Nagaland’s first five-star hotel, Polo Hotel Kohima, was inaugurated by Governor Nand Kishore Yadav on October 24, marking a new addition to the state’s hospitality infrastructure under a two-hotel development plan announced in 2023.
The 56-room property is part of an agreement signed between Polo Hotels Group and the Nagaland Tourism Department in 2023 to develop two five-star hotels under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The projects were expected to involve direct and indirect investment of Rs 150 crore and provide more than 200 luxury rooms across the two locations.
While the Kohima property has now opened, the original plan also included a five-star hotel and a mall in Dimapur, Nagaland’s commercial centre. The current status of the Dimapur project was not available in the information provided for this report.
Speaking at the inauguration, Governor Yadav said the hotel represented an investment in the region’s future, with the potential to create livelihoods, support tourism and encourage local entrepreneurship.
He said Nagaland’s cultural traditions, natural beauty, festivals and indigenous heritage were attracting greater attention, increasing the need for quality accommodation and professional hospitality services.
The Governor stressed that tourism development should benefit communities beyond the hotel premises. He urged the management to build links with local artisans, farmers, food producers, entrepreneurs and service providers, and to incorporate locally sourced products, traditional cuisine and indigenous art into the hotel’s operations.
He also called for environmental responsibility, including sustainable practices, responsible waste management and energy efficiency, saying hospitality development should respect both the environment and local cultural identity.
Tourism and Higher Education Minister Temjen Imna Along described the hotel as a significant milestone for the state’s tourism and hospitality sector. He said Nagaland needed entrepreneurs willing to invest in the state’s potential and assured the management of continued support from the Tourism Department.
Along also urged citizens to protect and preserve such institutions, describing the investment as a lasting contribution to Nagaland.
Polo Hotel Kohima marks the entry of the Shillong-founded Polo Hotels Group into Nagaland. Established in 1991, the group operates hospitality properties in Meghalaya, Tripura and Kolkata.
The hotel incorporates Naga cultural elements into its design, including traditional artwork and woven textiles. Its facilities include an infinity pool, rooms overlooking Kohima and the surrounding valley, and a restaurant offering Indian, Oriental and Western cuisine alongside a seven-course Naga menu.
Deval Tibrewalla, chief executive officer and whole-time director of the group, said most employees at the Kohima property were local residents. He added that the group intended to source products from local weavers, artists, farmers and carpenters, potentially creating business opportunities for local producers and artisans.
The hotel is expected to cater to visitors exploring Kohima’s Second World War heritage sites, Khonoma village and Dzükou Valley, as well as those attending the annual Hornbill Festival, held during the first ten days of December.