The Dwarika's Collection

The Dwarika's Collection: heritage hospitality in Nepal

The Dwarika's Collection is a family-owned hotel collection with two properties in Nepal: The Dwarika's, in Kathmandu, and Dwarika's Sanctuary, in Dhulikhel. The collection presents itself as a project for the preservation of Newari heritage and luxury hospitality, built around two complementary stays about an hour's journey apart.

A living museum of Newari art in Kathmandu

The Dwarika's, in Kathmandu, describes itself as a living museum of Newari heritage. Its courtyards and façades integrate centuries-old beams, lattices and pillars, hand-moulded brick and the Newar architectural language. The collection states that it holds the largest private collection of Newari wood carving in the world. In the hotel's own workshop, artisans restore beams, lattices and pillars with the same tools and techniques as their predecessors. The property presents itself as a custodian of Nepal's spirit and a gateway to its culture.

Dwarika's Sanctuary: a regenerative retreat in Dhulikhel

Dwarika's Sanctuary is set on a ridge in the Himalayan foothills, in Dhulikhel. The project is described as a place where wellbeing is lived as a philosophy, guided by Vedic wisdom and the Pancha Kosha, the fivefold journey of human experience in yogic thought. Terraced farms and forests offer spaces of stillness, while immersive programmes and Himalayan-inspired treatments are oriented towards renewal. Among its facilities, the Shiva Linga maze is mentioned, intended for meditation.

Origins and family trajectory

The collection's history dates back to 1952, when Dwarika Das Shrestha rescued fragments of carved wood from buildings being demolished in Kathmandu. In 1956, together with his wife Ambica, he began to explore ways to preserve what others discarded, financing his efforts through businesses in Nepal's emerging travel industry. In 1964 he built his first Nepali-style brick house in his garden, integrating restored wood into its walls. In 1969 he founded Kathmandu Travels & Tours, one of the country's first travel agencies. In 1972 he opened The Dwarika's Hotel, conceived as a living museum. In 1980, the Pacific Asia Travel Association awarded the hotel its Heritage Award. Dwarika Das Shrestha passed away in 1992. The collection indicates that today guests are guided by Vijay, the founder's grandson, and that restoration continues. The Shrestha family retains ownership after three generations.

Restoration, preservation and revival

The collection structures its activity around three pillars: restoration, preservation and revival. Restoration takes place in the hotel's workshop, where centuries-old beams, lattices and pillars are recovered. Preservation is understood as a living tradition of craftsmanship that each stay helps to sustain. Revival is expressed in the continuity of temple rituals and seasonal festivals, integrated into the daily life of the properties.

Locally sourced cuisine and own farms

Dwarika's culinary approach starts from six of its own farms in the valleys surrounding Kathmandu. From them come Terai rice, mustard leaves from the winter fields and herbs gathered in the middle hills. The collection describes a cuisine that follows the rhythm of Nepali soil and brings the landscape to the plate with its colours, textures and seasons.

Two destinations, one stay

The two properties are presented as a natural journey through Nepal: begin with the cultural and spiritual energy of Kathmandu and continue eastward, into the Himalayan foothills, where Dhulikhel offers mountain air and clarity. The collection defines itself as a journey between heritage and horizon, with stays that can be linked between the two locations.

Location and contact

Battisputali, Kathmandu, Bagmati Province, 44600, Nepal