The operations of state-owned Ruposhi Bangla Hotel were shut down on Monday for a 16-month renovation work after which the hotel will reopen and run as Intercontinental Dhaka. The historical hotel, which Intercontinental Hotel Group earlier had run from 1966 to 1983, was announced closed on Monday noon. ‘We had 42 guests last night and all of them have checked out today and we closed the operations after 12:00pm,’ Ruposhi Bangla manager (marketing and communication) Sahidus Sadiq told New Age at 3.30pm on Monday.
Ruposhi Bangla hosted a conference of Jahirul Islam Medical College as its last event on Sunday night, said officials.
They said the hotel earned Tk 32 lakh revenue in the last day of operations.
The hotel was seen empty at 3:00pm on Monday when the main entrance of the hotel was sealed with a notice of the closure.
The renovation will take place as part of a 30-year management deal between its owner, state-run Bangladesh Services Limited, and Intercontinental
Hotels Group signed in February 2012.
Sahidus said the first phase of asset disposal process started with furniture and the authorities was examining the proposals.
‘The furniture of 300 rooms and the restaurants will be sold first. Then the electronic and decoration items,’ he said.
After the renovation, Intercontinental Dhaka will have 231 guest rooms instead of the existing 300 as the room size will be expanded from 26 sqm to 40 sqm, said hotel officials.
The dining hall and swimming pool will be relocated under the renovation plan which will offer some added services and benefits, they said.
BSL made Tk 19.15 crore in profit from Ruposhi Bangla in 2013. The figure was Tk 46.51 crore in 2012 and Tk 40.12 crore in 2011.
In late 1983, Sheraton, owned by Starwood, took over its operations and management for the next 25 years.
The agreement with Sheraton was extended to April 30, 2011 until Starwood and BSL disagreed over renovation issues.
After that the BSL took over the operations and named the hotel Ruposhi Bangla.
-With New Age input
