IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a management agreement with local, Nepal based Shangri-La Hotel & Resort Group to develop four new hotels in the country – InterContinental Kathmandu Lazimpat, Hotel Indigo Pokhara Gharipatan, InterContinental Resort Pokhara Begnas Lake, and InterContinental Resort Chitwan, Meghauli.
The signing will see IHG add close to 500 rooms to its portfolio in Nepal, and debut two of its global brands, InterContinental and Hotel Indigo in the market.
With this deal, IHG has strengthened its footprint across the South-West Asia region, specifically in the luxury and lifestyle segment.
Currently under construction, the new hotels are scheduled to open in the next 1-4 years in the most sought-after leisure destinations of Nepal – Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan.
Commenting on the new properties, Sudeep Jain, Managing Director, South West Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts said: “We are delighted to introduce two of our leading brands from the luxury and lifestyle portfolio, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts and Hotel Indigo, to Nepal. The strategic location of all four hotels in different key tourism destinations of Nepal provide us with a great opportunity to offer world-class hospitality and cater to the demands of our guests.
InterContinental Kathmandu Lazimpat
Located in the capital city of Kathmandu, Nepal’s largest metropolis, the new InterContinental Kathmandu Lazimpat will be redeveloped on the same site as the current Shangri-la Kathmandu hotel.
Located in a business and diplomatic area of the city, the hotel will be in close proximity to various embassies. There will also be easy access to the city centre, and it will be just a 15-minute drive from Tribhuvan International Airport.
Featuring 225 luxurious rooms, InterContinental Kathmandu Lazimpat will offer an all-day dining as well as a specialty restaurant, a lobby lounge, a bar, and multiple meeting spaces including a ballroom. The hotel will also feature a retail store, multiple health and wellness facilities, club lounge, business centre, indoor and outdoor recreation areas, and a swimming pool for guests to unwind.
Hotel Indigo Pokhara
Strategically located in Pokhara’s Gharipatan area, a key commercial and residential hub, Hotel Indigo Pokhara will serve the growing demand from business and leisure guests in the city. The planned 100-key hotel will feature facilities including a retail store, health club, spa, club lounge, business centre, indoor and outdoor recreation areas, and a swimming pool. To cater to MICE demand, the hotel will be equipped with two meeting rooms, a ballroom and a boardroom. Moreover, there will be a café, specialty restaurant, lobby lounge and a bar.
With easy access to Pokhara Airport and the city centre, the hotel hopes it will be a popular choice for families travelling for leisure and small groups. As the tourism capital of Nepal, Pokhara is a hub for adventure sports as it is a base for trekkers, as well as activities like para sailing, bungee jumping, and micro flights.
InterContinental Pokhara Begnas Lake
Located along the banks of Begnas Lake in Pokhara, InterContinental Pokhara Begnas Lake will feature 80 rooms, an all-day dining restaurant, a lobby lounge, and a bar amongst other F&B options.
The resort will be a 20-minute drive from Pokhara Airport.
InterContinental Resort Chitwan
InterContinental Resort Chitwan is strategically located in the popular tourist destination of Mehgauli Village. The resort will feature 80 rooms and facilities such as all-day dining and a specialty restaurant, a lobby lounge, bars, a health club, a spa, business centre, indoor and outdoor recreation areas, swimming pool, as well as multiple spaces to host meetings and celebrate occasions.
In close proximity to the dense forest and green plains of Chitwan National Park, InterContinental Resort Chitan will cater to leisure guests. The nearest airport will be an hour away.
IHG currently has 47 hotels operating across five brands in Southwest Asia, including Six Senses, InterContinental Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Resort and Holiday Inn Express, and has a strong pipeline of 53 hotels due to open in the next 2-3 years.
