For my second visit I came to finalise the products with both the suppliers and the hotel. So I was back to crazy Kathmandu with my dear friend Jo (my self-proclaimed international PA), to navigate city streets. I also met with a Nepali spa company in to discuss treatment plans using Pavilion Signature products.
On this trip I also came across paper soap… I was so excited when I first saw these, guest soap has always bothered me from a sustainable point of view, one or two washes with the bar of guest soap and it is thrown away – what a waste.
This paper soap uses sustainable Nepali Lokta paper impregnated with off cuts of retail soaps – available in the Pavilions boutique shop. These small pieces of paper can be used to lather and clean your hands – and all that is left is a tiny ball of biodegradable paper that can be disposed of and will biodegrade easily. These are also ideal to use when trekking to save water, room in your pack and lessen the environmental impact.
I showed this paper soap to the Pavilion’s new General Manager, Rajiv Shrestha, who agreed it would be a fabulous addition to guest room range.
Then Jo and I flew on to the beautiful Pokhara and back to the Pavilions Himalaya Resort.
Insuba and I made up a new batch of guest products onsite ready for their first guests – the hotel was due to open June.
I have also sourced natural and organic shampoo and conditioner which have been imported from the UK from a fabulous local supplier HERB UK (Lymington) using wonderful natural and organic ingredients and no nasties of course.
We finished this wonderful trip with a two day trek into the mountain with my Nepali ‘nephew’ Ashok and his father, my old friend Parshu. It was so inspiring to be up in the mountain air and to see some of the trees and plants used in signature products.
MOUNTAIN RHODODENDRON & JUNIPER
Three weeks later devastating earthquake hit Nepal. Thankfully all of my friends and colleagues were ok and the resort wasn’t damaged but construction stopped as the all the workers, hotel management and Douglas’s charity down tools and their day jobs to help with the relief effort.
At this end, feeling helpless but desperately concerned for the people of Nepal, we raised funds for the charity and encouraged friends, family and customers to donate money to Douglas’s charity, http://right4children.org/ and sister charity, the UK based, http://www.freedommatters.org.uk/
We have been overwhelmed and delighted by everyone’s concern, generosity and donations…. and they are still coming… Jo’s kids’ school – Walhampton recently raised and amazing £1200, which will go towards rebuilding schools and home in the mountain villages around Pokhara.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRWgOEXC5hc
PAVILIONS HIMALAYA OFFICIAL OPENING NOVEMBER 2016
I am pleased to say that Pavilions Himalaya officially opened in November 2015 and has had rave reviews! I has been a very rewarding project to be involved in and I wish them every success.
The Nepal economy relies heavily on tourism – Please spread the word – ‘Nepal is open for business,’ this unique country is well worth a visit!
I hope in the future that we will be able to source everything in Nepal for all of their product ranges – and that I will go back again, have a treatment in the spa and stay in one of their stunning villas, sip a cocktail and look out once again at the stunning views, watch this space…..
https://www.facebook.com/thepavilionshimalayas/videos/1126540124046189/?fref=nf
From Insuba and Douglas Maclagan – Owners of Pavilions Himalaya
“The Pavilions Himalayas is a unique resort nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, just outside Pokhara, the gateway to the Annapurna and Manasalu mountain ranges. The natural beauty and its elements, the calm and peace of the area is something rarely found on earth. For us at the Pavilions, it is a must for our guests to experience this in all we do and come to a state of full refreshment and relaxation. To achieve this, we asked Debbie at New Forest Aromatics to create something special to achieve this and to invigorate the senses and well-being of our guests at The Pavilions.
Debbie made two trips out to Nepal to work with us and to teach us how to select & use local herbs, flowers and plants to create local smells and fragrances for our products. It was an amazing experience to have rhododendron in our essential oils and shower gels for example. A unique smell but all from our neighbourhood and surrounding areas. The hand and body lotions are also produced on site, and our guests love them. Another unique product is the special natural paper soap only produced for our resort in Nepal. One drop of water on the tiny paper soap and it makes a wonderful lather to clean your hands with a beautiful fragrance and softness to your hands.
Working with Debbie was not only fun, but New Forest Aromatics (NFA) really have left something very special behind for us and our guests. The comments of the effort we have put into the detail of our in-room amenities has been superb, and which is another factor that pushes The Pavilions Himalayas amongst the very best destinations to visit in Nepal and Asia. There is no doubt that NFA has helped The Pavilions Himalayas and its architect, Alex Shrestha to be nominated one of four finalists for the AHDA 2016 (Asian Hotel Design Awards: www.asiahoteldesignawards.com/shortlist).
Many thanks Debbie and all at New Forest Aromatics for providing us a superb service and unique products!
