Shangri La - another paradise

Ruwini JAYAWARDANA

Whoever said that fictional paradise can only be limited to the pages of a book has another thought coming when they trace the history of Shangri-La.

The Shangri-La tale begins within the pages of James Hilton's 1930s novel 'Lost Horizons'. Inspired by the mystic beauty of the Himalayan Mountains in the Valley of the Blue Moon, the hotels first became a reality in 1971 when its first deluxe hotel opened in Singapore.

A sanctuary of lush tropical gardens and tranquil serenity away from the hustle and bustle of the city, Shangri-La hotels are the perfect hideaways for those who wish to escape from daily activities to a land of extraordinary beauty. Visitors are made to feel at home by the luxurious yet homely aura set off by the environs of the three groups of hotels - Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Traders Hotels and Kerry Hotels.

Expanding their horizons across the globe the Hong Kong based group broke grounds on its latest project in Colombo and Hambantota last week.

Shangri-La Colombo will be nestling between the Galle Face Green promenade and Beira Lake. It will house 661 rooms, offering the largest accommodation in the city and will be on a 45 square metres to 55 square metres land. A health club, spa with eight treatment rooms, an outdoor junior Olympic-size lap pool at 25 by 12 metres and two outdoor tennis courts is also part of the hotel.

"Our move is aimed at the group's ongoing expansion of linking the Indian subcontinent with the rest of the world. We believe that our entrance to the scene will take the country's hospitality industry to a new level. We are also expecting to attract many foreigners to country," Shangri-La Asia Executive Director Madhu Ramachandra said.

The property in Hambantota is a 315 room city resort on a 145 acre land. Both properties will be avenues for employment opportunities for the locals. A 'Hospitality Traineeship Programme' will be incited to select the staff. Young adults taking part in the 15 to 18 month event will be trained on basic courses in front office, food and beverage service, kitchen, landscaping and gardens. Those who shine during the programmes will be placed in selected Shangri-La hotels in other parts of the world until the properties in Sri Lanka are ready for pre-opening work.

The group has a chain of hotels located in several parts of the world from China, Asia Pacific and Middle East to Europe and North America. Shangri-La, Colombo, is due to open in 2015.