A Thamel within Thamel

There is nothing like it yet in north Kathmandu, or the whole Kathmandu Valley for that matter — the Chhaya Centre is a mega-complex housing a multiplex theatre with three halls, banquet centre, art gallery, food court (above) and high-end designer stores. And to top it all, the top 10 floors are home to Aloft, Thamel’s first five-star hotel, and one geared primarily for a younger clientele, with its breezy design and ‘the fastest wifi in town’.

“The main thing for us is location, location, location — this is a Thamel within Thamel,” says owner Prithvi Pande. “We are different by design and literally a notch above the rest.”

Aloft is a worldwide boutique hotel chain of the Marriott group and tries to focus mainly on style and comfort. The rooms are neat and offer great views across the Valley, the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu’s tourist hub right below, Nagarjun forest and the mountains beyond.

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Aloft Kathmandu, Nepali Times

Aloft has 168 rooms, with a top-floor swimming pool and lounge restaurant (right), a conference centre that can house 800 and room rates that are competitive with other luxury hotels in town. Being an art connoisseur himself, Pande has used the public spaces in the hotel to hang some of his eclectic collection.

The Chhaya Centre is named after Pande’s mother, and located next to Bhagwan Bahal, one of the oldest in Kathmandu Valley. The shopping centre is the largest in Nepal, with four floors of basement parking for 400 vehicles and three QFX cinemas that boast some of the best sound systems in Kathmandu.

“We have a series of exciting events next week for New Year’s eve, including live music till midnight by Phosphene at The Nook and New Year’s Day brunch,” says Aloft General Manager Vikram Singh.

The Centre is indeed a one-stop locale, with everything from a casino to the soon-to-be-opened VFS visa application centre. Visitors will have plenty to do while waiting for their visas to be processed.