Pan Pacific Sonargaon

{{Infobox building

| hotel_name = Pan Pacific Sonargaon

| former_names =

| logo = Pan Pacific Sonargaon.svg

| image = Pan Pacific Sonargaon 02.jpg

| caption =

| location = 107 Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Kawran Bazar, Dhaka, Bangladesh

| coordinates = {{coord|23.7496|90.3941|region:BD_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| status = Operating

| opening = 1981

| building_type = Hotel

| number_of_rooms =

| number_of_suites =

| floor_count =

| public_transit = {{rint|dhaka|6}} Karwan Bazar , Dhaka

| number_of_restaurants =

| elevator_count =

| floor_area =

| website = {{URL|www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pp-dhaka.html}}

| structural_engineer =

| main_contractor =

| developer =

| owner = Government

}}

The Pan Pacific Sonargaon is a hotel in Dhaka. It is one of the oldest 5 star hotel in Bangladesh and is owned by the government of Bangladesh and operated by Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts.{{cite news |title=Sonargaon renovation almost done |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/business/sonargaon-renovation-almost-done-1361398 |accessdate=20 July 2018 |work=The Daily Star |date=15 February 2017 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=The Growing Hospitality Industry |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/suppliments/2009/september/hotel/guide.html |accessdate=20 July 2018 |work=The Daily Star}}

History

Hotels International Limited was established on 25 June 1977 as a public limited company to establish a five star hotel in Dhaka.{{Cite web |title=Company Profile – HIL |url=https://www.hil-bd.org/company-profile/ |access-date=2022-10-26 |language=en-US}} The foundation of Pan Pacific Sonargaon was laid on 17 October 1977. The construction was financed by Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (later renamed to Japan Bank for International Cooperation) as a loan to the government of Bangladesh.

Pan Pacific Sonargaon was established in 1981. The hotel was designed by Hawaii-based architect Peter Hsi. Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts was hired to manage the hotel as Bangladesh lacked the necessary experience of operating a 5-star hotel. An 8-acre site in Karwan Bazar was chosen as the construction site.{{cite web |title=About us |url=https://www.hil-bd.org/about/ |website=hil-bd.org |accessdate=20 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720225218/https://www.hil-bd.org/about/ |archive-date=20 July 2018 |url-status=dead }}

On 13 October 2003, Hotel International Limited announced plans to spend one billion taka to renovate the hotel.{{Cite news |title=Hotels Int'l declares 10pc bonus share |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2003/10/13/d31013050550.htm |access-date=2022-10-26 |work=The Daily Star}} On 19 March 2004, Pan Pacific Sonargaon launched the Global Hotel Alliance in Dhaka.{{Cite news |title=Pan Pacific Hotels, three others form global alliance |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/03/19/d40319050968.htm |access-date=2022-10-26 |work=The Daily Star}}

On 30 August 2006, the Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Shahid Alam, asked the Chairman of RAJUK, KAM Harun, to not fine Hotel International Limited for the unapproved expansion of Pan Pacific Sonargaon.{{Cite news |last=Ali |first=Tawfique |title=Sonargaon Hotel: Walking away unpunished? |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2006/10/22/d610222503118.htm |access-date=2022-10-26 |work=The Daily Star}} The hotel had ignored two notices from RAJUK over its construction in Begunbari Canal.{{Cite news |last=Ali |first=Tawfique |title=Sonargaon Hotel's unapproved construction continues |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2006/12/25/d612252504146.htm |access-date=2022-10-26 |work=The Daily Star}} There was whistleblower complaints against Southeast Asia Technology Co Ltd, a consultant of the renovation project, from hotel employees.{{Cite news |title=Graft eating away stars |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/cache/cached-news-details-109646.html |access-date=2022-10-26 |work=The Daily Star}}

Renovation works in the hotel began in 2007 by Accom Engineering Ltd, a sister concern of Orion Group. It was stalled due to the 2007-2008 caretaker government political crises in Bangladesh and corruption allegations. The renovation works were completed by the mid 2017.{{cite news |title=Dhaka's five-star boom |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-28430 |accessdate=20 July 2018 |work=The Daily Star |date=19 March 2008 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Ready to bank on renovated rooms |url=http://www.theindependentbd.com/arcprint/details/85828/2017-03-18 |accessdate=20 July 2018 |work=The Independent}} Orion Group got the 1.8 billion taka renovation project through close connections with Hawa Bhaban according to hotel officials as reported by The Daily Star.{{Cite news |last=Hasan |first=Md |title=Obaidul Karim venture inflicts huge loss on Sonargaon Hotel |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2007/03/19/d7031901011.htm |access-date=2022-10-26 |work=The Daily Star}} The renovations, which started in 2005, where near completion in 2008.{{Cite news |last=Akter |first=Sayeda |date=2008-05-25 |title=Sonargaon renovation nears end |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-38093 |access-date=2022-10-26 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} A new health club and pool was opened at the hotel in July following the renovation.{{Cite news |date=2008-07-24 |title=New swimming pool at Sonargaon Hotel launched |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-47205 |access-date=2022-10-26 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}}