Nagaland lands its first five-star hotel as Polo Hotels opens in Kohima

Nagaland has its first five-star hotel. Polo Hotels Group opened the Polo Hotel Kohima with an inauguration attended by state leaders, marking the entry of the 1991-founded, Shillong-based operator into its fourth market after Meghalaya, Tripura and Kolkata.

The opening plugs a gap in high-end supply in a state whose government is betting on tourism as an economic engine. Speaking at the inauguration, a senior official said the hotel represented an investment in the region's future and could create livelihood opportunities as Nagaland attracts growing attention as a destination.

"Tourism is not merely about attracting visitors; it is about creating meaningful experiences while ensuring that local communities benefit from the opportunities tourism generates," he said, adding that sector growth can "stimulate entrepreneurship, promote local products, create employment for our youth and strengthen the economic prospects of the state."

He pointed to Kohima's potential to draw leisure, cultural and business travelers, and singled out the Hornbill Festival — held every December — as a showcase for Nagaland's heritage to visitors from India and abroad.

What does the opening change for the local economy?

State Tourism and Higher Education Minister Temjen Imna Along called the hotel an addition to the state's hospitality infrastructure that would contribute to government revenue. He urged businesses to invest in Nagaland and said the state government and Tourism Department would partner with the group.

Deval Tibrewalla, CEO and whole-time director of Polo Hotels Group, said most employees at the Kohima property are locals. He said the hotel would source products from local weavers, artists, farmers and carpenters, creating opportunities for local businesses to participate in its operations.

"We opened our first hotel in Shillong thirty-five years ago, as a Northeast company building in the Northeast," said Kishan Tibrewalla, Founder and Chairman of Polo Hotels Group. "To open in Kohima, and to be welcomed here by the Governor and the Government of Nagaland, means a lot to all of us."

How the property is built and what it serves

The hotel overlooks Kohima and the surrounding valley. Its design leans on Naga architectural influences: a glass-fronted lobby opens toward the valley, an infinity pool and guest rooms face the landscape, tribal artwork lines guest-room walls, and woven Naga textiles run through the interiors. The roof of the Mithun block draws on traditional morungs — community spaces central to Naga cultural life.

Food and beverage anchors on Tring Tring, the group's 1990s-themed all-day diner. The Kohima outlet is the concept's third location after Shillong and Kolkata. Alongside Indian, Western and other cuisines, it serves a seven-course Naga menu built around regional culinary traditions.

The property can arrange visits to Kohima's World War II heritage sites, with Khonoma village and Dzükou Valley among nearby attractions, and provides accommodation for Hornbill Festival visitors.

Deval Tibrewalla framed the build as deliberate localism rather than a template rollout: "We didn't want a building that could stand anywhere. Here the valley meets you at the door, Naga craft is in every room, and the food on the table is from these hills."

Access remains road-based: Kohima sits roughly 1.5 to 2 hours by car from Dimapur Airport, the nearest air link. As Northeast India draws rising investor interest in hotels beyond the metros, the Kohima opening gives Nagaland its first five-star foothold just ahead of the December festival season.