Hotel Shanker, Kathmandu is a heritage hotel, housed in a 19th-century palace within walking distance to popular places Thamel and Durbar Marg, Kathmandu's tourist hubs. It was the royal residence of the rulers of Nepal from 1894 until 1964, when it was converted into a luxury hotel. The facade was kept intact but the interiors were redesigned to give travellers the kind of comfort they'd expect of a world class hotel. 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.
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 the most elegant palace in Kathmandu. Items such as gilt mirrors, velvet, marble and sunburst chandeliers were imported from Europe. In 1964 A.D., Late Mr. Ram Shanker Shrestha bought this palace and converted it into the hotel, commencing operations with 23 rooms.His ingenious concept of maintaining the old age beauty and merging it with modern comforts is the existence of Hotel Shanker, Kathmandu. Today, the hotel maintains and cherishes its position as a grand beauty of unmistakable class.
