By Our Reporter soalteeSoaltee Crowne Plaza, one among the pioneer hotels in the country observed its golden jubilee amidst a function last week. Founded by late prince Himalaya Bir Bikram Shah and late princess Princep Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah in 1965, the Hotel was inaugurated by the then King Mahendra. Chairman Emeritus of the Soaltee Crowne Plaza, Prabhakar SJB Rana recalled the past and explained that the Hotel was established with the concept of promoting tourism in Nepal. Rana also informed that the Hotel is planning to run standard hotels in Pokhara and Nepalgunj. Aman Man Shakya, President, HAN, said that Soaltee has established brand name for quality and standard hospitality. He said the Hotel has made outstanding contribution in promotion of tourism industry. Shakya also commended Rana’s contribution as he was the founding president of HAN. Suman Pandey, President, PATA Nepal Chapter, also recalled Rana’s contribution as he had founded the PATA Nepal Chapter in 1975. Chandra Prasad Rijal, President, Tracking Agency Association, highlighted the role of Soaltee Hotel in promotion of tourism industry in Nepal. Citing on Nepal’s tourism potentiality, Rijal requested the Hotel to open standard hotels in Khaptad and Rara in the West Nepal. Dinesh Bista, Chairman of the Hotel said, despite new international brands coming in Nepal within a couple of years, the hotel is expanding its wings and moving ahead. Soaltee Hotel was incorporated as a private limited company in 1969. In the same year, Oberoi Hotels (India) Pvt Ltd, with its investment in shares capital of the company, was entrusted with the operational management of Soaltee Hotel and the brand name of the Hotel was changed to 'Hotel Soaltee Oberoi'. In the year 1975, the company was converted into a public limited company with an investment in the share capital by Nepal Industrial Development Corporation, International Finance Corporation, Oberoi Hotels (India) Private Limited, Nepal Airlines Corporation, promoters of the company as well as general public. The construction of additional 180 guest rooms was completed bringing up the number of total rooms to 282 in the year 1981. The hotel was renamed as Soaltee Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza Kathmandu from the year 1994 and was being operated by Holiday Inns China Limited, a fully owned subsidiary of the world famous Inter-Continental Hotels Group (IHG). In the year 2014 Soaltee Hospitality Limited, a fully owned subsidiary of Soaltee Hotel Limited was incorporated to increase the portfolio of operational properties throughout the country. In addition to this, a four star hotel in Nepalgunj with the brand name Soaltee is already under construction and is scheduled for soft launch in March/April 2017. The company has also procured a land at Khapaundi, Pokhara to build a hotel.