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| Saturday, 10 January 2004 |
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Mansion in a fishing town by Prasad Abu Bakr `Resort Seahorse Palace' was a long time dream that Earle Fernando and Jack Scholtman his Dutch partner have been working upon. It was no easy task, says Earle adding that if not for his partner's help and inspiration this dream may have never been transformed into reality.
It had the all characteristics of a mansion long before Earle set eyes upon it and his dire need to set himself up in the leisure industry [to which he is no newcomer] made him look for a suitable property to put his long standing operational knowledge of the hotel trade into practice. His longstanding friend from Holland gave him the much needed support and inspiration to set upon his journey in setting up this fine property `Resort Seahorse Palace'. Built in a prime piece of land a few meters away from the Negombo beach the remarkable thing about this mansion is that its primary colour has been limited to a brilliant white. The mansion is well equipped with all facilities required by long staying guests, from guest dining areas to private abodes, ultra modern kitchen facilities and luxurious toilets beside large comfortable rooms. A large circular shaped Veranda faces a Patio adjoining the large swimming pool, at one end of the pool are dining facilities serving all three major meals and snacks. Besides the mansion that consists of three large rooms the property already boasts of four well appointed fully air conditioned double bedrooms with all facilities ranging from TV, Telephones with IDD facilities, a Mini Bar and a private Safety Locker. At present this up market leisure-hub is undergoing a major up-grading as it is planned to have an additional 21 rooms by mid February out of which seven will be fully luxury chalets to be located at the far end of the property. These chalets complete with an in-built Jacuzzi, individual e-mail and internet facilities, satellite TV and total privacy can enable anybody occupying it to live like a recluse. Designed under a major comfort concept these chalets are supposed to provide the ultimate in luxury holidays for the visitor. One of the most pleasant experiences that anybody staying here will enjoy is the lush greenery that surrounds `Seahorse' and if one decides to go in for a sea bath instead of a dip in the pool it is only a matter of minutes before you arrive at the vast Negombo beach harbouring the Indian ocean. The hotel has a well stocked bar and an excellent room service which has already earned good comments from its current visitors. Among the other services are a laundry service, beauty salon and a private driver who will take you anywhere from excursions of the Negombo town to touring places of interests anywhere in the country for that matter. The hotel which has already secured star class status is heading towards being categorised under the small and medium luxury cluster. As for its occupancy Earle Fernando who is the Managing Director of the Resort Seahorse Palace said that they are fully booked for the next six months with a clientele consisting mostly of Dutch, British and a host of European tourists. Some of the Japanese travellers visiting this isolated fishing village in the southern coastal belt of the country have also opted to stay and experience the hospitality traits borne by this exclusive resort. A mere 15-minute drive from the country's International airport and 45-minute drive to the capital city of Colombo Resort Seahorse Palace is surrounded by many interesting places to visit, the many religious places of worship amongst which there are a number of fine churches, some of them built during the Dutch period, a canal which was also created during the same period which now lies idle but was extensively used in the past for the main transportation of goods to the city. These are some amongst the many attractions that Negombo has to offer to its discerning travellers and in recent times `Resort Seahorse Palace' seems to be occupying a top slot in the list of these attractions that this beautiful fishing town has to offer. ####### Trans Asia Hotel : Seven days around the world International flavours from the world takes centre stage at the Summerfield's cafe, with diners in for a seven day feast, with each day offering a distinctive dining experience.
Spanish Paella and Grilled Kebabs offer Mediterranean fare on Wednesdays with New Orleans cuisine being the day's speciality on Thursday night. Indigenous flavour from the land of Jazz, complemented with the area's finest wines is on the menu for diners on Thursdays. For those looking for the best of sea food delights, Summerfield's lays out a seafood spread on Fridays. Grilled, Steamed or Wok Fried Tropical Prawns and Sashimi Tuna promise to tingle the taste buds! Feel like trying out a Latin meal? with specialities like Tuna Escabeche and Calamari rice, keep a date on Saturdays, when Latin food takes pride of place. Apart from the culinary experience, the restaurant's laid back ambience, coupled with the efficient and friendly service of the staff, makes Summerfield's an ideal place to `savour the world on a plate.' |
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Produced by Lake House |
For those who crave for Italian repast with Pastas and Risotto and
other trimmings, Mondays offer Italian specialities. Flavours of Asia
takes pride of place on Tuesday with Tandoori chicken and spicy curries
offering the special delights of the Asian region.
