Leela plans hotels in Nepal as part of Buddhist Trail
Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts has signed a memorandum of understanding with developers Summit Group of Nepal to collaborate on the first of four hotels to be built across the country as part of a development rollout.
The five-star Leela Kathmandu – designed by John Gerondolis of Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart & Associates of Atlanta, US – will be the first hotel created by the partners, to capitalise on tourism in India and Nepal.
Leela Group plans to pave a Buddhist Trail from Nepal to Bodhgaya, Nalanda and Varanasi in India, with the next hotel being built in Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha. Another hotel is planned for Pokhara in Nepal.
Gerondolis is expected to incorporate the rich Newari culture into the designs. He has created Leela Palaces in New Delhi and Chennai and is working on the Leela Palace Agra, where every room will have a view of the Taj Mahal.
Nepalese Prime Minister, Sushil Koirala, is urging the Leela Group to establish hotels in other parts of Nepal. Both Koirala and his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, are committed to developing tourism. @theleelahotels