House #30, Maru Pyaphal · Kathmandu Durbar Square
Dwarika's Chhen World Heritage Hotel · Kathmandu

Kathmandu Durbar Square · UNESCO World Heritage Site

A 300-year-old Newari home, opened to you.

Sleep behind carved windows older than most nations, wake to temple bells, and step straight out onto the royal square.

Book direct · best rate, no booking feesChhen Circle members earn a stamp every nightReplies on WhatsApp, usually within the hour

Welcome home

Not a hotel that looks old. A home that is.

For more than three centuries this house has belonged to the Manandhar family. Today its rooms are open to travellers who want to feel Kathmandu, not just see it: hand-carved timber, warm brick, hot water drawn from a traditional well, and a family who will greet you by name.

Some of our windows and doors are over 800 years old. Much of the furniture is made from reclaimed wood. Nothing here was built to look heritage. It simply is.

Chhen(छेँ) — Newari for “home”
Heritage Deluxe room with brick walls, carved wood and a thangka
Pagoda temple roof on Durbar Square
300+years
one family
300+years as the Manandhar family home
800year-old carved windows & doors
0 minto Kathmandu Durbar Square
15 minwalk to Thamel

Rooms & apartments

Stay a night, or a season.

Most loved Heritage Deluxe room with wooden floor Heritage Deluxe room seating area Heritage Deluxe room with Newari rug Heritage Deluxe room bed

Heritage Deluxe Room

Our largest rooms. Exposed beams, polished timber floors, thangka paintings and a sitting corner by the carved window.

  • Single or double
  • Private bathroom
  • Sitting area
  • Free Wi-Fi
From$55/ night
Reserve
Standard room with red carpet and thangka Standard room bed Standard room with brick walls Standard room with bathroom

Standard Room

Warm brick, glowing niches and traditional Newari furniture. A calm, well-priced base for exploring the old city.

  • Single or double
  • Private bathroom
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Room service
From$35/ night
Reserve
Long stays Apartment living room with wooden ceiling Apartment dining space and kitchen Apartment bedroom with window seat

Ethnic Studio Apartment

Built in the traditional style, with its own dining space and a compact kitchen. Made for slow travel, writers and long visits.

  • Dining space
  • Micro kitchen
  • Daily, monthly or yearly
From$65/ night
Reserve
Boutique studio under the eaves Boutique studio bedroom Boutique studio living area

Boutique Studio Apartment

A self-contained studio under the old roof beams, with everything you need to live like a local for weeks at a time.

  • Refrigerator
  • TV
  • Gas stove
  • Washing unit
From$85/ night
Reserve

Swipe for more rooms

Rates in US dollars, subject to 10% service charge and 13% VAT. Prices can change by season — we always confirm before you pay.

Nine-storey Basantapur tower in Durbar Square

Our story

Named for a doctor who served his city.

This was the home of the late Dr. Dwarika Prasad Manandhar, a physician who gave his life to the health of his community. When the family restored the house, they did it the old way: Newari brickwork, hand-carved windows and doors, and building materials around 500 years old.

Not built as a hotel, but opened as a home — so travellers can live Newari traditions, not just watch them.

The house carries his name, and the family still welcomes every guest — from the first cup of tea to a farewell many guests say they never forget.

800

years — the oldest carved windows and doors, saved and restored by hand.

300+

years the Manandhar family has lived in this house on the square.

1,600

years of Newar culture in the valley, alive in our festivals, food and craft.

Carved Newari windows and the Dwarika's Chhen sign on the facadeOur facade · Maru Pyaphal

Dine & do

Taste it. Join in.

Simple, honest Newari hospitality. Ask at reception and we’ll arrange it.

A Newari set: beaten rice, egg, spiced potatoes, beans and pickles

Mornings

Newari set breakfast

A traditional spread of beaten rice, spiced potatoes, egg and pickles, served by the window with the pagodas outside. Booking.com guests rate our breakfast exceptional.

Dal bhat with lentils, rice, greens and curry on a brass plate

Evenings

Home-cooked Nepali dinner

Dal bhat, seasonal curries and family recipes from our in-house kitchen, served in the old dining room.

Temple roofs on Durbar Square

Anytime

Garden & heritage views

Sit among the flowerpots, watch the light change across the temple roofs, and let the square come to you.

Indra JatraKumari JatraDashainTiharGai JatraMha Puja · Newari New YearHoliBisket Jatra Indra JatraKumari JatraDashainTiharGai JatraMha Puja · Newari New YearHoliBisket Jatra
Basantapur, Kathmandu Durbar Square
Photo: Jayen Shrestha, CC BY-SA 4.0

Your neighbourhood

The royal square is your front yard.

Kathmandu Durbar Square has been the heart of the city for centuries. During the jatras the music, dancing and chariots pass right by our door — and our guests are welcome to join in.

01

Basantapur Square

The nine-storey tower, palace courtyards and the city’s best people-watching.

Steps away
02

Kumari Ghar

Home of the Living Goddess, with its famous carved courtyard.

Short walk
03

Hanuman Dhoka Palace

The old royal palace and museum, guarded by the red-robed monkey god.

Short walk
04

Freak Street & Indra Chowk

Old-city markets, spice stalls and the 1970s hippie trail.

Short walk
05

Thamel

Cafés, gear shops and nightlife, through the old bazaar lanes.

15 min walk

Chhen Circle · Guest rewards

Come back home. We’ll remember.

Our free rewards card lives on your phone. Every night you stay — or every dinner at the house — earns a stamp. No app, no points maths.

3Newari breakfast for twoafter three stamps
6Late checkout + airport pickupafter six stamps
10A free night in a Heritage Deluxe Roomwhen your card is full
Open my card

In the house

Small comforts, done well.

Fast free Wi-FiEverywhere in the house
24-hour receptionSomeone is always home
Room serviceTea, meals and more
Traditional wellHot & cold water
Garden terraceWith heritage views
Free parkingOn site
Flat-screen TVOn request
Eco-friendlyReclaimed wood throughout
Apartment dining room

Monthly & yearly stays

Live in the old city for a while.

Our apartments are let by the night, the month or the year — ideal for researchers, volunteers, writers and anyone who wants Kathmandu to become home.

Single / month$1,000
Double / month$1,500
Ask about long stays

Guest reviews

What our guests say about us.

Real reviews from guests on Booking.com and Tripadvisor, in brief. Tap a score to read them all.

Booking.com 8.9/10 Excellent · 92 reviews Location 10Staff 9.7Value 9.0 Tripadvisor 4.7/5 31 reviews
Most mentioned
  • The location on Durbar Square
  • Warm, helpful owners & staff
  • Big, quiet rooms
  • Home-cooked food

Great staff and an authentic, beautiful house, with a gate from the garden straight onto Durbar Square.

SerainaSwitzerland · Booking.com

Six nights here as a family: clean, quiet rooms in the heart of the square, and the momos were a highlight.

Maureen F.Australia · Tripadvisor ★★★★★

A very big room facing the inner courtyard, and a rare silent night in a city that never sleeps.

LauraUnited Kingdom · Booking.com

The best location, and the owners went out of their way to help when he fell ill during the stay.

Guillaume G.Tripadvisor ★★★★★

A fantastic spot beside Durbar Square, incredibly helpful staff, good breakfasts and a large, comfortable room.

LeeUnited Arab Emirates · Booking.com

Warm hosts in an authentic Newari house: part homestay, part boutique hotel.

Ragini P.India · Tripadvisor ★★★★

Reviews are shortened and paraphrased from public guest reviews; scores as shown on each site in October 2026.