Kumari Boutique Hotel

Where you stay often ends up defining how you remember a holiday unforgettable, passable or total disaster. The Kumari Boutique hotel played a significant role in ensuring that my recent trip to Kathmandu turned out to be of the memorable kind. Heres how I would sum up my overall experience with the Kumari Boutique hotel: Location: As the name suggests, this is a small, boutique hotel located in a quiet, safe neighbourhood of Thamel, the heart of Kathmandu city. It benefits from being tucked away in a cul-de-sac at the end of a narrow bylane which insulates against the noise and bustle of Thamel market. However, the property has easy access to a number of important landmarks in the Nepali capital. Room & facilities: I found the Deluxe Double Room I had booked slightly smaller than expected, though cozy enough. I had requested a room at the back of the property, which I believe are best if you are looking for some peace and quiet. The bed and pillows were comfortable and I slept well each night I was there. The room came equipped with facilities at par with most four/five star properties, including heating, tea/Coffee maker, free drinking water, an amenities kit, hairdryer, slippers, television with a huge selection of satellite channels and intelligently placed charging points. Food: While I did not have the opportunity to dine at the hotel, the buffet breakfast included in the room tariff was quite adequate. The menu changed daily and there was a selection of cold and hot items. The staff: I saved the best for the last. While theres a lot going for the Kumari Boutique hotel, I believe the staff is the propertys greatest asset. I would like to especially commend the owner Pramod Paudel who leads by example. While fake, plastic smiles are fairly common in the travel industry, genuine warmth and hospitality are rare. Everyone at the hotel is willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to make sure guests are well looked after.

I certainly dont want to imply that Kumari Boutique hotel is perfect and there is no scope for improvement. I am sure the property will strive to better itself over time. Some areas that could use immediate attention are: 1. Amenities: For instance, would have preferred liquid soaps to bars and a tissue box in the room. The tv size could do with an upgrade. There was no directory in the room and calling up the reception was thus a hit and miss affair. 2. Food: The quality of the breakfast buffet was inconsistent. While cooked items like paranthas and the grilled fish tasted fine, I did not find the muffin and the cheese particularly great. The variety of fruits were pretty limited too. Since pancakes were a daily staple, they could have been accompanied by a wider choice of toppings like whipped cream, fresh berries, Bananas and Chocolate Chips, Nutella and so on. 3. Services: The hotel could consider providing additional services like money exchange and transport in-house