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HOTEL SHANGRI-LA |
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HOTEL SHANGRI-LA |
Warm Hospitality Although, two decades have passed since it was opened, Hotel Shangrila remains one of the prime hotels By BHARAT SHARMA
There is a beautifully designed library and board room in the center of Hotel Shangrila named after famous artist-cum-writer Desmond Doig who spent a considerable time in the hotel. Doig, a noted personality and writer of the book "My Kind of Kathmandu" even designed its enchanted garden, the centerpiece of the hotel. Established in 1979, Hotel Shangrila is one of the popular hotels of the country. A 4-star hotel, Shangrila also has a branch in Pokhara. Shangrila Village was set up in 1987 in Pokhara. Between them, the hotels have 160 top-class rooms. Located in Lazimpat, the hotel boasts of playing host to several visiting dignitaries including Sir Edmund Hillary. The rooms in the Shangrila are the blend of modern facilities and traditional ethnicity. Both the Shangrilas have one sparkling similarity -- they are surrounded by handsomely manicured gardens. The Shangrila Village in Pokhara neighbors the Western Himalayas. The Annapurnas, Machhapuchare, Dhaulagiri all gaze down at the cuddle of ethnic buildings that reflect the timeless villages of Nepal. "Our hotels are unique in nature and they are in a position to compete with anybody regarding the facilities," said Prasidha Bahadur Pandey, Managing Director of Hotel Shangrila. Pandey said there is a fierce competition among the hoteliers at present. "But the government policy towards this sector is not encouraging," he said, adding that the national-flag carrier RNAC should be strengthened to make it capable of bringing in more tourists. According to Pandey, programs like Visit Nepal Year would be helpful to develop the tourism business in the country. Hotel Shangrila is also planning to build a new five-star hotel on the side of Begnas Lake in Pokhara in near future. Pandey believes that if the government properly develops tourism sector, the country would not have to depend on anything else for its economic upliftment. |
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