Vendol Lanka owned: Haridra Resort to invest more

Director Sales and Marketing, Dhammika Gunasekera and CEO, Dr. Karunanada Godakanda

Sri Lanka's first all suite boutique hotel Haridra Resort and Spa in Wadduwa is to re-invest further to add more facilities to attract more corporate clientele.

The 32 room property situated in Wadduwa is the first diversification of the Godakanda Herbals, better known as Vendol Lanka Private Limited.

The Managing Director of the company, Dr. Lelwela G. Godakanda said that his aim is have a purposely build ayurveda resort for both his local and foreign clientele. "We were planning to build this hotel seven years ago but the country situation was bad and entrepreneurs were reluctant to invest," he said.

The company looked at properties in Ginigathena and Kalawana and finally selected this four and half acre beach property in Wadduwa. "We were to build the hotel in 2004 and when the tsunami stuck we had to postpone the construction and re design the property even to meet the threat of a tsunami," he said.

Godakanda said that the structure is designed in such a way that it could withstand a tsunami and provision is also provided for all guests and staff to evacuate to the roof top in case of a sudden tsunami.

He said that he had invested around Rs. 600 million for the hotel which included the latest global brands for the kitchen, gym, linen and furniture. "We are planning to add modern conference facilities to attract the MICE market mainly from Sri Lankan corporate and the Indian market," he said.

Director Sales and Marketing, Dhammika Gunasekera said that they have already launched a web site and the response from both local and overseas prospective clients is very good. "We opened the hotel last December and have been maintaining 40% occupancy," he added. "In a bid to offer four star facilities at an affordable rate and to introduce this hotel to the local clientele we are also offering very attractive rates for Sri Lankans during this period," he said. Special honey moon packages are also on offer where the couple would be provided a free night for a three day stay.

The management would also be marketing Haridra Resrot and Spa in Wadduwa globally and would be participating in future events such as the World Tourism Market next November in London.

The hotel also has one of the longest swimming pools in the Southern Province and has 16 garden suites, 8 ocean suites and several Mansion suites with individual plunge pools in the third floor, for the ultra luxury category. One of the exclusivities of the hotel is extra space in the excess of 1500 in the duplex style suites. The large bathrooms, big Cable TV, Wifi, business Centre and the modern gym are some of the other main attractions of the hotel. The mansion suites have been designed where ayurveda therapy could be performed in the ground floor. "We will soon introduce an individual butler service," he said.

He said that their staff is highly qualified, most of them having overseas training.