Royal Mountain Travel Magazine Royal Mountain Travel Magazine Issue 1 | Page 61

Cultural heritage
Dwarika’s Hotel

Dwarika’s Hotel is an authentic experience of Nepal’s ancient cultural heritage.
It houses an extensive collection of artifacts from the 13th century onwards, and
the buildings and courtyards house some of Nepal’s best craftsmanship.
The hotel’s history which is intertwined with the
life and times of the late Dwarika Das Shrestha,
also credited with establishing the first hotel in
Nepal, Paras Hotel, in 1952. During this time in
Kathmandu,ancientmud,brick,andwoodenhouses
werebeingsupercededbyconcretestructures.One
chillymorning,ashewasjoggingpasttheruinsofan
old building in front of Kathmandu’s Durbar Square,
hecameacrosstwocarpenterssawingofftheintricate
carvingsonanoldwoodenpillarandusingthewood
to keep a small fire going.
Shrestha, who was among the first to understand
the true value of Nepal’s amazing cultural heritage,
was shocked at this flagrant disregard for what was
clearly a part of the rich Newar culture of art and
craft. He bought the ancient old wooden pillars
fromthecarpenters.Thusbeganhislifelongquestto
collect ancient Newari woodwork. In the late 1950s,
he bought the land upon which Dwarika’s Hotel is
nowlocatedandbuiltonitasmallhouseinwhichhe
incorporatedancientwindowsaspartofthedesign.
In1964,heconstructedasmallapartmentforrenting
outabovethecowshedusingsomeofthepiecesfrom
his collection. The rentals allowed him to continue
expanding his collection and to hire three master

carverswhichenabledhimtostartaheritageworkshop
to restore his collection to their former glory.

The beginning
In the meantime, in 1969, he established one of the
first travel agencies, Kathmandu Travels and Tours.
During the coronation of King Birendra in 1972,
the capital faced an acute shortage of hotel rooms.
To accommodate their own guests, Shrestha and
hisfamilymovedintoarentedhouseandconverted
their own home, along with the apartment, into a
guesthouse.Guestslovedhisplacewhichbecamethe
inspirationthatledtotheestablishmentofthehotel
in 1977. The hotel deservedly went on to become
an authentic experience of Nepal’s ancient cultural
heritage.Ithousesanextensivecollectionofartifacts
fromthe13thcenturyonwards,andthebuildingsand
courtyardshousesomeofNepal’sbestcraftsmanship.
Located close to the famous Pashupatinath temple
andastone’sthrowfromBoudhanathstupa,itisjusta
few minutes away from the airport.

Unusual settings
Thehotel’s79roomsandsuiteshavebeendesignedto
seamlesslymeshcontemporarylifestylewiththeNewari
style of living. Interspersed with age old artworks, all
www.royalmt.com.np

theroomsprovideaccesstotheantiquatedartofthe
Newars dating as far back as the 14th century. Other
details include linen that is organically produced
andhandwoven,andcustomdesignedhandmade
furniture.Atthesametimenocompromisehasbeen
madeinensuringamenitiesthatrivalthebestluxury
hotels. A variety of restaurants and a bar provide a
range of culinary experiences from the world over.
Thespaciouscourtyards,amidstasettingthatinvokes
the architectural grandeur of Kathmandu’s ancient
civilization, are a unique feature of the hotel and
provide an ideal location for all-day lounging and
informal dining. Two specialty restaurants provide
excellentoptionsaswell-Krishnarpanisperfectfora
NepalifinediningexperienceMakoisrecommenede
for the best Japanese food in Nepal, while the multi
cuisineall-dayrestaurantToranservesarangeoftasty
appetizers and s