In spite of the 2015 earthquake which damaged Nepal structures and affected the local tourism industry, Nepal is slowly rising to its feet. The emphasis is now on preserving their heritage, building safer and stronger buildings and facilities, as well as preserving it's being known as a romatic destination. Here are five boutique hotels which are helping to build a more responsible era in the country's tourism.
Built in the 1970's by founder Dwarika Das Shrestha, the Dwarika's Hotel, Kathmandu is a 5-star hotel which is often described as a "living museum". It has preserved Newari arts and crafts dating back from the13th century. It still boasts of having the world's largest private collection of wood carvings.
Although the recent earthquake has destroyed a lot of these arts and crafts, Dwarika's Hotel has made it a mission to help preserve its arts and crafts. Here you can see client's romantic experience with Dwarika's Hotel.
Founded in 2011 by a group of architects, the Swotha Traditional Homes, Patan are old Newari-style homes on the fringes of Patan's Durbar Square. Although the major damages caused by the 2015 earthquake were very near Swotha, the Homes were mostly spared due to sound structural planning.
The original beams and layout have been retained. Added were modern amenities like WiFi, hot water and a restaurant. They are also now starting solar power and rainwater harvesting.
A stylish 5-star eco-resort, the Pavilions Himalaya, Pokhara was opened in November 2015 by Dutch-Scotsman Douglas Maclagan. Maclagan has a farm in Nepal for 25 years and has social projects for Nepal. There are massive tanks" under the resort's 16 villas which harvest rainwater, which is then cleaned and fed to sinks and showers. After being used, this "grey water" is treated and used to flush toilets. "Then that 'black water' to is used to create bio-gas. That gas cooks the food."
The Barahi Jungle Lodge, Chitwan is an eco-lodge. In 2015 it was rated by the Travel Operators for Tigers as "outstanding" in sustainability. It has 18 huts in the resort's 13 hectares of virgin forest. Each has a romantic view of the Rapti River and national park, as well as its own private balcony and access to the big swimming pool.
The Heritage Hotel, Bhaktapur in Kathmandu is a 5-room Heritage Hotel billed as the first luxury hotel in Bhaktapur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to CNN, almost all its furniture is a salvaged antique, like the 75-year-old carved window frames which were pulled from a bonfire. The 400-year-old stone flooring was rescued from the rubble of a destroyed royal palace.
