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| Sunday, 16 February 2003 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Induruwa Beach Resort - the soul of the South by BEVERLEY JANSZ Get in touch with nature, walk on stretches of the endless beach at Induruwa, described by regular visitors to Induruwa Beach Resort, German Engineer, Heinz and his wife, Erika, as 'one of the best beaches in the world'. Enjoy the shimmering tropical moonlight, be treated right royally to a traditional Sri Lankan hospitality that is world renowned ... this is what the Induruwa Beach Resort offers.
Situated 40 miles South of Colombo, is this star class hotel with 90 luxurious rooms, including six suites. With their very own private balcony and terrace, all rooms have its own view of the sea, and offer guests the luxury of having air conditioning, telephone with IDD facilities, star TV, mini bar hot/cold water, and a 24 hour room service. Enjoy yourself thoroughly in the large fresh water pool while watching the kids frolicking in the children's pool. If you feel like it, just sit and watch the glorious sun set at the pool side bar, the beach bar or the roof top restaurant and bar, or be treated to a variety of Western, Eastern, Chinese, and Sri Lankan delicacies at the hotel's restaurant/coffee shop. Guests will never be bored with Induruwa's range of recreational facilities which include a health club, sauna, billiards, table tennis, darts and carrom. When sun sets at the beautiful Induruwa Beach, relax, sip a drink and enjoy a delicious meal offered by food veteran, Executive Chef, K. Chandrasiri, to the enchanting sounds of a Calypso band and Folk Lore music. Be entranced by the magical movements of the Oriental Ballet Dancers or be entertained by the puppet and magic show, and if you feel like it, kick off your shoes and move to the rhythm of a live band and DJ music, offered by Induruwa Beach Resort. Induruwa Beach Resort which underwent a refurbishing recently now offers all modern facilities of a star class resort. Resident Manager Induruwa Beach Resort, Sudath Peiris, a hotelier with over 25 years star class experience said that the resort is maintaining a very healthy occupancy, almost one hundred percent this Winter season. 'We are fully booked until end of March', Peiris said. The hotel offers its guests special attractions including boat rides in the Madu Ganga, which is in close proximity to the hotel, visits to Turtle Hatcheries at Kosgoda, to Sinharaja Rain Forest and many more. The Induruwa Beach Resort is owned by Ceylon Shipping Lines Ltd. (Ocean View Ltd). and managed by McLarens Holiday Resorts Ltd. Colombo 4. ################ Gimanhala - the gateway to the dry zone After finishing his studies in 1987, Saliya Dayananda decided to build his own hotel in Dambulla on a paddy field owned by his father and appropriately named it 'Gimanhala' since that location was popular from the Colonial days as a resting place for those who visited the dry zone. Gimanhala is now a popular stopover not only to foreign tourists but also to locals visiting Jaffna, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Sigiriya and other places in the dry zone. Gimanhala which began operations in 1988 as a guest house with only eight rooms, now stands as a star class hotel with 20 deluxe rooms offering the discerning traveller all modern facilities. The hotel has a large swimming pool and restaurant/banquet hall which could cater to over 250 guests. It has become popular for weddings, picnics, workshops and family outings, for which the hotel offers all modern facilities. A special feature at Gimanhala is that it offers a daily lunch buffet, with a wide spread of both Western and Sri Lankan cuisine prepared by Executive Chef, Danny Hapuarachchi and his kitchen staff who have been with Saliya Dayananda from the inception of the hotel. The daily lunch buffet has become very popular special among foreign tourists who go for spicy Sri Lankan dishes. 'We have a regular clientele of both, foreign and local tourists who have made Gimanhala their second home, Chairman/Managing Director, Gimanhala, Saliya Dayananda said. Gimanhala is a Tourist Board approved 'A' grade guest house. Its chairman/Managing Director, Saliya Dayananda won a bronze award at the Sri Lankan Entrepreneurship 2001. ################ New look Habarana Rest House The Habarana Rest House, which is owned and managed by the Ceylon Hotels Corporation (CHC) has been fully refurbished under a program initiated by CHC Chairman, Bodhisiri Ranasinghe to upgrade all rest houses, hotels and outlets owned and managed by the CHC. Ranasinghe's vision is to offer a good service to both, foreigh tourists and locals.
The rest house is not only a popular transit spot for tourists visiting Trincomalee, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura, but also popular for lunch stopovers for tourists, both foreign and Sri Lankan. The rest house offers a typical delicious and spicy Sri Lankan lunch on a daily basis, which has got very popular among tourists, Senior Manager, Marketing/Travel, Ceylon Hotels Corporation, Ranjith Balasuriya said. Balasuriya and his marketing team has drawn up a plan to popularise the Habarana rest house as a transit spot for tourists. A special attraction offered to tourists by the rest house, is elephant rides, Manager, Habarana Rest House, Premasiri Vidhanapathirana said. 'We are working hard to popularise not only the rest house but our daily lunch, to tourists visiting the Cultural Triangle, Vidhanapathirana said. ################ A man with many talents : From a farmer to a leading hotelier When young Milton Galapatthy ended his studies abruptly even without sitting for the GCE (O/L) due to poverty, he thought that it was the end of the world for him. However, young Galapatthy's vision at that time was to own a hotel. It was wishful thinking at the start. Born in Gurupokuna, to a village headman, Milton studied at a remote village school in Hambantota. His father died when Milton was only four years. His mother had no choice but to keep Milton in custody of his grandfather who was a farmer. His grandfather thought him all aspects of farming, and during the drought season, he was asked to do chena cultivation, which was extremely tough for young Milton. 'At this stage I made up my mind to leave my grandfather, even without my mother's knowledge. I was just 20 years old. I then began fishing on an old boat. 'My ambition always was to 'learn' more than 'earn' Milton said. In 1976 he met his pretty partner in life, Swarnalatha and got married to her. By this time, Galapatthy was a fish mudalali. In 1980 Milton casually met a German Engineer, Reinhard Bayer who was very interested in investing on Sri Lanka's tourism industry. This was the turning point in Milton's life. He opened a joint account with Bayer. After Bayer left for Germany on February 16, 1982, Milton received a letter from the bank that he had received a remittance of 35,000 Deutsch Marks and 15,000 on a telegraphic transfer. 'At this stage I got a shock of my life, Milton said. This was the turning point in Milton's life. At this point he knew that his vision in life to be the proud owner of a hotel, was infact not 'wishful thinking'. He used this money to purchase a land and build his first hotel Wiska Cabanas, with six cabanas which began operations on December 15, 1982. In 1987 he opened his second hotel, Milton's Beach Resort at Unawatuna, Galle, with 28 guest rooms, which is now a star class resort. Galapatthy who could not speak a word of English, is now fluent not only in English but in the German language. Galapatthy is a man of many talents. He is the president of 'Science of Mind' which conducts psychological lectures for the Sri Lanka Army, Navy, Police, University students and school principals. He was the official motivator for the Sri Lanka cricket team in 1994, and still conducts lectures on 'Motivation' on a voluntary basis. Milton received the Green Award 2002 for the best outstation environmental leader. Taking into consideration the services rendered by Milton Galapatthy to the nation, Minister of Buddha Sasana and National Integration, W. J. M. Lokubandara has appointed him an all island Justice of the Peace. Milton Galapatthy is the Chairman/Managing Director of Milton's Beach Resort, Unawatuna. |
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Habarana Rest House is located at a major junction to a host of tourist
attractions in the cultural triangle, including the Minneriya and
Huruluwewa national parks.
