How Luxury Hotels Like Hilton Kathmandu And Hyatt Regency Fell To Nepal Protests

Protesters in Nepal set fire to the parliament this week, forced the prime minister to resign and flee the country, and luxury hotels were reduced to ashes in a matter of minutes. The protests, popularly referred to as 'Gen Z protests', targeted the lavish lifestyle of Nepal's elites. Tourism is the lifeblood of Nepal, one of the world's poorest countries.

This week, Kathmandu's skyline was choked with smoke as the city's tallest hotel, Hilton Kathmandu, was set ablaze during the fierce anti-government protests. The dramatic fire, captured in viral images and video, turned Nepal's iconic glass tower into a blackened shell, just over a year after it opened.

Led largely by Gen Z demonstrators, the unrest saw burning of government sites and even politicians' homes. Amid citywide curfew, mounting clashes, and a death toll nearing 51, the gutted Hilton now stands as a stark symbol of the turmoil shaking Nepal's capital and beyond. 

Hyatt Regency Kathmandu Attacked

Ten minutes away, Hyatt Regency Kathmandu also faced the anger of protesters, who attacked the hotel. The five-star hotel is set on 37 acres of landscaped grounds, designed in traditional Newari-style architecture, and was a symbol of luxury meeting tradition in downtown Kathmandu.

Hyatt Regency Kathmandu was inaugurated by King Birendra in 2000. Photo: Hyatt Regency Kathmandu

Hyatt Regency Kathmandu, built at a cost of Rs 3.4 billion, was inaugurated by King Birendra of Nepal in September 2000.

The hotel website now says that it is temporarily closed.

"In light of the current situation in Nepal, Hyatt Regency Kathmandu is temporarily closed, and we are deferring new bookings and cancelling future bookings as a precautionary measure till the situation returns to normal," read the note on the website of Hyatt Regency Kathmandu.

"At Hyatt, the safety and well-being of our guests and colleagues are our topmost priority, We anticipate resuming normal operations as soon as conditions allow. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming you to our hotel in Kathmandu when operations resume," the note read.

Screenshot: Hyatt Regency Kathmandu

The Hyatt Regency is a sprawling property near Boudhanath Stupa, among the most important Buddhist sites in Nepal and a draw for tourists. It was damaged by protesters, Bhushan Rane, the hotel's front office manager, told Reuters.

Rane also told Reuters that no guests or staff were hurt.

However, a 55-year-old woman from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, who was in the hotel with her husband, died as she tried to escape from her room at the Hyatt Regency. Her husband was injured. The couple tried to climb down a makeshift rope of sheets and curtains from the fourth floor of the hotel, which was set on fire by a mob.

Hilton Kathmandu Set On Fire

Hilton Kathmandu, meanwhile, turned into a tower engulfed by flames and smoke, as arsonists set fire to Nepal's tallest hotel and a striking part of the capital's skyline.

The Hilton Hotel in Nepal was burnt down! pic.twitter.com/HO9CGrMYGW

— The Kenyan Vigilante (@KenyanSays) September 10, 2025

The hotel was opened to the public in July 2024 by Shahil Agrawal, the scion of a Nepalese steelmaking business-turned-conglomerate, the Shanker Group. Built at a cost of Rs 8 billion, the hotel's glass facade and prayer-flag architecture were much discussed in travel and luxury circles.

Just over a year later, the hotel lies in ashes.

The website of the Hilton Kathmandu also notifies guests of a temporary closure.

Screenshot: Hilton Kathmandu

"The hotel is temporarily closed. All guests with upcoming reservations are advised to contact us directly...," read the note on Hilton Kathmandu's website.

Varnabas Museum Hotel Damaged

A kilomtere from Hilton Kathmandu, another five-star hotel fell to the protests. Varnabas Museum Hotel, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, was set on fire by arsonists this week.

Varnabas Museum Hotel is member of Small Luxury Hotels of the world. Photo: Varnabas Museum Hotel

The hotel features a modern building reflecting Kathmandu's surrounding peaks. Built at a cost of Rs 1.48 billion, Varnabas Museum Hotel was inaugurated on February 1, 2024, by climber Mingma David Sherpa by hoisting a flag on the hotel's roof. The dining hall of Varnabas Museum Hotel was built to resemble the Everest Base Camp. 

A Protest Against The Elite

Nepal's massive protests were triggered by the government's abrupt ban on 26 social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram. The move was seen by many, especially Gen Z, as a crackdown on free speech and a way to silence criticism over corruption, nepotism, and the elite's lavish lifestyles.

The unrest quickly swelled into a nationwide anti-government movement demanding not just the lifting of the digital ban, which was soon reversed, but also an end to corruption. Nepal's stark social inequality was among the reasons behind the protests. In addition, there's high youth unemployment and lack of accountability among politicians.

Nepal's elites and their lavish lifestyles, juxtaposed with unemployment and poverty in one of the world's poorest nations, pushed the youth out of their homes to the streets this week attacking the parliament, and luxury hotels, the country's starkest reminders of inequality.

Also Read: How Hilton Kathmandu, The Tallest Hotel In Nepal, Was Built And Burnt To Ashes