Nadene Ghouri laments the collapse of Pakistan’s most famous tourist destination while spending time as the only guest in a 50 room luxury hotel.
A valley as green as the emeralds that lie beneath the mountains. Cold and clear rivers flowing from the snow-capped peaks of the Hindu Kush. A brilliant blue sky – it’s hard to describe the Swat valley without getting carried away.
It feels like one of the most beautiful and magical places on earth.
But it’s also extremely dangerous as Pakistani security forces take on Islamic extremists.
Until recently Swat was a tourist destination, popular with both Western backpackers and Pakistani honeymooners. Here you could go trekking or ride a horse along mountain passes, ski pristine slopes, view ancient Buddhist sites or shop in bustling bazaars selling brightly embroidered shawls, folk jewellery and locally produced honey.
Eighty-five per cent of Swat’s economy was dependent on such tourism.
But today the sound of nightly gunfire echoes across the mountains, the hotels and bazaars are boarded-up, and the tourists long gone.
—snip—
The Serena has 50 rooms set in beautiful landscaped grounds. I was the only guest in the entire hotel and the first one they had seen in well over 6 weeks. The handful of other people they have had stay this year were all journalists like myself.
It’s become a ghost hotel.
Yet despite the empty rooms all of the uniformed staff have been kept on by the Aga Khan – who owns the Serena. They are lucky. The damage to the economy means that few people in Swat have a job anymore. And they were truly delighted to see me.
“Would you like to order dinner, madam?” a saffron-suited waiter asked on my first night.
I mumbled something about whatever they could rustle up in the kitchen being fine. His face registered surprise. “We have everything listed on the menu, madam. Fish and chips with mushy peas, sizzling beef fillet, traditional Pakistani cuisine.”
“How can you?” I asked. “You haven’t got any guests.”
“But we are a five star hotel madam,” he said proudly. “We must maintain standards at all times.”
A few minutes later a steaming plate of delicious paratha, raita and masala beans (a Swati speciality) arrived at my door. After that the staff couldn’t do enough for me. Word went out they had one – a real, live, paying guest – and all of them rushed to display their impeccable service.
Ismailimail 