JHAPA: Hotel Mechi Crown, the first five-star hotel in Province 1 has come into operation in Mechinagar Municipality of Jhapa district.

The hotel is backed by an investment of Rs 1.5 billion and targets visitors mainly from Bangladesh, Bhutan and India. It sprawls on eight bighas of land at Jorsimal of Mechinagar-8 which is close to the East-west Highway.

Chairman of Vegas Entertainment Pvt Ltd, Pabitra Kumar Karki said they have operated the first five-star hotel in province 1 as standard hotels are necessary to promote the country's tourism industry.

Vegas Entertainment Pvt Ltd is operating the hotel. Hotel Mechi Crown is at the distance of 17 kilometres from Chandragadhi Airport and 25 km away from Bagdogra Airport of India. It has a casino, a helipad, spa, gym house, swimming pool, a green garden among other facilities in its premises.

The promoters have also planned to build a business mall within the hotel compound in future.

Chairman Karki said 900 people would be directly employed with the operation of a casino at the hotel. The hotel has 105 deluxe rooms, a conference hall.

Another five-star hotel, Hotel Grand Prince, is also ready for opening at Birtamod of Jhapa district at an investment of one billion rupees.