How can heritage hotels incorporate cultural heritage experience value for performance?

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize and operationalize cultural heritage experiential value (CHEV) as a strategic framework for heritage hotel management. The study seeks to demonstrate how heritage-based experiential dimensions can be systematically translated into value-creating mechanisms that enhance guest experiences, support cultural preservation, and improve competitive positioning in heritage hospitality contexts. Design/methodology/approach This research adopts a conceptual and illustrative case-based approach. Building on prior heritage tourism and experiential value literature, CHEV is articulated as a multidimensional framework encompassing six interrelated experiential value dimensions. An illustrative case of Dwarika's Hotel in Nepal is employed to demonstrate how CHEV is embedded in managerial practices. The case is informed by secondary data sources, including archival documents and publicly available materials, and is used to exemplify practical application rather than empirical generalization. Findings The analysis shows that CHEV functions as an integrated experiential value system through which heritage hotels can simultaneously preserve cultural meaning and deliver differentiated guest experiences. The case illustrates how aligning tangible heritage elements with authenticity, storytelling, emotional engagement, learning, and symbolic value strengthens experiential depth and enhances perceived value, resulting in sustained competitive advantage. Originality/value This paper contributes by consolidating and translating CHEV into a strategically actionable framework for heritage hotel management, addressing the theory–practice gap in heritage tourism research. It offers value to scholars by refining experiential value logic in heritage contexts and to practitioners by providing structured guidance for designing and managing heritage-based experiences that balance cultural stewardship with commercial performance.