heritage hotel · Kathmandu
Hotel Shanker
A Rana-era palace in Lazimpat converted into a hotel, with a white neoclassical facade, high-ceilinged halls and a large garden with a pool. Old-world and calm, 15 minutes' walk from Thamel and close to embassies and cafes.
Hotel Shanker occupies a palace built in the Rana period, when Nepal's ruling prime ministers and their families raised European-style mansions across Kathmandu. Its white facade, columns and stucco ornament face a sweeping lawn, and inside, the halls and staircases keep their high ceilings, chandeliers and period detail. Rooms are in the palace building and in wings around the garden.
The setting is the attraction: a large garden with a swimming pool, mature trees and seating, rare in a crowded city. Lazimpat is a quieter neighbourhood of embassies, offices and cafes, about 15 minutes' walk from Thamel and 25 minutes by car from the airport. It suits travellers who want a sense of old Kathmandu and calm evenings in the garden.
Why we use it
- A real Rana-era palace with period halls and facade
- Large garden and pool in a quiet part of the city
- Walkable to Thamel, close to Lazimpat cafes
Questions
Is Hotel Shanker a real palace?
Yes. Hotel Shanker occupies a palace built during the Rana period, when Nepal's hereditary prime ministers built European-style mansions in Kathmandu. The building keeps its neoclassical facade, high-ceilinged halls and period details, with guest rooms in the main building and garden wings.
How far is Hotel Shanker from Thamel?
About 15 minutes' walk or 5 minutes by taxi. Lazimpat is quieter than Thamel, with embassies, offices and cafes. The airport is about 25 to 30 minutes away by car, and Kathmandu Durbar Square about 15 to 20 minutes by taxi.
Does Hotel Shanker have a garden and pool?
Yes. The palace faces a large garden with an outdoor swimming pool, lawns and trees, one of the larger hotel gardens in central Kathmandu. Pool hours may be limited in winter, so check current status before you travel.
Trips
Trips that use Hotel Shanker
Kathmandu Valleymax 2,175 mDashain festival days in the Kathmandu Valley
Six nights timed to the last and biggest days of Dashain, Nepal's fifteen-day autumn festival. See the Fulpati procession reach Hanuman Dhoka, …
Kathmandu Valleymax 1,600 mNepal first-timer: Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan
The classic first trip to Nepal in nine nights: three in Kathmandu for the Durbar squares, stupas and Pashupatinath, three in Pokhara …
Everest & Solukhumbumax 5,545 mEverest Base Camp Trek
The classic walk from Lukla to the foot of the Khumbu Icefall and up Kala Patthar for sunrise on Everest. Fourteen nights …
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