Barahi Hospitality & Leisure has been serving customers for almost four decades now. The business that started out with an ordinary lodge in Pokhara has today expanded into a group of four-star hotels and restaurants. Pratik Ghimire of ApEx talks to Baibhav Paudel, the company director.
What attracted you to the hospitality business?
As Barahi is a business started by my father, I got to know about this sector from an early age. Also, I grew up in Pokhara’s Lakeside area, where my childhood was spent around tourists. I guess, that experience also drove me towards hospitality and tourism. I went to the US for my higher studies at 17. There, I learned more about hospitality and tourism. I did my master’s degree in International Business and I am currently doing my MBA in Tourism and Hospitality. Despite being a Green Card holder in America, my interest in this sector brought me back to Nepal to join my family business. Besides being the director of Barahi Hospitality & Leisure. I am also a board member of the Hotel Association as well as Restaurant Association Nepal. I am also serving as the president of Gandaki Toastmasters and have completed my tenure as the president of the Nepalese Young Entrepreneurs Forum. So I am closely tied to the hospitality and tourism industry of Nepal.
Tell us about your pandemic experience.
The tourism and hospitality sector was the first one to get hit and the last one to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. Many businesses had to shut down. But we used the period focusing on renovation works of our hotels. We renovated all of our amenities, something we had been planning to do for a long time. We utilized the period perfectly.
What are the hotels that fall under Barahi Hospitality?
There are three in total. Hotel Barahi in Pokhara and Barahi Jungle Lodge in Chitwan are four-star properties. The other one is Sarangkot Mountain Lodge. Besides that, I have my startups too: Bobs Gym, Byanjan Restaurant, Bagaincha Wellness Resort and The Beach Bar and Lodge.
How is Barahi Hospitality & Leisure different from others?
We have a legacy that others don’t. In our 40 years of service, we have made ourselves a trusted brand. We also routinely upgrade and maintain our properties. Every five years, we do regular maintenance and renovations. We keep trying new designs and amenities in our hotels to satisfy our customers’ needs.
What changes did your leadership bring to the business?
I have focused on expanding our branches. Next month, we are planning to open Barahi Plaza in Kathmandu. In Pokhara, a new project, Barahi Sedi, is under construction and two more projects, Bastup Resort in Pokhara and Barahi Bodhi in Lumbini, are in the designing phase.
What is your advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?
I suggest them not to rush. Quite often, I have seen young entrepreneurs expecting profit right after the investment, but the business doesn’t work like that. You have to wait for years. Many aspiring entrepreneurs were skeptical about investing due to the pandemic but as things have eased now, I hope they will enter into business.
