Nice place with ancient charm, well managed, with terrific food. This is a beautiful place in spring with a huge garden to enjoy dinner and drinks or sitting and reading in the afternoon. The downstairs bar is an interesting place for drinks when it's not overcrowded, but don't stay so late as when the drunks begin fighting in the wee hours.
I stayed for two nights in August 2012 (forced by TA to enter wrong date in its system) - a very 'British colonial' experience! I found three faults: NO AIRCON IN MY ROOM!!!, the bathroom was 'authentic' to the extent it was difficult to operate, and the guys running it, although very friendly & helpful, didn't really understand the concept of coffee before sunrise! Otherwise, quite charming with all you'd expect of an oasis of Europeanism.
The restaurant is a safe place with a sally-port security check mechanism. The food served is western and local, alcohol is available but outrageous prices. The bar is worth to be visited but there are much better places to be visited. I cannot judge the accommodation because I did not stay in the Gandamack
An excellent choice of accommodation for anyone going to Kabul. The staff are friendly inside the lodge and the rooms are really well presented. Hot running water.. just the thing you want after you've been out and about in the dust. Wide variety of food and catering for western tastes. Check out the bar underneath the lodge and the movie room. I watched 13 Below with my old mate, a former Semper Fi boy (76 years old)! We decided to stay in after the post office down the road got blown up. Security were good at this hotel. Very thorough and made you feel as safe as you can feel in a war zone. Lovely gardens and tea on the verandah was oh so British. On my first trip, I had a room out the back and this was very quiet. Second visit had a room inside and it was lovely, spacious and with a private en-suite. Really loved this hotel. The Manager was excellent and he organised our bags when we moved to another location. Great service. Highly recommend you stay here. Internet wasn't so great but it may have improved since. The manager had no problem with me slipping behind the reception to log in to his computer!…
Well organized restaurant, food is average , but bars is well managed, one in Garden area an one underground , the underground one is with lovely look and nice arrangement, bar staff is excellent and fast in Thursday place is jam packed. Lovely gathering.
An oasis in an alcohol free country, expensive but necessary sanity break from the day to day in Kabul. Only tried the bar "Hare&Hounds" for a little food and a beer or two, the security for the compound seems quite good and the general ambience is ok other than the volume of the music. The "Chit" system for payment is a little bizarre but other than that its not bad. Drinks are expensive!!!
On a aimé. Les nouvelles chambres sont modernes, celles qui donnent sur le grand jardin. Pour les sensations, la numéro 1 une ancienne chambre est celle où OBLaden passa sa dernière nuit à Kaboul en novembre 2001 ! En tout cas la brochure le précise. Le petit déjeuner est copieux et aux normes occidentales, tout comme le restaurant très agréable. Les prix sont ceux de l'Afghanistan, mais ils devraient commencer à baisser...un peu. Garde armé à l'entrée, hauts murs et portes double blindée, pas la sécurité absolue mais bien. Enfin, au sous-sol, la seule boite de nuit de Kaboul, fréquentée par les ONG et les journalistes et quelques " Free Lance " pour ajouter à l'ambiance....
If you're looking for British country house retreat, you couldn't choose a better place to stay. Gandamack is a first class guesthouse. Still a favorite haunt for journalists. Spacious rooms with en-suite bath. Very comfortable beds. Superb dining. Full English breakfast included. Snug in winter, even at minus 20 degrees centigrade which I endured for weeks. Large garden with loads of chairs. Pub in the cellar. Treadmill if you're not already worn out. Very secure.
The Gandamack is hidden little gem in Kabul. With a lush and lovely little garden infront of the rooms where you could walk in our just sit and have a drink was just refreshing! The rooms were very clean, had softest bed ever and internet. There were new flatscreen TV and hot water in the nice bathroom. The radiators and aircon made sure it was warm and nice although I was there in december! The food in the restaurant was very good and there is a small pub where you can have a beer or two in the basement. We used the airport transfer and it was very quick, realiable and easy. Overall a perfect location, great service, a quiet and intimite place that will not disapoint you at all!
Look, you're in Kabul. You are not going to get 5 star amenities. For what it is, which is a developing world lodge catering to foreigners (journalists, mostly), the Gandamack is about as good as it gets. The rooms are a decent size, most have their own bathrooms and showers (insist on that. Really worth it), and there's free wireless. Staff are fantastically helpful. OK, so the in-room heaters leave a kerosene smell and the stuff they use to kill the bugs is a bit noxious, but do remember where you are. The ambiance makes the most of what it is--planters made of old weaponry, etc. The garden is lovely to sit in of an afternoon, and the breakfasts are very good (though they're lying to you if they say breakfast starts at 6. It starts at 7. Most of the baked goods won't be out before 8). I recommend the omelettes and the pancakes (not an american-style pancake, mind, but something more like a thick Russian blin). The coffee isn't bad, either.…
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Listing