Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) has lowered the charges for providing Covid-19 quarantine facilities at hotels. The hotel industry body, which had earlier set charges ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 16,000 per person to keep foreign returnees has now reduced the charge to Rs 3,000 per person for one-star and tourist-level hotels.  According to Sajan Shakya, general secretary at HAN, two individuals sharing a same room at tourist-level hotels have to pay Rs 4,000 per day as per the revised rate.

Earlier, the rate was Rs 5,000 for a person and Rs 6,000 for two. HAN has said that 20,000 hotel rooms across the country can be used as quarantine facilities. Among the 15 chapters of HAN, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Pokhara, Chitwan, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj and Biratnagar chapters have already notified the industry body about the number of hotel rooms that can be used as isolation facilities.

According to Shakya, 3,100 hotel rooms in Kathmandu, 4,000 each in Pokhara, Chitwan and Bhairahawa, 2,500 in Nepalgunj and the remaining 2,400 rooms in Bhaktapur and Biratnagar can be used for accommodation of foreign returnees. As per arrangements announced by HAN, individuals using rooms of five-star hotels and deluxe resorts will be charged Rs 16,000 per person while it is Rs 10,000 for two individuals sharing a same room.  Similarly, the rates for using a four-star hotel room have been set at Rs 14,000 and Rs 8,000. The isolation stay at three-star and two-star hotels has been set at Rs 10,000 for an individual and Rs 6,000 for two people sharing a same room. HAN has informed that hotels will provide meals four times a day, communications and other basic services to those coming for isolation.