Accommodation in Dharan is generally poor, and made worse by bus-park noise - it can be hard to get a good night's sleep. Two reasonably quiet places are Hotel Aangan (tel 025/20640; Rs200-350 [US$3-5] / en suite US$5-8) and Shristi Guest House (no phone; Rs140-200 [US$2-3] / en suite Rs200-350 [US$3-5]). Aangan has the better facilities, with clean, nicely furnished rooms, geyser hot water and TVs in some rooms; Shristi is strictly a cold-water proposition. Hotel Saanjh (tel 025/22010; en suite US$5-8) is the only other establishment with hot water, and is comparable to the Aangan but has only a few rooms and is noisier. Of several lodges around the bus park, Hotel Family Inn (tel 025/20848; en suite Rs200-350 [US$3-5]) seems to be the cleanest and quietest, but that's not saying much. Little English is spoken at any of these places.

Several restaurants do quite tasty Nepali, Indian and even Continental dishes ("chicken sizzler" has somehow made it all the way to Dharan). The restaurants at the Aangan and Saanjh hotels can be recommended, as can the one in Hotel Nawa Yug (next door to Hotel Family Inn) and the upstairs cabin-style Chimal Restaurant. Centre Point is a smaller version of the Chimal located further up the bazaar that's handy if you're staying in Shristi Guest House. Other, more local-oriented bhojanalaya just west of Chatta Chowk serve daal bhaat, sekuwa and sokuti. Street vendors around Bhanu Chowk sell some weird and wonderful fried morsels.