Nandini Hotel

Hotel Nandini is a six-storey building on Sukrabad Mirpur Road, in the Dhanmondi district at the centre of Dhaka. Its exterior is carved in wood panelling, a detail that stands out against the concrete blocks around it. Inside, the lobby lounge has been refitted recently, with low seating meant for lingering over tea rather than passing through. Rooms come in four grades, from single to the corner suite named Kings Den, each fitted with air-conditioning, a smart TV and Wi-Fi. The rooftop restaurant, Nandinir Ranna, works from a list of more than 150 heritage recipes drawn from across Bangladesh, open daily from 7.30am to 10.30pm. Floors are laid with satranji, a handwoven textile from the Rangpur region traditionally used to soften cold floors, now registered as a geographical-indication product and exported to over 50 countries. A welcome basket of fruit and a drink greets arriving guests, a small ritual repeated at check-in. The hotel arranges pick-up and drop-off by car from Shahjalal International Airport, about 11km away, and from the city's bus, rail and river terminals. Parking on site is limited. It is a hotel built for business travellers and families in equal measure, sitting close enough to Dhanmondi's commercial core to work as a base for either.