Traditional Homes Swotha

It took over a year to fully restore an old Newari town-house into what is now Traditional Homes Swotha. Their aim was to preserve the fantastic old traditional Nepalese architecture, yet installed simple, yet modern and comfortable rooms. It is just 50 metres or so from Patan Durbar Square so is easy to access on foot. The overriding theme of Traditional Homes is its simplicity, it even claims it is a B&B, yet we rather feel it is somewhat under-selling itself. Downstairs you find the chic Cafe Swotha serving continental and Nepalese dishes and a range of drinks in the evening which is popular with expats who obviously know where to head. The rooms and tasteful, blending exposed rough-hewn wooden pillars beams against clean neutral colours and en suite bathrooms. We suggest opting for the Attic Room which has a wonderful terrace overlooking the Patan skyline.

Don’t expect too many amenities in the rooms such as TVs and minibars, they only really offer tea making facilities but its far better to walk downstairs to Cafe Swotha for a steaming cup of Nepali chia. There are six entry-level Traditional Rooms, offering about 20sqm of space, although they do vary somewhat. Don’t expect air-conditioning or heaters, so might be a little uncomfortable if travelling from April to September, and little chilly in December and January. Up from that, you can opt for a two-bedroom family suite. At the top of the hotel you find the Attic Room, almost double the size of the Traditional Rooms and comes with its own terrace. The salmon-pink brickwork blends beautifully with the neutral white linen and exposed wooden beams. Do note that the rooms to the upstairs rooms involve a rather steep staircase.

Again, Traditional Homes is not a place to stay if you like a spa or a swimming pool. They only really feature the Cafe Swotha which serves both international and Nepalese cuisine. Breakfast is great, serving up home made bread with local jams, made to order eggs and steaming cups of Nepali chia.