Peacock Beach invests Rs.60m for refurbishment

Shirajiv Sirimane

INVESTMENT: Peacock Beach Hotel Hambantota has invested Rs. 60 million to refurbish the hotel, which was damaged after the tsunami.

The Hotel a member of the Guruge Group of Companies, will be also upgrading most of their rooms to provide a better service. In addition several new facilities such as a Sports & Recreation center, Pool Tables, Squash,

 Clay court Tennis, too would be constructed. “These facilities would be ready up by July 2007,” Director Sales and Operations, Guruge Group of Companies, Ms. Dulani Guruge said.

She said that they are forecasting a tremendous tourism potential in the area with accelerated development in Hambantota harbour, Weerawila airport and many other development projects which have got underway recently,” she said.

The hotel is gearing up to meet this projected future demand. “We are also hoping at attract expatriates and corporate residing in Hambantota on Development projects,” she said.

She said that in addition they are hoping to introduce Surfing center (the first surfing event of Sri Lanka was held in Peacock in 1980.s) Cycling trail and a Turtle Hatchery.

The hotel was also extensively marketed at the recently concluded ITB in Berlin and WTM in London. “We have a very good response from these promotions,” she said.

Resident Manager, Peacock Beach Hotel, Vajira Jayawickrema the largest and only beach front hotel in the

Region said that the Landscaping the of Garden is almost complete and the Fortress Type gate coming up at the Main Entrance would be completed next month. “Special white stones have been hand picked from by our chairman Jinadasa Guruge for this gate,” he said.

The hotel also organizes day excursions to Yala, Bundala, Uda walawe, Kataragama, Weerawila, Rekawa, Ussangoda and have special open roof, double-decker bus which is very popular among tourists,” he said. The Hotel also has the Largest Conference Hall in the District and provides modern conference facilities to many organizations based in the District and Colombo.

Today the hotel offers 112 well furnished rooms with air-conditioning, bath shower, telephone, radio, private balcony with direct sea view and has cable television and hot and cold water. The hotel also has a large pool and a separate kiddies pool.