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| Sunday, 13 October 2002 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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The 'GEM' of the Ceylon Hotels Corporation : enchanting Grand Ella Motel by BEVERLEY JANSZ Clouds, mist, and greenish flat terrain stretch up to the horizon to make a natural picturesque at the Grand Ella Motel, the GEM of the Ceylon Hotels Corporation.
The Grand Ella Motel stands majestically overlooking the southern valley through the famous Ella Gap which is bounded, from right by Ravana's mountain where Princess Sita was said to have been kept in captivity several thousand years ago. The Motel has 14 beautiful double rooms which is reminiscent of the legend of Ramayana such as Sita, Rama, Ayodya and Lakshman. Each room is designed with a private balcony providing a panoramic view of the Ella gap. It is built on the Ella - Wellawaya main road, in close proximity to the Ella railway station, about six hours drive from Colombo. The beautiful city of Bandarawela is a just eight kilometres ahead.The colonial style rest house built in 1926, came under the wing of the Ceylon Hotels Corporation in 1967 after which it was fully revamped. The restaurant's main bar is aptly named 'Agni'. Each deluxe room in the new wing offers modern star class facilities including quality furniture, colour TV, mini bar, telephone and pleasing bathroom with hot and cold water. The sprawling lounge and restaurant are tastefully furnished. It is the right weather, some 1,200 ft. above sea level for tourists to relax with a drink with the backdrop over the Ella gap. The motel's cuisine is ideal for fine dining. It also offers truly traditional Sri Lankan hospitality. The famous Ravana Falls is only 4 km. away from the hotel. The ancient Dova temple where the Sacred Tooth Relic was once kept, is a few minutes drive towards Bandarawela. The Namunukula range adds to the beauty of the surroundings.
The Grand Ella Motel is ideal for honeymooners, and family outings. It offers a host of tourist attractions, including bird watching, tracking to the 'Mini' Adam's Peak, Demodara Bridge, Bogoda wooden bridge, Dova temple and Ravana Falls. The oldest railway track bridge, close to the hotel, offers tourists a panoramic view at night when the night mail train from Badulla passes the bridge, Manager, Grand Ella Motel, Lesley Tillakaratne said. Since lesley took up duties as the manager, he has converted the compound of the motel into a mini botanical garden. The Grand Ella Motel is owned and managed by the Ceylon Hotels Corporation. Since the new CHC Chairman, Bodhi Ranasinghe was put at the helm of the CHC, all rest houses, hotels and food outlets run by the CHC have shown a marked improvement in quality and service. CHC's Senior Manager, Marketing/Travel, Ranjith Balasuriya and his marketing team are working round the clock to popularise all CHC properties not only among foreign tourists, but also Sri Lankans. Under the guidance of Bodhi Ranasinghe, Balasuriya has planned a series of local tourist promotions, with special discounts for Sri Lankans. One such attraction was the launching of the 'Thanayama' card system which has already become extremely popular among Sri Lankans. It offers a host of attractions, including large discounts to Sri Lankan families to have an enjoyable holiday in star hotels and rest houses owned and managed by the Ceylon Hotels Corporation. ################## Lion Air offers special packages to Jaffna by Ramani Kangaraarachchi It was a fine 50 minutes air trip to Jaffna by British made Hawker Siddley 748 the latest addition to the LionAir fleet. The 48 seater first ever western plane took off last week with a group of media personnel accompanied by Lion Air Chief Chandran Ratnum and his Executive Director Air vice Marshal Paddy Mendis. A grand reception at Palaly airport with beautiful fresh flower garlands was held. The journalists got the opportunity to see the latest situation in Jaffna,including the commemoration of Thilipan at Nallur Kovil, and of course the destruction caused by the 19- year war. A sumptuous lunch was served at the famous Subash Hotel. Delicious Kiribath, biscuit and cake with cool drinks was served during the journey. There is no doubt that the comfort and hospitality of charming air hostess Salomi and Peshani will attract the tourists, foreigners as well as Sri Lankans.The passengers were in the safe hands of South African pilots and Sri Lankan Captain Romesh Mendis, who said. "I love aeronautical service and my intention is to give a comfortable and safe journey to our passengers. A package including free transport to the Jaffna city will be offered shortly for the convenience of the passengers. A schedule of two flights a day during the week with one flight on Sundays has been planned and it will be extended to Ampara, Weeravila and Trincomallee later," the chairman said. It will be an interesting educational tour for the children at half rate, who have never seen Jaffna. ################## A bed in the sky from Qatar Airways Qatar Airways, which witnessed rapid developments in the past few months, the most notable being the delivery of three new aircraft, raising its fleet strength to 17 aircraft, has notched for itself another milestone by introducing to its First Class services nothing short of a 'bed in the sky' The Airline's First Class cabin now offers its passengers the ultimate comfort in flying with luxurious full length sleeper seats with built in features converting it into a lie-flat bed for the passengers ultimate comfort and relaxation. The flat bed seats recline fully to a horizontal position with privacy panels for total comfort and relaxation. This is complimented with a feather duet, slippers and pyjamas.Qatar Airways' Business class also caters to the passenger's individual requirements with a seat that can be moved to three pre-programmed positions and can be adjusted to their individual needs as well. The Business Class cabin is the first in the world to offer 'Sogerma Sleeper Seats' reclining to 160 degrees, with independent lumbar support and a foot massage bar. In both classes 21 entertainment video channels could be viewed on a personal 10.4" video monitor, while 16 audio channels are also available. According to Managing Director Delmege Forsyth Tours (GSA for Qatar Airways) Ravi Goonetilleke, with the introduction of the new full length sleeper seats, Qatar Airways has firmly positioned itself as an aviation force to be reckoned with amongst the discerning traveller. Electronic seat controls, bed lights, personal telephone and a personal lap top power outlet, are just some of the superior features that are now available. On Business Class, passengers could avail themselves of electronic control panels, movable arm rests, personal reading lights, foot rests, personal telephone and lap top power outlet, guaranteeing the ultimate flying comfort. The airline flies five times a week from Colombo to Doha and from there to 34 destinations around the world. Qatar Airways is represented in Sri Lanka by Delmege Frosyth Tours (Pvt) Limited, a member of the Delmege Forsyth Group of Companies. (BJ) ################## Galadari's chef Chithrajith excels at Asian Pacific Festival 2002 - Japan Senior Chef - De - Partie Galadari Hotel Sanath Chithrajith Dias returned to Sri Lanka after a successful food festival held in Japan last month. The food festival called the "Asian Pacific Festival 2002" is held annually in the Fukuoka City involving Asian countries namely Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, Korea and China. The Asian Pacific Food Festival popularly known as the 'Asian Spirit' is combined with trade stalls on view for the public. The Asian countries, in the form of dance and songs provided the entertainment., Chef Sanath Dias says that although most expensively priced meals were Sri Lankan, there were long queues at the Sri Lankan stall, which finally resulted in the sale of 12,400 meals thus winning him and two other assistants from the Lanka Oberoi the First Place with valuable prizes. He had also conducted a programme called the "Cooking school" where ladies had to follow lessons and reproduce the dish demonstrated by him and he proudly says that here too he secured FIRST PLACE. Chef Sanath Dias who is in charge of the CRAB CLAW Chinese restaurant situated at the lobby level of the Galadari says that his restaurant serves reasonably priced authentic Chinese food and also very famous for lagoon crabs. He says that he is grateful to Chandra Mohotti the General Manager, Galadari Hotel who spotted, and moulded him into what he is now. He has a special word of thanks for Eraj Abeywardene Resident Manager Lanka Oberoi for initiating his trip to Japan, Ananda Warakawa, Director of Food and Beverage, and the Executive Chef Lloyd Opatha, Galadari Hotel for their unstinted co-operation. |
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