WHEN ART MEETS LUXURY

Hotels are actively bridging the gap between art and hospitality by exhibiting museum quality artworks. The result is a more profound and engaging hotel stay with the opportunity to truly connect with art.

- Nivedita Jayaram Pawar

At the Dwarika’s hotel in Kathmandu hand hand-carved windows stare down from the building façade, sculptures stand like sentries in the ever-buzzing lobby, and paubha paintings grace the bedroom walls. The cherry on the cake is a 13th-century door salvaged and restored from a monastery. With more than 3,000 works in its collection, art infuses every inch of this property. Spending a night here is akin to staying in a museum! “All the woodwork here was collected by my grandfather between 1950-1970. The idea is to keep the art and craftsmanship alive as well as create an atmosphere and a sense of place. We want people to experience the culture and stories that exist in the Kathmandu Valley,” explains CEO, Rene Vijay Shrestha. Interestingly, a key element of a stay at Dwarika’s is a tour of the wood workshop to watch artisans chip away at the wood. Art is clearly a part of the DNA at Dwarika’s.

Hotels or galleries?

While art has long been a feature of hotels, today’s leading hospitality concepts are upping their art game beyond serigraphs and paintings to rare and valuable artworks. They realise the value of art in creating a memorable guest experience just as much as room service and a great breakfast.