Top hotel chains to spruce up Colombo | Page 3 | Sunday Observer

Top hotel chains to spruce up Colombo

11 February, 2018

attractive location for luxury hotel developments, luxury room inventory in Sri Lanka’s capital city is set to increase exponentially in the next three to four years with the commencement of operations of major hotel chains, the Sunday Observer learns. According to a ‘Policy Recommendations’ report compiled by a 13-member task force, Colombo’s four to five star room capacity will increase by 4,135 rooms by 2021 from the current 5,367 rooms (comprising of 3-5 star categories).

The transformation will happen following the scheduled commencement of operations by hotel chains such as ITC, NEXT, Park Inn by Radisson, Ritz Carlton, Sheraton, Hyatt, Marino Sands and Four Seasons Hotel. The report states that new rooms being added are by Cinnamon Life (800), Hyatt (559), ITC (300), Marino Sands (270), NEXT (200), Radisson (300), Ritz Carlton (200), Shangri-La (550 - already operational), Welcome Hotel (300), Sheraton (306) and 4 Seasons (350). “This is a very exciting time for Sri Lanka, as we are seeing the real estate sector growing exponentially. We at John Keells are very bullish about this sector, and we will continue to be the driving force behind the changing landscape, and Colombo’s burgeoning metropolis,” said Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President of the John Keells Group, Roshanie Jayasundera Moraes.

Her comments came in the wake of John Keells Properties promoting its latest projects, Cinnamon Life and TRI-ZEN to Canadian residents in Toronto recently.

Delivering a presentation at the event, officials of John Keells Holdings noted that despite the significant growth in tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka, the five-star room inventory of Colombo which currently stands at around 5,019 lags far behind other popular regional cities.

However, the conglomerate said the expected five star room supply will increase by 1,581 rooms with the developments of Sheraton (306), Grand Hyatt (475) and Cinnamon Life (800) coming to fruition. The ITC Colombo One Hotel and Residences, a mixed-use luxury development by an Indian conglomerate, adjoining the recently opened Shangri La Hotel in Colombo, is due to become operational by 2021.

The NEXT Hotel Colombo is being developed as part of the mixed-use development named ‘Colombo City Centre’ under a joint venture between Abans Group and Singapore-based SiverNeedle Hospitality Pte Ltd.

The 47-storey mixed-use lifestyle centre comprising a shopping mall, luxury apartment complex and hotel is set to spruce up opposite the scenic Beira Lake at Sir James Peiris Mawatha, Colombo 2. On the other hand, the 199-room Park Inn by Radisson, an investment of Sofia Hospitality Ltd., a subsidiary of Sri Lanka’s St. Anthony’s Group of Companies is slated to commence operations in Kollupitiya next year. On completion, the hotel will be managed by the globally-acclaimed US hospitality giant Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, ranked among the top five hotel chains in EMEA.

Other hotel developments in the pipeline are Ritz-Carlton Hotel being built in collaboration with Krrish group, Sheraton Colombo Hotel in Kollupitiya set to open in September this year, the Grand Hyatt Colombo, a 47-storey mixed development neighbouring St. Thomas’ Preparatory School in Kollupitiya and Marino Sands Hotel in Kollupitiya, a venture by furniture manufacturer Damro.

 

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