IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has signed a management agreement with Nepal based Shangri-La Hotel & Resort Group to develop four new hotels in the country.

The new hotels include 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 signing, IHG has strengthened its footprint across the South-West Asia region, specifically in luxury & 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.

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 signing of four new hotels in partnership with the esteemed and well- known Shangri-La Hotel & Resort Group of Nepal is testament to the trust and love for our brands from our owners as well as guests, and we are proud to grow our footprint in the South-West Asia region to bring our offering to new markets. 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 and Hotel Indigo have seen phenomenal success across key markets in the wider EMEAA region and we are pleased to have these brands at the forefront of Nepal’s flourishing hospitality industry. We are confident that our brands will provide world-class hospitality experiences to guests, and also that we will be the preferred choice for our owners who are looking to build their portfolio in the luxury and lifestyle category.”

Prasidha B. Panday, Chairman, Shangri-La Hotel & Resort Group, added: “We are pleased to partner with IHG Hotels & Resorts for the debut of the two renowned brands, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts and Hotel Indigo, in Nepal. We are confident that our partnership with IHG to open four new hotels will help us offer world-class hospitality to guests, at a time when travel to Nepal has increased exponentially. All new hotels will be located in top tourism hubs, and we expect to benefit from the strength and scale of IHG’s global systems, technology and a strong loyalty programme”.

InterContinental Kathmandu Lazimpat
Located in Kathmandu, Nepal's capital and its largest metropolis, the new InterContinental Kathmandu Lazimpat will be redeveloped on the same site as Shangri-la Kathmandu hotel, which is one of the iconic hotels of Nepal. Located in a high-profile area, the hotel will be in close proximity to various embassies. The hotel will also have easy access to the city centre, and a 15-minute drive from Tribhuvan International Airport. Featuring 225 luxurious rooms, the hotel 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.

Located on the main Lazimpat Road, where several embassies are also established, the area is one of the busiest and most significant in the capital. The hotel will cater to the growing demand of both leisure and corporate guests.

Hotel Indigo Pokhara
Hotel Indigo properties provide a gateway to discover some of the world’s most inspiring neighbourhoods and locations. Just as no two neighbourhoods are alike, no two Hotel Indigo properties are the same, taking inspiration from the area around each hotel to inform all aspects of the guest experience, from the boutique design to locally inspired restaurants.

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 100-keys hotel will feature facilities such as a retail store, health club, spa, club lounge, business centre, indoor and outdoor recreation areas, and swimming pool. To cater to MICE demands, the hotel will be equipped with two meeting rooms, a ballroom and a boardroom. For guests to unwind, there will be a Neighbourhood café, specialty restaurant, a lobby lounge and a bar.

InterContinental Pokhara Begnas Lake
Conveniently located along the banks of Begnas Lake in Pokhara, InterContinental Pokhara Begnas Lake will feature 80 rooms, an all-day dining a lobby lounge, and a bar amongst other dining options. InterContinental Pokhara Begnas Lake will also feature a retail store, a health club, a spa, a club lounge, a business centre, indoor and outdoor recreation areas and a swimming pool.  The hotel will be easily accessible from national highway, Pokhara Airport which is at a 20 minute driving distance. The hotel will welcome guest segments across small groups, solo travellers, couples and corporate travellers.

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, and is conveniently an hour away from Bharatpur city center and the airport.

All four hotel guests will benefit from IHG’s best-in-class loyalty program, IHG One Rewards, which is centred around its guests – giving them richer benefits, all powered by leading technology and a new mobile app.

IHG currently has 47 hotels operating across five brands in SWA, 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. – TradeArabia News Service