... like to confirm the booking on 17 Oct 2015 to 19 Oct 2015 (2 nights) 1 Lodge double room. We would like to arrange for airport pick-up and return to Ulan Batar for...
Stayed overnight in the family room on Friday. Very nice, two separate bedroom. One had three beds and another had one queen bed. Really liked breakfast next morning. You can also go hiking while staying in this lodge. They were making a renovation at the dome building, hope something nice is coming up. Our family liked choco cake as well.
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Date of stay: September 2014Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
I've been going to Mongolia several times since 2000 but this is my first time visiting Terelj National Park... just 40 minutes from UlaanBaatar. We were there for the enire month of June stayed at 2 different properties in Terelj on two separate 4 and 5 day trips. Ayanchin is by far the best facility and value for money in Terelj for Westerners (or anyone who values comfort).
The rooms are spacious (50 sm) with a really nice bathroom with glass shower and 'tile' walls. There is even a heated toilet seat with other 'wash' functions. We had a family room in the 'Gertek' which is a round home imported from the USA and even though electricity will often 'cease' from minutes to 22 hours straight in Mongolia, Ayanchin's generator kicked in so electricity, hot water and FAST fibre optic wifi were non-stop.
HUGE breakfast with eggs, sausage (REAL sausages), pancakes, etc. and free-flow of brewed coffee (Nespresso is extra after the first cup). Meals take about an hour so one of us would get there early and order and the rest show up 40 minutes later. Sipping coffee in the cafe or on the deck watching the hawks circle the mountain made the time go quickly.
Unlike most 'ger camps' or lodges in the park, Ayanchin is free from litter, debris and animal waste as it's fenced in to keep horses, sheep, goats, yaks and cows OUT. We stayed at another place and you really have to watch where you step. This place is clean (no broken vodka bottles, plastic bags or trash) and you really get the feeling of 'wild Mongolia'.
The other place we stayed later in the trip was half the price but half as nice and breakfast was not included. My Mongolian relatives were happy enough with the cheaper place. But anyone who values comfort like queen sized Sealy Posturepedic mattresses, quiet rooms and grounds, clean surroundings, a healthy / clean kitchen (the owner told us they have a sanitising dishwasher instead of relying on questionable practices of hand washing)... this is THE place to stay.
Please don't misunderstand. This is NOT a 5-Star Luxury property. There is no coffee in the room, no wardrobe to hang your clothes (other rooms may have wardrobes or a chest of drawers) or room service. It IS the best available in Terelj.
We also looked into Terelj's famous 'luxury' hotel, built and run by the North Koreans. It is much more expensive and the hotel grounds and building are massive. But having looked at it, we thought we'd not feel like we were in a national park let alone in another country. They also claimed the restaurant was booked solid for the next month. (I found out later it was 'under renovations' and it was their way of looking more popular than they were. In a half hour there, we only saw 2 staff and 3 people we assumed were guests.)
Activities: -We rode horses that are kept at a neighbour's place and at 10,000 MT per horse per hour ($5 USD), it's a bargain. If you are a confident rider, insist they take you in the pine forest around the side of a mountain or across the stream nearby. It's amazing, so green and you get a real wilderness feeling. -Ayanchin owns several Polaris 4WD vehicles and we rode up trails and across streams to get to the Tuul River for a fire, roasting marshmallows and fishing. I got to drive TO the river and my buddy from South Africa, Chris Kelway got to drive on the way back. AWESOME experience. -Ayanchin also has rafts to explore the river but the water level was low and it was quite cool (even in June) so we decided not to try rafting. -If you are healthy enough, hike up the two mountain in the back... one of the highest peaks in the park and the other one is easier and still affords great views. Even our children ages 11 and 13 enjoyed getting to the top. -Karaoke was fun with family in their soundproof karaoke lounge with English, Mongolian, Chinese and Korean options. We got a kick out of singing ABBA's 'Dancing Queen' to video of Mongolian traditional dance. -Long conversations in the evening over a beer or soft drink on the deck as the sun stays out to 10 PM or later. -Son age 11 really enjoyed the playground with state-of-the-art swings and other fun stuff
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Date of stay: June 2015Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Try for a view up the mountain.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Responded Sep 17, 2015
Mike- Thanks! Honestly, we don't get all that many foreign visitors to our place, so it's nice to see how we measure up outside of our "little world". We hope we are creating a "find" and that you'll come back and see us, time-and-again.
-Catmanl7
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Nice room with balcony. Have hot water for bath but not stable. Comfortable bed. Can go hiking during the day or go for horseback riding nearby. Beautiful mountain/forest views. Very nice environment. You also can choose to live in Ger, (Mongolian) is a portable, round tent covered with skins .
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Date of stay: June 2014Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Responded Sep 17, 2015
Thanks for the nice review. As for the hot water- we hear you! We just added another 100 gallons of capacity to the place. We found these really cool units that will work with a heat pump, and don't overwhelm our electrical capacity. This seems to be working out quite well. Trying to balance our extreme sanitary standards (dishwashers, on-site laundry, endless cleaning) with the need for hot water, on demand....just got better!
Again, thanks! We appreciate your comments.
-Catmanl7
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We stayed for a couple of nights in the family ger and loved it, especially my 8 year old daughter. It was lightly snowing when we arrived but our ger was cosily warm, thanks to the woodburner that had been lit before we got there. The restaurant has a wide range of Western and Mongolian options, including vegetarian food. We would especially recommend the potato salad. We hiked up the hill for a fabulous view over the surrounding area and also went horseriding. If we go again, we would choose to stay in a ger again rather than a cottage or room because it was cosy and comfortable.
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Date of stay: May 2015Trip type: Traveled with family
Value
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Responded Sep 17, 2015
Wow, thanks. You still gotta have gers! And, believe it or not, what guests want from gers...has changed a lot, over the years. We are periodically re-sizing, and re-fitting our gers to accommodate, and augment what our guests are looking for. Whereas we have a wide range of accommodation TYPES, we want everyone's experience to be the same......quality, clean, no surprises....out past the edge of town.....
-Catmanl7
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Great location Accommodation is awesome Well maintained Western toilets Great staff Great atmosphere Games room is awesome Well worth the money The experience is priceless
Within driving distance the surrounding desert will blow your mind, mountains are breathtaking, nomad way of life is beautiful it really is an amazing country and resort
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Date of stay: April 2016Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Responded Sep 9, 2017
Hira- Wow, thanks! We especially appreciate your comments about maintenance, and our staff. We like to think that we work hard at crew training, and keeping the burned-out light bulbs replaced! You should have been here when the power was out, in the surrounding area.....and seen how our standby system works!
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Dear Steph- I assume that Urnuh has you all taken care of. If not, let me know. Looking forward to seeing you at the Lodge!
-John Karlsen
Ayanchin Lodge
