Jetwing Sea opens with new arms

Demi Hewamanna

Negambo is one of the many places that tourists flock to when they land at the Katunayake Airport that is just a half hour drive from the Negambo city. This city is known for its amazing beaches, friendly folks, awesome seafood and the breath taking hotels surrounding the coastal area.

One such beauty is the newly revamped hotel Jetwing Sea (formerly known as Jetwing Seashells) that came out to the open last weekend to a large gathering of dignitaries and guests from all over Colombo and Negambo with Chief Guest Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Guest of Honour External Affairs Minister Prof H L Pieris participating for the event.

The media as usual were taken by the Jetwing team and from the moment we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted with Ayubowan from every staff member of the hotel. As we made way to the High Tea gathering, things were being prepared for a wonderful night with a little worry on the weather.

Everything seemed spacious and even if you are having tea/coffee inside or outside, the wonderful breeze of the Indian Ocean comes right through and gives you goosebumps (in a good way). Jetwing undertook this refreshing look project with the joint venture of Zinc Journeys (part of Chaudary Group, Nepal). The new look was given by architect Murad Ismail (student of Geoffrey Bawa). “We had major improvements and credit goes to the engineering team of Jetwing,” Jetwing Zinc Journey Lanka Chairman Tilak De Zoysa said at the grand opening. We have plans to take our projects and stretch out to Kandy, Hambantota and Trincomalee hopefully soon.

“All this has been possible by the untiring efforts by Hiran, Shiromal and the team reproducing it in a record time of seven months,” Chaudhary Group Chairman Binod Chaudhary said. This day also would not have been possible without the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa who brought peace to this country and uniting it to one, he added.

Jetwing Chairman Hiran Cooray said that its peace that gives confidence to go forward with a new broad energy to invest and create new products.

We tried many times to position Negambo. There has been a lot of integration with the locals, fishing folks and everybody to make what it is today. We are hoping to give the same revamp to Browns Beach as well. The new facilities and luxuries have been added to uplift standards with new creations and designs here and there whilst keeping the feel of the old atmosphere still there.

The new expansion has 83 furnished rooms and two luxury suites on the top floor. And as you come down from the lobby and turn to your left you get a glass room with an lovely collection of wines, and say as you step out, you get two gorgeous swimming pools, a fully quipped gymnasium and of course the rooftop spa.

Jetwing Sea is one of the four hotels located in Negambo which are Jetwing Beach, Jetwing Blue Oceanic and Jetwing Ayurveda.

The grand opening was indeed grand with amazing table arrangements on the sand and food and drinks being served on the beach with some great music provided by the band. There were also the fireworks with one actually blowing up next to our table and deafening our ears. The food was excellenté and I really did enjoy everything that was served on the table. I cant wait to go another day and have full days experience of the Jetwing Sea.