The Dwarika’s Hotel, a five-star property, is widely regarded as the best hotel in Kathmandu and one of the first tourist hotels in Nepal. I was happy to review it and enjoyed a pleasant stay, though I question whether it was worth the splurge.
The Dwarika’s Hotel Kathmandu Review
Nightly rates can run from $300-500/night for a base room…I paid $383 for one night, which makes it one of the priciest hotels in the city. Rates fluctuate depending on the season. You can save money by booking via a Virtuoso agent, which will include daily breakfast, late checkout, and a room upgrade, subject to availability.
Location
Kathmandu is a bustling, dusty, dirty city…charming in its own way, but not for the faint-hearted. However, The Dwarika’s is like a mirage in the desert, a tranquil refuge amongst the chaos outside.
The hotel was the brainchild of a man named Dwarika Das Shrestha who saw–very early on–the influx of tourism encapsulated in the famous Bob Seger song:
As he saw Kathmandu rapidly changing and the destruction of old buildings, Dwarika set out not just to create a tourist hotel, but preserve the Kathmandu Valley’s heritage and showcase the architecture of the Newari civilization.
Having only opened in 1977, it is not a classic hotel per se, but it is the grande dame of the city and offers a look at the prototypical architecture of Kathmandu prior to the modern age.
King Charles even paid this hotel a visit in 1998, inaugurating water spouts (as one does, as Prince or King…):
The lobby area was spacious and comfortable. With indoor and outdoor seating.
Guest Room
Each floor had wide hallways and large common areas:
My guest room was quaint and very spacious, with natural light from a terrace overlooking the courtyard. It included a desk, table with chairs, spacious bench under the window, and queen-size bed.
A well-stocked minibar and water kettle with tea and instant coffee:
The bathroom had two sinks, a shower, a toilet, and a sunken bathtub.
Again, I liked how spacious the room was and it was a unique room too with nice stonework and woodwork that was something different than even the other luxury hotels in Kathmandu.
I appreciated also that this hotel not only did a turndown service in the evening, but left a nice tray of chocolate truffles on my desk.
Food + Drink
The hotel offered several restaurants, including one open 24/7, plus around-the-clock room service.
Krishnarpan Restaraunt
The hotel’s signature restaurant with Nepalese cuisine sourced from the Dwarika’s own organic farms. Open 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm. My friend was not in the mood to try Nepalese food, so we did not try this place.
Toran
The hotel’s international restaurant with flavors from around the world, including afternoon high tea. You can sit on the terrace or eat indoors. It is open 24/7 for hotel guests.
Breakfast is also served here. The buffet-style breakfast included omelets cooked to order and barista-made coffee.
Mako’s Japanese Restaruant
Open from, 11:30 am to 10:00 pm, Mako’s offers authentic Japanese food prepared by Mako San.
Fusion Bar
In the former home of the hotel founder, a bar includes a wide selection of adult beverages.
I enjoyed a gin basil smash on the terrace, a refreshing drink on a warm afternoon.
Room Service
24/7 room service is available. After a long day, my friend and I elected to eat in the room instead of going downstairs and sitting in a restaurant. I ordered mushroom soup and lamb shank, both excellent, while my friend had a caprese sandwich.
Pool
An outdoor pool is located in the hotel courtyard.
Locker rooms:
Fitness Center
I was disappointed by the fitness center, which featured older equipment and a limited selection of strength training machines.
There was also a yoga pavilion (essentially just a studio with plenty of space to stretch…).
Spa
A spa offers a full range of massage and beauty treatments, but I was disappointed there was no sauna or steam room, which are an important part of my daily routine at home and not something I care to sacrifice when I travel.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, The Dwarika’s is a superb hotel in Kathmandu and offers a taste of the past with most amenities you would expect in a five-star property. Staff were wonderful, the room was clean, and the food was excellent. But even though you don’t come to Kathmandu, necessarily, to exercise in a gym or sit in a sauna, I thought the Hyatt Regency across town offered a better experience in that regard and for that reason alone (but price too), certainly unique to my own tastes, I would return there before returning here.
“Dwarika” would be an appropriate first name . The nickname would be “Dwaa” .
It is a shame that you couldn’t try Krishnarpan. It is an incredible experience with a truly unique tasting menu of foods from the different people groups in Nepal. They have hosted King Charles, King Felipe, the Clintons, and a long list of celebrities. If you go back, don’t miss it.
I would have liked to for sure. Next time!
Is the minibar complimentary?
It is not.
It may not be “classic”, but it certainly looks like it has lots of charm.
I’m lucky to have stayed here 3 or 4 tmes over the past 20 years and love it. The story goes that the founder saw people renovating an old building and chopping up carved woodwork for firewood. He decided to preserve the heritage and started collecting and restoring woodwork from old buildings, much of which became the windows, doors and frames in the hotel. There is – or was – a workshop at the rear where the restoration is done.
The furniture, linen etc is also all made from local artisans. And yes, you missed a treat at the Krishnarpan restaurant, the food is fantastic.
What’s the idea of eating in the room? Seems a bit drab when in a new city.
Haha
He was with a friend who didn’t want to try Nepalese food and is going to choose the Hyatt in future because the gym equipment is more modern.
Travel really is wasted on some……
His friend seems like a real bore on this whole trip.
@David: my friend is an amazing person
@Sam: “Travel really is wasted on some……”
Come on now. Travel is no less authentic just because I like my coffee a certain way each morning or spend 60 minutes working out and 20 minutes in a sauna. That’s part of my routine…I like it that way. Don’t conflate that with wasting the trip…wait till you read about my Everest helicopter tour and my time in Bhutan.
I agree with Matthew—hate it when I spend a lot of money and come back from a vacation feeling weaker. And I might have missed it, but someone could at least smuggle the hotel some more plates.
Any time I spend a lot of money and end up questioning it, that is actually just my answer that the option wasn’t ideal. It’s easy to compare with other splurges where the memories are 100% perfect and fun to revisit.
I was lucky enough to stay here a few years ago for three nights and it was wonderful. If I returned to Kathmandu this is the only hotel I’d ever consider. The only downside, from memory, was the location wasn’t great as it was quite a long walk to most of the sights.