limited and too expensive.

The hotel is what it says - a retreat. Way above Pokhara, between the Peace Pagoda and Shiva temple (both walkable from the hotel). The rooms were great, staff wonderful. We stayed and extra night and moved into a Jacuzzi room which was lovely.

On arrival, we were ready for the last 300m to the hotel being a dirt track (which the taxi navigated admirably). But then you arrive at a gate and steps ascending with no sign to say you are at Raniban. Thankfully I was able to WhatsApp the reception and they rushed down to collect our bags so all was well.

Raniban Retreat was the perfect place for us to stay after our long hike. The facilities are great, with amazing rooms and great food in the restaurant. Unfortunately we were very ill during our stay due to the hike and the staff looked after us very well. We really appreciate the efforts of the staff to make sure our stay was comfortable.