Viator Bangladesh Guesthouse
Nestled away in a quiet corner of the upmarket Banani neighbourhood of Dhaka lies the Viator Bangladesh Guesthouse and fair trade handicrafts shop. The shop and accommodation form the business wing of the Viator Bangladesh NGO, a non-profit organisation that supports the development of indigenous people across Bangladesh, particularly those who reside in the Bandarban region of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. In addition to their Dhaka guesthouse, they also run a fair trade handicrafts shop in Bandarban, and are one of the first organisations to set up such a shop in the region where the goods are produced. The Bandarban store also runs training programmes for its suppliers, in a bid to improve their livelihood stability and provide economic opportunities in an area that is dominated by Bengali business interests.
‘Simple and clean guesthouse’ is the service motto back at the Dhaka guesthouse, and the accommodation feels just like that. Despite being located in the upscale side of Dhaka, the guesthouse manages to maintain rates of US$25-US$40 per night, some of the lowest available in this end of town. The guesthouse even offers a discount to those who are resident in Bangladesh (but may happen to live outside of Dhaka and visit only on the weekends); and even deeper discounts for students and interns. Despite the low rates, each of its 10 rooms has cable television, AC (bar one room), telephone and hot and cold water in the attached bathrooms. A couple of the singles have bright and airy terraces – good places to kick back and read a book or just enjoy the tropical climate. Although the building itself is slightly dilapidated, it is by no means uncomfortable.
Those seeking value-accommodation would be best suited by a stay at the guesthouse, as well as those who want to see their money supporting a non-profit organisation whose mission to support the social development of Bangladesh’s most marginalised people. The location also offers very good access to the many restaurants and stores of Banani and Gulshan, and so your money could be better spent on eating at some of the area’s nice restaurants or picking up gifts from the organisation’s fair trade store.
All in all, this is a very responsible place to stay while visiting Dhaka. For those who would rest more peacefully in the knowledge that their money is supporting social development as opposed to making wealthy business owners more wealthy, the guesthouse is a perfect place for this purpose.
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