 History
of the Silk Road lodge |
The Celestial Mountains Tour Company and the Celestial
Mountains Guest House (Naryn) were established in
1997.
They are British owned and operated companies established,
registered and licensed under Kyrgyz law. The tour
company, based in Bishkek, was established to offer
tours and other services to travellers. The tours
would cover the regions of Kyrgyzstan and, in co-operation
with other local firms in those countries, to China,
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Pakistan.
The company chose to specialize in motor tours,
rather than in activities such as trekking, mountaineering,
winter sports, rafting and hunting (all of which
are popular activities offered by a large number
of existing companies with a variety of experience
and expertise).
As part of its strategy the investors planned a
number of hotels and guesthouses situated throughout
the Kyrgyz Republic offering comfortable accommodation
equipped to Western style and standards. The original
plan was to establish tour itineraries travelling
between them, and exploring the areas around them.
The Guesthouse in Naryn, was the first of these.
Naryn was chosen as the site for the first investment
because it has an important place on the road to
the Torugart Pass - the only border crossing to
China presently available for passenger traffic.
A block of four apartments was purchased and converted
into a small guesthouse with 12 guest rooms, clean
and modern western style toilets and showers. In
summer a number of yurts are also provided. Although
it was originally intended to offer accommodation
for tourists travelling to, or from, Torugart a
growing number of travellers are spending more time
in the Naryn region - visiting places like Ece Naryn,
Salkyntor, Tash Rabat, At Bashi, Son Kul, and Kochkor,
and guests have also included a large number of
businessmen and visiting dignitaries.
Drawing upon their experiences in Naryn, the investors
then planned and built a new hotel in the centre
of Bishkek - The Silk Road Lodge - which opened
in August 2000. It was the first (and for some time
the only) hotel in Kyrgyzstan to be awarded an official
star classification by Kyrgyz Gosstandard. It has
quickly established itself as a small, friendly,
hotel - popular with tourists, businessmen, consultants
and visiting dignitaries alike.
The Tour Company, the Guesthouse and the Silk Road
Lodge have been featured on television and radio
in Kyrgyzstan, Great Britain, Germany and Brazil
and in books and newspaper articles published in
Kyrgyzstan, The United Kingdom, The United States,
Australia, Brazil, Spain, Germany and China.
| Presentation |
A Celestial Mountains property
The Silk Road Lodge is a luxurious new full-facility
hotel, built in 2000, located in the heart of Bishkek
next to the Central Park, only a few minutes walk
from the White House and many of Bishkek's best
restaurants.
FEATURES OF THE HOTEL INCLUDE:
Business Center - computer, fax, modem, photocopying
facilities. Email/internet access, (we can arrange
short term email addresses (mailboxes) for guests);
arrange meetings by telephone; assist with visas
and OVIR registration; can arrange transport services,
interpreters, book tours in-country, or to China
and elsewhere.
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Computers, printers,
faxes can be hired for use in rooms (some rooms
are equipped with computers already - whilst others
can have computers placed in them at your request).
We also offer a legislation finding service, Shop
selling toiletries, snacks, drinks, books, maps,
souvenirs, et?.
Bar-restaurant - full menu with international and
Kyrgyz selections - room service available (at no
extra cost). Breakfast, lunch and dinner can be
served in the restaurant - or ordered as room service.
The bar is open until 11 pm. daily and drinks can
be served in the garden, in summer.
Heated Pool - with exercise machines - Saunas (two);
Outdoor summer garden;
Lift to all floors;
Laundry service including weekend and overnight
service;
Baggage handling service;
Complimentary Messenger/"Gofer" service
around Bishkek
Airport transfers arranged (complimentary transfers
to/from Manas Airport - Bishkek - for guests).
Video machines and CD machines available for hire
- with a selection of tapes and CDs.
A conference room - approximately 78 square metres
- on the top floor: a light and airy fully air-conditioned
room. OHP, video, audio available.
Safety: We fully comply with modern local earthquake
design and building standards, fire standards,
etc.(all rooms have modern heat sensors; hotel
has two sets of stairs and 4 fire exits).
We accept credit card payments, travelers' cheques
or cash (US dollars or Kyrgyz Som).
Various services including bar/restaurant can
be charged to your room.
All of our receptionists speak English and some
speak other languages and we aim for a friendly
and welcoming atmosphere which only a small hotel
can hope to achieve.
GUESTS - VISITORS - ADDITIONAL GUESTS
Guests are clients who have registered and stay
in our hotel. We have a legal obligation to register
guests (the register was the first thing that
the Kyrgyz authorities checked when the hotel
opened in 2000) and we also have an obligation
to our guests for their safety and security. We
need to know who is staying with us as a guest
in case of emergency situations such as fire,
earthquake etc., and so we require all guests
to complete a registration form. We usually take
photocopies of passports to ensure that we have
all the necessary information to complete the
register.
Guests sometimes wish to receive visitors in their
rooms. Normally this is not a problem. However,
when visitors stay overnight they become Additional
Guests and so must be registered, and so visitors
in the evenings and at nighttime (e.g. after 11p.m.),
will be asked to register. There is no extra charge
for Additional Guests unless we have to place
an extra bed in the room.
We hope that guests will appreciate the need for
registration, will not find this an undue burden
and will co-operate.
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