Hotel Shanker: Difference between revisions
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[[Category:Hotels in Nepal]] |
[[Category:Hotels in Nepal]] |
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{{Nepal-hotel |
{{Nepal-hotel}} |
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Revision as of 11:51, 24 January 2014
| Hotel Shanker, Kathmandu | |
|---|---|
| File:Logohotelshankermain.png Official Logo of Hotel Shanker, Kathmandu | |
 | |
  Location within Nepal | |
| General information | |
| Location | Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Opening | 1964 |
| Management | Hotel Shanker Pvt. Ltd. |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 4 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Kumar Narsingh Rana (Nepal's first Civil Engineer) |
| Developer | Late Mr. Ram Shankar Shrestha |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 94 |
| Number of suites | 12 |
| Number of restaurants | 2 |
| Parking | Outdoor, more than 200 Cars |
| Website | |
| www.shankerhotel.com.np | |
Hotel Shanker in Kathmandu is a historic luxury heritage hotel opened in 1964 in a building dating to 1894. It is located in Lazimpat, next to the historic Narayanhity Palace Museum. The architectural style of the building is neoclassical. This palace was [1][2] made for General Jit Shumsher Rana, (Southern Commanding General of the Army). The hotel is characterised by exquisite and authentic objects d'art. For example, the carved windows displayed in the lobby bar are over 200 years old.
This hotel is now a reputed address in Kathmandu, Nepal. Online booking at the official site was started for tourists since 2004.[3] The hotel won the Trip Advisor Travelers' choice awards for the years 2013 and 2014 in the top hotels category.[4]
Background and History prior to 1964
At the turn of the 19th century, Gen. Jit Shumsher Rana, brother of HH Sri Tin Maharaja Bhir Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana, hired architect Kumar Narsingh Rana to build this palace. The exteriors were fashioned in neoclassical style and the interiors were done as per European tastes of the time. The construction was completed in 1894 A.D.
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Gen. Jit Shumsher, who suffered an acute illness, died prematurely July 29, 1913,[5] and this palace eventually came into the possession of Gen. Maharajkumar Agni Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana - the son of HH Sri Tin Maharaja Juddha Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana, one of the most distinguished of the powerful Rana Maharajas. Agni Shumsher's grand-daughters - HM Queen Aishwarya, HM Queen Komal and HH Princess Prekshya, were born in the palace.[6]
Post 1964
In 1964 the late Ram Shanker Shrestha, who once ran Green Hotel in New road, took the palace, which was then known as Agni Bhawan, on lease. It was one of the durbars owned by the late General Agni Shumsher J.B. Rana, father of Kendra Shumsher J.B. Rana and grandfather of Her Majesty Queen Komal Rajaya Lakshmi Shah.
The durbar was converted into a hotel but in the beginning it had only 20 rooms. Additional rooms were needed to generate enough revenue to make running of the hotel feasible. More living and commercial space needed to be developed, but Mr. Ram Shanker was totally against the idea of making any changes in the colonial architecture of the exteriors. After all, that was what was so unique about the property.
Shanker Nath Rimal, an eminent Engineer of the time, was entrusted with the work of renovating the historic Durbar. A decision was made to construct two more stories to the original three-storied building but the problem was that it had to be done without changing the existing exterior. And therein lay the challenge. Deep thinking on the subject resulted in the conclusion that, with the limitations at hand, additional floors were possible only at the cost of proportionate decrease in the height of the ceilings.
“Actually we had to make some compromises keeping in mind the commercial aspects of the hotel,” explains Engineer Rimal, “For instance, to make more rooms, we added two floors to the existing three storied building. Since we wanted to keep the exterior intact, the ceilings are a bit low. The outside is typically old European style but we added local styles while doing the interiors.”
“We have made absolutely no changes to the exterior,” confirmed Mr. Ram Shanker Shrestha.
Some original interiors like the magnificent Durbar Hall on the first floor were left intact and in due time the hotel had five stories with one hundred and thirty four rooms. However, in the early eighties, an adjoining building’s lease ran out and was sold to the Finance Ministry. It now houses the Internal Revenue and VAT central offices. At present, Hotel Shanker has 94 rooms and is fully owned by the Shrestha family.
The hotel is nestled in around 35 ropanies of land, and this spaciousness bestows the hotel with a regal environment and an air of expansiveness. The large lawns and garden has been landscaped. The hotel has made use of traditional Nepali craftwork in the interiors. The lobby has large wooden etchings that were crafted in Patan. Stepping into the Kunti Bar, on the ground floor, one is surrounded by Nepali hand crafted wooden windows that date back to over 200 yeards. The splendid Kailash Hall (also on the ground floor) can accommodate about 350 people at a time and has very attractive designs as far as ceiling and walls are concerned. It is interesting to note that the first and only ‘Colombo Conference’ initiated by the Late King Birendra in 1976, was hosted in this hall.
It should also be noted that the last two peace talks with the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) were held here.
The hotels’ excellent facilities have been used extensively by many organizations that hold frequent meetings and conferences here. Organizations like Rotary Club of Kathmandu, United Women’s Organisation Group, Save The Children, Voluntary Service Organization and Cultural Studies Group are some of the regulars. In addition, government departments like the Supreme Court and the Roads Department also consider Hotel Shanker's event spaces to be ideal for their conferences and meetings, as do business houses and industrial establishments.
Besides the more than satisfactory conference facilities, the rooms are also special. They are of various types. There are rooms with exotic woodcarvings, intricate designs and wall hangings, as well as those with arched windows imparting an intimate atmosphere to the room. All the rooms are tastefully decorated. Soothing colors have been chosen for flooring and furnishings that lends the rooms an air of sophistication. Besides, there is a generous sprinkling of paintings by Nepalese artists in the rooms besides lining the corridors.