Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort to adds more rooms

Shirajiv SIRIMANE

The Management of The Grand Udawalawe Safa Director Operations, Chandana Pathmaperuma said that since the opening of the hotel last month they have a steady clientele and from the response they are receiving from travel agents and companies they need more rooms to meet the demand.

“We are hoping to target a 50-50 local and foreign guest base and special rates will be given initially to locals as the resort has entered too late to accommodate forward bookings for the winter season.

He said that they had invested Rs.750 million to build the Sabaragamuwa Province first four star hotel in Udawalawe which has 53 rooms (inclusive of 04 suites) built on a seven acre land. All rooms have internet and IDD facilities, satellite TV facilities with international/ local channels. In addition there would be a large banquet hall with seating capacity of 450 which would be the biggest in the region, a specially designed swimming pool and a restaurant which can accommodate 250.

A mini theatre is also in place for tourists seeking leisure along with a large open air theatre concept. “We are looking at introducing 'Sound and light shows' a first for Sri Lanka at this unique theatre overlooking a mini river,”he said.

He said that they are currently on the look out for an operator to get their project moving. The Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort also has a coffee shop, Monara, a restaurant with a capacity of hosting 250 guests, Una Sevana, and two bars, Ath Gala and Ali Mankada indoor and out door.

Having gained experience for working with the Banyan Tree group and in the Maldives he said that they have branded all their toilet kits with the hotel logo. The resort has been designed to conserve the environment with water and waste recycling being inserted into the system and the construction work been done around nature without felling a single tree during the process. The resort also a state-of-the-art business centre with 200 seating capacity, gymnasium which they hope to market for both the local and foreign MICE market.

Deputy Chairman, Anura Withanage said that they would be investing Rs.300 million while the balance would be financed through borrowings from the Bank of Ceylon. “With tourism booming we hope to break-even in four years,” he said.

He said that they would also build a second hotel in the same premises promoting the concept of Ayurvedha.

“We identified the property just before the end of civil war in 2009. The structure was built but had been abandoned for close to 12 years. The property was acquired in February 2009,” Vithanage said.

The hotel was open by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on October 27.

Owned and managed by Rosen Lanka Limited, The Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort has agreed to purchase all their fruit and vegetable requirements in the area . The recruitment policy of the hotel also has given priority to the youth of the area. The resort is owned by Rosen Lanka Pvt Ltd is situated in Thanamalvila Road, the facility 500 meters from the Ath Athuru Sevana (Elephant Orphemage), and is only a five minutes drive from the Uda Walawe National Park. It is also easy access to the Mahinda Rajapaksa Cricket Stadium, the Ruhunu Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port and the proposed Mattala Mahinda Rajapaksa International Airport.