Timeless Marvels 1:

The Grand Oriental Hotel

The Grand Oriental Hotel is the oldest hotel in Colombo. It was built by the British engineers and architects in 1875. Reminiscent of the British colonial era it was built opposite the old passenger jetty entrance to the Colombo Port. It was opened on November 05, 1875, by the Colombo Hotel Company Ltd.

Its victorious architecture is the traditional British style in the 19th century. Located at the vantage point at the gateway to the city tourists and other affluent visitors to the Ceylon. Among the distinguished visitors who stayed at the hotel was Anton Chekov, Princess Katrina of Yugaslavia, Empress Eugenie of France, Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan. Emperor Hirohito of Japan, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Sir Donald Bradman, Mark Twain Richard Nixon, Roger Moore among others.

The hotel was known as GOH but in the 1960s its name was changed to Hotel Taprobane as the first company refused to give the use of its original name. But later after many years it was once again given back its original name. It is one of Colombo’s landmarks, harking bade to two centuries of history.

The present General Manager, Nihal Jayaweardena said the hotel will be refurbished next year to retain the all the vintage charm of the 1830s as four star hotel.