`Dwarika looks like a Palace
Dwarika feels like a Palace
Dwarika is a Palace’
Dwarika’s Hotel, in the heart of Kathmandu city, is not just another five star hotel – it is a philosophy. It is an outstanding example of how tourism can be used to preserve both heritage and the environment. The complex incorporates the multifarious features of Nepal’s Heritage into one inimitable property. Entering the world of Dwarika is like entering the sublime. Its lush greenery, terracotta pottery and exquisite wood carvings, transport the visitor into an indescribable space of peace and serenity, far removed from the cacophony of Kathmandu.

In 1952, its founder, the late Dwarika Das Shretha, was out jogging and came across some carpenters who were sawing away at some very intricate wooden pillars. On closer scrutiny, Dwarika Das recognized that these old bits of wood in fact constituted exquisitely carved woodwork that was several centuries old, dating back at least 700 years. And they were about to become firewood!  Dwarika Das gave the workers new lumber to be used as firewood, collected the old pieces together, and began a hobby that was to eventually develop into a lifetime passion. He began to scour the valley and collect pieces of wood carvings that were been stripped from condemned old buildings that were to be demolished to make way for the modern Kathmandu – invariably cast in the form of concrete buildings.

In 1964, Dwarka Das began the project of constructing a Nepali style brick building, around the wood carvings that he had collected. The carvings became the windows and door frames of the structure, and it is out of this that the Dwarika Hotel gradually emerged. Dwarika Das’s spirit and passion was laid out in a master plan of this unique place, and he guided hundreds of the best builders and craftsmen in Nepal to construct the hotel. By 1998, the hotel had almost 30 rooms, and a staff of almost 150 employees. Each room was individually designed, large, cosy, incorporating a range of terracotta designs to maintain the traditional designs and motifs.  Every brick is handmade, and every piece of wood work and original and centuries old.

Dwarika Das died in 1992 and the hotel is not run by his wife, Ambica, and daughter , Sangita. In 1998, they constructed a new wing to the hotel, adding 39 new rooms to the complex. Each room at 600 square feet is vast. Dome-shaped antique windows look into the ornate gardens, fountains and small terracotta shrines of the inner courtyard, where hotel guests can sit in peace, enjoying a drink from the Fusion bar. Each room has been refined and perfected according to the cultural tastes and intention of preserving the Nepali heritage. Every room is individually shaped, conceived, furnished and decorated. The walls and floors are unique, in that they are made of pure terracotta bricks. Every item in the rooms, including their designs, is made from local building materials, traditional handicrafts and furnishings. Even the flower pots, trays, mugs and textiles, have been chosen with specific attention to details, and ensuring that it fits within the philosophy of the heritage project. The wooden furniture is produced in the heritage workshop, situated near the hotel premises, that applies the Newari technique of wood-locking, which does not rely on the use of iron nails.

The bathrooms need to be singled out for attention. There is an extraordinary elegance and creativity that have been incorporated into the bathrooms, which include stone plate floors that are furnished with Villeroy and Boch bath tubs built into the stone floors and elegant Jado armatures. The dressing area has two sinks set in a long vanity of locally quarried slate. On the other side of the entry hall there is a large spa-tub, as well as a shower stall, changing area and a toilet in its own slate-tiled water closet. The floor plan of the bathroom is unique, using only locally made stone plates, which are cooling in the summer months. The tubs are lined with hand carved terracotta designs often in the form of protective and intertwined elegant serpents.

While old the buildings are traditional Newari style, the internal decorations in the rooms stem from the culture of the many different ethnic groups that exist in Nepal. The result is the creation of an extremely peaceful, sensitive ambience, which provides a constant respite and pleasure to walk into after the hustle and bustle of the chaotic streets of Kathmandu. Every evening, guests are welcomed by the haunting melodies of a local flute player, whose soothing sounds are relaxing and calming.

The Hotel is located behind an unassuming low-rise façade in a dusty, nondescript street on the airport side of Kathmandu city. But the minute you enter into the angan of the hotel, you are greeted by a feast of verdure, paved courtyards with pools, and fountains framed by the ornate buildings of brick and wood. Throughout the structure, in the courtyards, and angans, there are images of beautiful terracotta sculptures from Hindu, Buddhist traditions and other mythologies. Other art objects include flowerpots and vases that are uniquely designed in the shape of different animals or other motifs. The several courtyards of the hotel are stone plated with many trees, bushes, and plenty of beautiful flowers producing a near paradise. The electric lighting is made of traditional lamp designs based on the oil lamps of the temples in Nepal and the rich Newar houses.

In addition the exquisite design and architecture of the hotel, there are also three large new restaurants,  including the Toran, Fusion Bar, and Krishnarpan, that offer a great variety of delicious dishes. The hotel also purchases its vegetables and fruits exclusively from the local market in order to directly benefit the local farmers. In 1994, the Krishnarpan (“offering to the gods”)  restaurant was opened, specializing in Nepali food. The pottery and utensils are made in traditional Nepali style and each of the many courses is specially prepared with minute attention to detail and producing the taste of authentic Nepali cuisine. The food is served by waiters and waitresses dressed in the many different festive dresses and jewellery of the various ethnic groups, including the Newar, Chetris, Rais, Limbus, Gurungs, and Thakalis. The ambiance of the Krishnarpan restaurant is exquisite and unique and has acquired an international reputation that attracts an crowd of international dignitaries and VIPs.

The Dwarika Hotel today stands out as unique amongst five star luxury hotels, which have all come to look, smell and feel increasingly the same. Dwarika Hotel counters the sterility, formality and repetitiveness that characterises today’s five star range of hotels – where attention to luxury and style, is often provided at the cost cultural specificity and even environmental degradation. Dwarki hotel strives to serve as a model not only for preserving cultural heritage, but as an outstanding example that tourism and cultural preservation can co-exist. It has been awarded the World Heritage Site Award, serving as a living museum of the history and craftsmanship of ancient Nepal. It is a refreshing change from five star chains that have mushroomed across South Asia. It can serve as a living model for hotels and other institutions as to how to preserve the Nepali past in the present. Dwarika has successfully preserved five star comfort by incorporating old world cultural heritage and environmental preservation. The result is a calm and peaceful atmosphere – a veritable oasis!

Address
Dwarika Hotel, Battisputali, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: (9771 479388
Fax: 9771 471379
Email: info@dwarikas.com
Web: www.dwarkikas.com
Tariff Deluxe rooms with a/c from USD 155; deluxe from USD USD 195