The Golden Crown Hotel was in a jubilant mood last Friday evening as General Manager Suneth Kudaliyanage and his team of executives were busy with their Christmas cake mixing event at the main lobby with the participation of all the kitchen staff. Over 100 kilos of choice ingredients were mixed to prepare the cake for the forthcoming yuletide season.
The citadel city of Kandy has been a glorious kingdom from the time of our ancient kings. It is the cultural pulse of the Central Province, where centuries of tradition are still sustained. Nestling in the serene hills of Ampitiya is the magnificent Golden Crown Hotel - an opulent property where the regal glory of Kandy is reflected with modern charm. The massive pillars at the hotel’s main entrance accentuate its majestic ambience. The Golden Crown has elegant rooms with 18 suites, including the stellar Crown suite and a Presidential suite. The luxury rooms are spacious, displaying stunning views of the surrounding hills.
Managing Director, Chanuka Wijekoon is an engineer turned hotelier. He explained, “This is a family owned business, and we maintain values of integrity and teamwork. My father, who is our Chairman, began with a 12 room hotel in Kandy by the name of Serene Hotel in 2002.
“By 2008 we expanded to a total room inventory of 45 rooms. Initially, our plan was to build a massive banquet hall at Ampitiya, but the project feasibility reports showed that there was a demand for a 5-star hotel and thus the birth of a 10 million USD investment in the Golden Crown Hotel. We intend to expand the hotel with additional rooms and fine dining.”
General Manager Suneth Kudaliyanage said, “We are proud to be part of the Golden Hospitality Group, and strive to maintain the best service standards and give our guests a memorable stay.” The Golden Crown has the largest pillar less banquet facility in Kandy which can accommodate 1,000 guests. The main ballroom has 36,000 lighting options to suit any event. Its unique feature is that seven functions can be held simultaneously in the main ballroom, while the banquet halls can cater to almost 2,000 guests. Each banquet venue is supported by its own service kitchen. In addition the Sky Lounge located on the rooftop is a popular venue for cocktails that can host 80 people.
The Lavo is a venue for cocktails and parties with its retro chic lighting. Dining options at the hotel include Brix - a beautifully designed spacious restaurant and Treats, a coffee shop located on lobby level. Executive Chef Prasanna Wimalasurendra explained, ‘At Brix we serve a multi – cuisine menu with options of Sri Lankan, Indian, Chinese, Classic Italian and Mediterranean grill. Kandy is a city with ancient traditions and we try to capture this element in our wedding menus which are loaded with authentic Sri Lankan dishes and an influence of western dishes when required. We make our own signature cheese with the milk we purchase from the Benedictine Monastery nearby. Our pastry chef Dushantha Wickremeratne excels in turning out dazzling desserts for our buffets.
“The hotels signature dish is a rack of lamb that reflects strong French culinary influence. We also have a popular high tea. Our chefs can easily do outside catering for almost a 1,000 guests.” The hotel has a gym with modern equipment, a spa and a pool. Guests can venture to explore many historic places including the famous Sri Dalada Maligawa.
