By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Mar. 18 : The Royal Empire Boutique Hotel, which has been operating in the capital's Gaihardhara for the past four years, has come up with various new and innovative packages to attract domestic tourists.
The hotel has been re-opened with various new schemes since last December after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 'Dhruva Darwar' built by Rana Prime Minister Juddha Shumser Jung Bahadur Rana in Gahridhara, Baluwatar about a hundred years ago was converted into a 'Royal Empire Boutique Hotel' four years ago and has come into operation with royal pomp.

Built by a small group of young tourism entrepreneurs including Kshitij Munakarmi at an investment of around Rs. 150 million, the hotel operates in a different style from other hotels across the country.

Domestically renovated in the style of the traditional Rana-era palace and revived to look like a new palace, the palace (hotel) has already been visited by local and foreign tourists.

“The hotel, which reopened after the COVID-19 pandemic, has now come up with various new packages with special discounts to attract domestic tourists in a short span of two months,” said Kshitij Munakarmi, chief executive officer of the hotel.

The hotel, which has been winning the hearts of its customers with 13 out of 15 royal-style rooms for accommodation and two rooms with attractive halls, has recently made arrangements to give those 13 rooms to women at a 50 per cent discount every Wednesday.

On the occasion of International Women's Day on March 8, the hotel started providing rooms to women every Wednesday at 50 per cent discount, said hotel operator and chief executive officer Munakarmi.
The price of a well-equipped room at the hotel is Rs. 10,000 a day, while women pay only Rs. 5,000 for a room on Wednesday, Munakarmi added.

In addition, the hotel has put forward a birthday package of Rs. 10,000 and has also arranged a cheap breakfast for buffet food.

By opening modern and well-equipped star hotels in the country and attracting foreign tourists, a small group of young businessmen including Munakarmi have developed the old Rana palace as a hotel in a new and attractive style by renovating it.

The hotel is an attempt to keep alive the history of Nepal from the Rana period to the royal period through photographs.

In the current situation where historical heritage, pavilions and palaces are gradually being destroyed, the young group has taken positive steps to preserve and promote the original culture and historical palaces and develop its appearance as a non-stop hotel, Munakarmi said. The palace is known as Dhruva Darwar as Juddha Shumsher gave it as a gift to his son Dhruva Shumsher.

The inner rooms of the palace have been completely modernised in the style of the palace and the exterior has been painted as it is.

According to Munakarmi, the sky and ground have changed after the dilapidated Dhruva Darwar was repaired and renovated.

There are 15 well-equipped guest rooms on the ground floor, first and second floors as well as a meeting hall, restaurant, bar, sauna, jacuzzi, steam, horse riding, etc.