From Hilton to Hyatt: Luxury buildings that fell to Nepal's Gen Z protest
Posted on: Sep 12, 2025 16:06 IST | Posted by: Hindustantimes
In a hebdomad of flaming political upthrow, Nepal's Gen Z protesters clambered up the parliament edifice and forced undercoat Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign; their fury also turned toward symbols of wealth and privilege: five-star hotels, glass towers, and luxury residences.
Among the most high-profile targets were the Hilton Kathmandu and the Hyatt Regency, both torched by arsonists amid nationwide unrest that has left at least 34 people dead and over 1,300 injured.
While the parliament, the prime minister's office and the Supreme Court were still burning, arsonists also attacked five-star hotels, including the Hilton, the Hyatt Regency and the Varnabas Museum Hotel.
The Hyatt Regency, a sprawling property near Boudhanath Stupa, among Nepal's most important Buddhist sites and a draw for tourists, was damaged by protesters, Bhushan Rane, the hotel's front office manager, told Reuters.
No guests or staff were injured, Rane added. Due to the political unrest, the hotel will remain closed until further notice.
The Hilton Hotel, a five-star glass tower, was also torched, sending black plumes of smoke into the sky. The Kathmandu Hilton was opened last year by Shahil Agrawal, the scion of a Nepalese steelmaking business-turned-conglomerate, the Shanker Group.
A Hilton spokesperson said the property had been closed following damage sustained during the protests and guests and staff were safely evacuated. A full assessment of the building would be undertaken, the statement said.
The Varnabas Museum Hotel, owned by Nepali Congress lawmaker Rajendra Bajgain, was also set ablaze. Bajgain, who said all guests were safely evacuated, later announced his intention to resign from parliament and expressed sympathy for the protesters' cause.
Meanwhile, Gen Z leaders have distanced themselves from the arson, blaming provocateurs and infiltrators.
Luxury hotels, political residences, and elite clubs have come to represent the glaring wealth gap in one of the world's poorest countries, where over 1,500 young people leave daily in search of jobs abroad, they said.
Nepal was plunged into chaos after police fired on young anti-corruption protesters, triggering nationwide unrest on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, under intense pressure, Prime Minister Oli stepped down. But the resignation did little to quell public anger.
At least 51 people were killed across the country of 30 million, the worst violence since the end of a civil war and the abolition of the monarchy in 2008.
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