The Hilton Kathmandu, a five-star hotel in the city’s Naxal district, was set ablaze by protesters during Nepal’s ongoing unrest, leaving the 16-story building charred and gutted. Having opened in July 2024 after years of delays from the COVID pandemic, and Rs $8 billion in investment, it was one of the tallest buildings in the country and featured 172 luxury rooms, restaurants, and event space, once seen as a symbol of Nepal’s hospitality ambitions and growth in tourism. Most of the infrastructure and property of the hotel have been destroyed, an official from the Kathmandu fire brigade told The Kathmandu Post.
The fire was part of wider “Gen Z-led” protests, which have also targeted Parliament, the Supreme Court, and homes of political leaders. Another architectural landmark, the Louis Kahn–designed Ministry of Health and Population building has also been damaged. The protests began on 8 September 2025 in Kathmandu and other major cities, including Pokhara, Butwal, and Birgunj that was sparked by a ban on social media platforms. Demonstrations have escalated into demands to end corruption and government favouritism, and have caused major diruptions to the country’s stability. Several people have been killed and over 1,000 injured, with curfews now imposed in Kathmandu and other cities as violence spreads.
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