Top Luxury Hotels in Nepal

While Nepal may be the place for adventurous trekking, dangerous white-water rafting, and spectacular jungle safaris, it does not mean that you have to rough it. Whether you are taking in the sights of Everest and Annapurna on the trekking trails or discovering elephants and tigers in the lowland jungles, there is always the option of staying in a luxury hotel or resort so you can get that relaxing spa between adventures and discover the best of Nepal’s luxury hotel scene.

Since the country first opened up to international tourism decades ago, there has been a huge change in the quality of hotel and guest house accommodation, even in some of the most inhospitable areas of the country. Luxury four and five star hotels have popped up in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and other major tourist locations, and even on the trekking trail to Everest Base Camp.

With so many luxurious places to stay around Nepal, you can be spoilt for choice, and you are almost guaranteed to find the hotel or resort of your desire wherever you travel in Nepal. Top of the range accommodations can include luxury lodges, converted colonial mansions, and rural retreats that offer spa treatments and all-organic foods. Even when trekking, you can find some luxury lodges in the Annapurna and Everest regions and organized treks can give you the best selections.

Dwarikas Hotel, Kathmandu

With plenty of character, the Dwarikas Hotel is a unique place to stay in Kathmandu. A traditional Nepalese building that has been converted into a hotel and museum, it has traditional terracotta workings and carved wooden panels that have been preserved to give the feeling of a Nepalese palace. With 74 spacious luxury bedrooms set around a serene courtyard at the heart of the hotel, all the rooms contain custom-made furniture to enhance the experience. And for food, their in-house restaurant offers some of the best local cuisine in Kathmandu.

Dwarikas Hotel, Kathmandu

Radisson Hotel, Kathmandu

Located in the very heart of the Nepalese capital, the Radisson Hotel is perfectly situated for local sightseeing in the city and the surrounding valley. Just a short walk from the palace square, the city center, and the popular shopping center of Thamel, King’s Way, the Radisson offers some of Kathmandu’s luxury delights. The hotel boasts 163 modern and well appointed rooms, including superior rooms, club suites, and deluxe accommodations as well as their signature Splash Bar and Grill for the best in local and foreign cuisine. The hotel is topped off with their rooftop swimming pool, which offers spectacular views over Swayambhunath Stupa and on clear days gives great views of the mountains surrounding the Kathmandu Valley.

Radisson Hotel, Kathmandu

Hotel Yak & Yeti, Kathmandu

Despite it’s strange name, the Yak & Yeti is a five star luxury hotel set in the Heritage Palace in the center of Kathmandu. Reminiscent of an ancient royal palace, the hotel is surrounded by carefully landscaped gardens dotted with stunning fountains. It also contains an outdoor pool, two full-sized tennis courts, and its own casino. The rooms are all of the luxury type and decorated with beautiful furnishings fit for a king. All come with air-conditioning, cable TV, and their own mini-bars, and en suite bathrooms that include a bathtub. Fully equipped with a business center for those international conferences, you can also take in their five star beauty salon or get your exercise in their fitness center with professional fitness trainers. The hotel also has its own café, the Sunrise Café, which overlooks the beautifully sculpted gardens, and their own British-styled The Chimney Pub, which serves local and international drinks and includes Halal meat in their menu.

Hotel Yak & Yeti, Kathmandu

Gokarna Forest Resort, Kathmandu

If you are looking for a top of the line rural retreat, then the Gokarna Forest Resort is the place to stay. Surrounded by monkey and deer filled forests the hotel sports wicker furniture on its garden terraces giving it that British colonial feeling that makes you want to sit and drink tea with scones. If you do not fancy a round of golf on the resort’s private 18-hole course, you can also choose from pampering in their on-site resort spa, take in the local forest on guided walks, hire mountain bikes for a run around the area or go horse riding across the stunning Kathmandu Valley. And if all that is not enough, you can always head across to the far corner of the resort’s gardens, where a 200-year-old Pipal tree was the site where scenes from Bertolucci’s film, Little Buddha, were shot, including the famous scene where Keanu Reeves (who played Buddha) was tempted by the demon Mara.

Gokarna Forest Resort, Kathmandu

The Fulbari Resort & Spa, Pokhara

Set in luxurious grounds that offer the mighty Himalayas as a backdrop, the Fulbari offers deluxe rooms with scenic landscape views from their private balconies and a nine-hole golf course that overlooks the Seti River gorge. The rooms are decorated with classic wood furnishings and full length patio windows for better light, as well as offering cable TV, inbuilt safe, and a luxurious regal bathtub. Included within the resort is the resort-owned Ananda Health Farm, with steam rooms, fully equipped gym, and an aerobics studio with instructors, as well as a heated outdoor pool for those relaxing evening swims. The 24-hour Café Fulbari offers a delightful menu including western and Indian cuisine and the Hanging Garden restaurant is one of Nepal’s most spectacular dining experiences, with views over the Seti River gorge.

The Fulbari Resort & Spa, Pokhara

Shangri-La Village Resort, Pokhara

Set amidst the magnificence of the Annapurna Mountain Range, the Shangri-La is inspired by traditional Nepalese village architecture with a luxurious twist. All 65 luxury rooms offer spectacular mountain views, with en suite bathrooms and balconies or terraces. The continental restaurant offers a wide range of international cuisine, as w ell as some of the best Nepalese cuisine in the country. The in-house fitness center has a fully equipped and staffed gym with yoga instructors and an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Shangri-La Village Resort, Pokhara

Temple Tree Resort & Spa, Pokhara

Set in Lakeside in Pokhara, the Temple Tree Resort & Spa has raised the bar for accommodation in the area, with traditional Himalayan architecture and stunning views of the Annapurna Mountain Range. Rooms come in standard, deluxe, and super-deluxe, and even the standard rooms have their own balconies and luxurious bathrooms. Just 150 meters from Fewa Lake, the resort also has two-storey cottages that are decorated with hand-cut stone wall and wooden pillars, and which feature flat screen TVs, private bathrooms with hot showers, and a private balcony with spectacular garden views. The resort’s spa has relaxing body massages, flower baths, an infinity pool, and overlooks the landscaped gardens surrounding the entire resort. For dining, the Bay Leaf restaurant offers a wide range of international cuisines, and light meals and drinks can be found in the Tree House Café and the Island Bar.

Temple Tree Resort & Spa, Pokhara

Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge, Pokhara

Sitting on a hilltop 300 meters above the spectacular Pokhara Valley, the Tiger Mountain Lodge has a panoramic view of Machapuchare as well as three of the Himalaya’s 8,000 meter plus mountains, Annapurna, Manaslu, and Dhaulagiri. The rooms are bungalows made from hand-cut stone that surround the hilltop, each of which has a private bathroom and spacious veranda and is furnished with queen and king sized beds. The lodge has its own organic herb gardens that spice up the food in the in-house restaurant, which offers a wide selection of local and international cuisine. Breakfast is the traditional English breakfast and lunch has a distinctly Nepalese flavor, while dinner has a stunning table d’hôte menu that includes British and European cuisines. Decorated with traditional Nepalese designs, the rooms feature stone-flagged floors and custom-made wooden beds, and the swimming pool is set in the spectacular gardens, surrounded by grass and trees and overlooking the nearby mountains. For those communal evenings, the lodge’s main bar and lounge area has a traditional Nepalese central fire with comfortable sofas and chairs set around it for a relaxing evening drink.

Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge, Pokhara

The Fort Resort, Nagarkot

Designed in Newari brick, the hotel is a delight of grand entrances, winding corridors, and perfectly landscaped gardens that look out on the distant mountain peaks. The main resort hotel has luxurious and dignified rooms that are reminiscent of colonial times, as well as several small luxury cottages nestled in the wooded hillside below the main resort. The cottages are inlaid with wooden beams and decorated with reliefs and sculptures, and all include rustic, wood-burning furnaces for that romantic setting. All rooms in the main hotel have private balconies and bathrooms with royal bathtubs, and come with free toiletries and slippers for your comfort and convenience. For dining, the multi-cuisine restaurant offers a wide range of international cuisines and a barbecue area for diners, as well as a stunning view of the surrounding mountains.

The Fort Resort, Nagarkot

Buddha Maya Garden Hotel, Lumbini

Set in its own 1.6 hectares of grounds that include the indigenous woodlands of Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, the Buddha Maya Hotel was inspired by the stunning local architecture. Located a short walk from the main monasteries of the Lumbini World Heritage garden and with easy access to the nearby Mayadevi Mandir Temple, the hotel has 64 luxury rooms on three floors with balconies or verandas in all. The exquisitely decorated restaurant includes the best Nepalese cuisine in the region, and also offers a range of international dishes.

Buddha Maya Garden Hotel, Lumbini

Taj Meghauli Serai, Chitwan

Lying on the banks of the Rapti River, on the edge of the Chitwan National Park, the Taj Meghauli is a luxury resort hotel that features a swimming pool, fitness center, games rooms, a library, and luxury bar and restaurant that overlooks the river. With a backdrop of spectacular jungle and Terai landscapes, the Taj Meghauli offers some of the most amazing adventures in Nepal, from wildlife safaris to see the Bengal tigers and indigenous rhinos to elephant safaris and river canoeing. A great place to set as a base for exploring the Chitwan National Park, the Taj Meghauli is the height of luxury in the jungle wilderness of the Terai region.

Taj Meghauli Serai, Chitwan