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| Friday, 24 December 2004 |
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'The Reef' converted to four-star status
'The Reef' owned and operated by the Connaisance group opened recently. The hotel is the only four-star property in Hikkaduwa, General Manager of the Hotel Dayal Fernando said that Hikkaduwa which was one of the highest selling tourist destination over two decades ago is now being undersold. "This was why the Connaisance management decided to convert this property to a four-star resort. We are slowly but surely bringing the old prestige back to Hikkaduwa," he said. The hotel built over 20 years ago and known as Reef Comber was bought over by the Fund Manager turned hotelier Dhammika Perera two years ago in a very dilapidated state. Later a team headed by Chairman Chandra Wickramasinghe, Finance Controller, Nimal Perera and Directors Suranimala Senaratne and Lalin Samarawickrama invested Rs. 40 million to upgrade this property to a four star category. The 52-room hotel is now operating with an over 90 percent occupancy and the management has decided to further invest Rs. 30 m for the second phase development next year. He said that they are hoping to build Sri Lanka 's first under ground night club under the existing swimming pool. "Once again we have noted that there is no proper Night Club for Hikkaduwa and we have decided to construct this even to attract clients who are in other hotels," he said. In addition more facilities would be introduced to the existing rooms and the area outside the hotel too would be developed. "The second phase would commence next year and would be completed for the next winter season," he said.
A former hotel school graduate, Fernando said that most of the staff have been recruited from the area as a part of their community development programmes. British, French, German and the Scandinavian are their main markets and the Rssian region is also emerging as a promising market. Connaisance Management also own and operate La Kandian, Culture Club and the Fortress in Koggala. The group will also be constructing Sri Lanka's first six-star resort in Mirissa. Fernando started career as a hotel trainee after his studies at the Hotel School, and he is a member of Ceylon Hotels School Graduates Association. Dayal has been to Sultanate of Oman to get his foreign exposure. He has served as a General Manager at Closenberg Hotel and Kosgoda Beach resort, during the time of Connaissance Management. - SS ########### Universal Maldives to invest more in Lanka by Shirajiv Sirimane in Maldives The largest Hotel chain owner in the Maldives, Universal Enterprises Limited has decided to look for more leisure investment opportunities in Sri Lanka. The hotel group which holds the controlling shares of the Mahaweli Reach Hotel in Kandy, is looking forward to build new hotels and also to acquire shares in existing Lankan hotels. "The potential in Sri Lankan tourism sector is tremendous and this is why we have decided to enter the leisure market in a big way," said the Executive Director Operations, Umar Mohamed Maniku. He said that they have also decided to invest more towards the upgrading of the Mahaweli Reach Hotel and is also looking for a Spa for the hotel. "This is a very good property and we are ready to invest more on it," he said. He also said that they would look at marketing both Sri Lanka and the Maldives as one destination. "Many tourists to Male are long stay clients and we can pursue them to visit Sri Lanka as well, since there is a very good air link between the two countries," he said. Cultural Triangle which includes Sigiriya and Dambulla and also the Digana golf courses in Kandy are some of the major attractions. We could organise day excursions to these places using the Mahaweli Reach Hotel as the hub," he said. Mohamed, the son of Umar Maniku, the Chairman of the group, said that they have also opened a subsidiary of their group, Sovereign Agency in Colombo recently. "We are hoping to market world leading hotel accessories, sports wear, flasks and beach furniture from Italy, Germany and Australia to the Sri Lankan market from this," he said. He said that they would also be marketing their resorts in Maldives to attract locals specially during the off season. "These promotions too would be co-ordinated from this new office," he said. He said that the Hotel and Trade exhibition which was concluded last week gave them a good opportunity to interact with hotel suppliers from Sri Lanka and other countries. ########### Gayathrie to perform at two Jetwing Hotels Gayathrie Patrick of the United Kingdom will perform at two Jetwing's five star properties, The Beach, Negombo, on Christmas Eve and subsequently at The Lighthouse Hotel and Spa Galle on New Year's Eve. Born in Sri Lanka, Gayathrie, has won many awards for her singing including the prestigious "International Young Singer of the Year" title at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod; first prize at the "Robert Sutcliffe Inter-Conservatoire" special conpetition for singers; first prize at the "Cardigan Opera Challenge" competition at the Cardigan Musical Eisteddfod and in October 2001, the "Open Vocal Challenge" prize at the Minors Eisteddfod of South Wales. She has also won the first prize for Opera, Recital and Lieder in thirty-two competitions affiliated to the British Federation of Music. In 1999 she made her debut as soloist in the Variety Show "Sunday Night at the London Palladium." |
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