IME Group launches Ila Hotel and Resort in Gaidakot

KATHMANDU, MAY 13 : IME Hospitality, under the IME Group, has officially launched its fifth hotel and resort in Nepal. With the inauguration of Ila Hotel and Resort in Maulakali, Gaindakot, the group has expanded its footprint in the country’s growing tourism and hospitality sector.

The newly opened Ila Hotel and Resort, located in Gaindakot Municipality–1 of Nawalpur district, was formally inaugurated yesterday by the Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Mr. Badri Prasad Pandey, during a special ceremony.

Just a few months ago, Minister Pandey had also inaugurated another Ila Hotel in Baglung. In addition, the IME Group currently operates Chandragiri Resort in Chandragiri (Kathmandu), Hotel Himalaya in Lazimpat, and Lake Site Retreat in Lakeside, Pokhara.

"These projects collectively reflect the group's growing investment in the country's tourism infrastructure, said IME Group Chairman, Mr. Chandra Prasad Dhakal, while speaking at the ceremony.

“We believe tourism is the key driver of national development and prosperity,” said Chairman Dhakal. “With that in mind, we’ve initiated projects to build hotels and resorts with integrated cable car systems across all seven provinces of Nepal.” 

To date, the group has completed and launched cable car services in three provinces.

At the event, Minister Pandey described the Maulakali Cable Car as a model project that exemplifies cultural preservation, development, and strong public-private partnership.

He emphasized the project's role in promoting religious tourism, preserving heritage, and creating local employment, highlighting it as a successful collaboration between the private sector, the government, and local authorities.

The Minister also stated that similar models should be replicated in other parts of the country and announced that the government is working on revising national policies on culture, tourism, and aviation to address the existing policy challenges.

.Situated at the upper station of the Maulakali Cable Car, the newly inaugurated Ila Hotel features 65 rooms—including deluxe and suite options—a banquet and conference hall with a 1,000-person capacity, as well as a restaurant, swimming pool, spa, gym, and other modern amenities.

IME Group believes this state-of-the-art hotel and cable car facility will play a key role in promoting the natural beauty and spiritual heritage of sites like Narayani, Devghat, and Triveni to both domestic and international tourists.

Currently, the group is developing integrated tourism infrastructure—including hotels, resorts, and cable cars—across all seven provinces. Cable car systems are already operational in three provinces. With the opening of the Ila Hotel in Gaindakot, two of those locations now offer fully functional hotel-and-cable-car destinations.

Construction is also underway for a new hotel at Basantapur, the top station of the Lumbini Cable Car. In Kailali district of the far-western region, hotel, resort, and cable car projects are progressing simultaneously.

IME Group reports that the Kailali cable car is expected to begin operations within a year, followed shortly by the launch of the accompanying hotel and resort. Similarly, cable car construction is currently in progress at Pathibhara in Taplejung.