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| Sunday, 9 November 2003 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Willys Safari Hotel : A haven for wildlife lovers by BEVERLEY JANSZ
Wasgamuwa National Park is the major protected area in Central Sri lanka where wild elephants can be easily sighted. According to the 1993 survey report, this park of the Wasgamuwa Riverine Nature Reserve Complex (WRC) is home to about 95 elephants-some estimates put the figure as high as 300. The park also accommodates other large mammals. Overlooking the placid beauty of the scenic 'Knuckles Range' and Dunuwila Wewa, the biggest lake in Wilgamuwa and bordering the Wasgamuwa Wildlife Sanctuary, stands Willys Safari Hotel, a true haven for wildlife enthusiasts. Built on five acres of land, tastefully landscaped in line with the wildlife concept of the hotel, Willys Safari Hotel has 14 air conditioned guest rooms, offering all modern facilities. All rooms have been designed to offer guests a scenic view of 'Dunuwila Lake' and the famous 'Knuckled Range' mountains, one of Sri Lanka's main tourist attraction. Willys Safari Hotel is a base to explore many tourist attractions in the Central Province, including the Wasgamuwa Wildlife Sanctuary and places of historic importance dating back to the Dutugemunu era, including the ruins of the Weheragala temple, built by that king. The hotel offers a host of tourist attractions to both foreign tourists and Sri Lankans including safaris to Mahiyangana, the Sorabora Wewa, camping facilities to the Wasgamuwa Park, boating on the Dunuwila Lake, fishing, cycling to remote villages and visiting the Veddhas at Dambana. Added attractions include jeep safaris and night safaris to nearby villages watch herds of elephants, leopard and other animals in their natural habitat, river baths in the Mahaweli on the Eastern border of Wasgamuwa and many more. The hotel has two restaurants, the main restaurant which could accommodate more than 100 guests, and the bar restaurant, which boasts beautiful interior decor. The restaurants serve the best of Western, Eastern and prides itself for the spicy Sri Lankan cuisine, in the form of buffets and BBQ nights. The regular Sunday lunch buffet offering a wide selection of cuisine is a big hit not only among in-house guests, but other tourists who visit the Wasgamuwa National Park. Willys Safari Hotel is owned and managed by Willys Trading Co., (Pvt) Ltd. Colombo 10. Its directors are Victor Ranasinghe (Chairman) and Prasanna Ranasinghe (Director). ############## Hellenic Holiday Home with a breathtaking view of Pidurutalagala Hellenic Holiday Home, Nuwara Eliya offers guests a homely atmosphere, with a rare combination of picturesque views of Nuwara Eliya's misty mountains and the famous Pidurutalagala.
The hotel has nine standard rooms and one semi-suite with pantry, which is ideal for families and long staying guests, Managing Director, Hellenic Holiday Home, Mano de Silva said. The well appointed guest rooms offer all modern facilities including hot water, room heaters, telephone with IDD facility and room service. The hotel also has a TV lounge, open air terrace and a well stocked bar. The restaurant serves A'la'carte menus, delicious Western, Eastern, Chinese and Sri Lankan cuisine, prepared by an experienced chef. The spacious restaurant/seminar hall could accommodate over 125 guests. The unique feature at Hellenic Holiday Home is that guests get a panoramic view of the lush green Pidurutalagala (Mount Pedro) and Nuwara Eliya's world famous Lake Gregory from their rooms. In close proximity to the hotel are the Hakgala Garden, Single Tree Mountain range, Nuwara Eliya Race course, Glenfalls and many more places of tourist interest, to which the hotel offers excursions. It also offers camping facilities to guests. Due to its romantic setting and friendly atmosphere, Hellenic Holiday Home has become extremely popular among honeymooners, de Silva said. Directors of Hellenic Holiday Home are the husband and wife combination Mano de Silva (Managing Director) and Renuka de Silva (Director), both experienced hoteliers. (BJ) ########### Guides for all seasons by Karel Roberts Ratnaweera 'Blood, sweat and tears have brought us to where we are today,' President of the National Tourist Guide Lecturers' Association of Sri Lanka (NTGLA), Bernard Andrahennedy told the Sunday Observer in a recent interview. He was relaxed and happy - not surprisingly - because he was at 'home' - in the premises of the NTGLA which the association finally found and purchased at a cost of 3.5 million rupees ten years ago after much hardship and heartache. For too long tourist guides, or tour guides, to use a more familiar term, have been like the proverbial poor relations in a trade that is associated with ease and luxury because foreign tourist is a symbol of the good life to the local population of any country they visit, like it or not. Even the hippy of the era of flower power and Beatlemania of the sixties and seventies was regarded as a visiting goldmine. The local tour guide was treated like the pariah of the industry; he was simply classified as a tout or a beachboy, the latter term coming into currency later than tout. He had no status to talk of, nothing at the end of the day except a little money in his hand and some pleasant memories. In recent years there has been a change for the better in the status of the Sri Lankan Tourist Guide, improved conditions and, improved status opening up new vistas for them. Time was when the ships of prestigious shipping lines would disgorge what were then called 'passengers' in the Colombo jetty who were accompanied into the Fort and other parts of Colombo city by 'guides' wearing sarong and coats, NTGLA President Andrahennedy said. The NTGLA was established in 1968 with its first president Ernest Munasinghe holding office for the next two years. There have been fourteen presidents since then, as a board listing them in the new premises said. There was even a time when the association used to have to hold meetings in a small room in the Taj Samudra hotel, then some other temporary, makeshift 'headquarters' somewhere in Duplication Road which of course today is Colombo's Oxford Street. 'We do not turn any member away at any time for whatever reason,' the NTGLA news letter says. The president of the NTGLA says that our guiding is of world class quality thanks to the Tourist Board There are at least three courses lined up for next year, which will be conducted by the Board for the training of tourist lecturers. He says that constant upgrading is of vital importance as the product we are selling is no less than Sri Lanka, and upgrading will contribute to the development of the industry. |
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