President opens Shangri-La’s Hambantota Resort & Spa

President Maithripala Sirisena being welcomed by K. Cheng Sui, the mother of Shangri La Sri Lanka Chairman Kuok Meng Xiong (right) as Shangri-La President and CEO Greg Dogan (third from left), Deputy Finance Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Shangri La Sri Lanka Director Sajad Mawzoon and Shangria La's Hambantota resort General Manager Mehdi Serrour look on. 

The 300-room beachfront Shangri-La’s Hambantota Resort & Spa opened on Wednesday on a 145-acre former coconut plantation on the southern coastline of Sri Lanka. 

President Maithripala Sirisena officiated at the launch, joined by guests from Colombo and the local community to mark the arrival of a new standard of luxury in the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’. 

Tourism Minister John Amaratunga, Deputy Finance Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Mahinda Amaraweera and business and tourism industry leaders were also present. 

“We are excited to unveil the first of two Shangri-La hotels in Sri Lanka and to add a third Indian Ocean resort to the Group’s portfolio,” said Shangri-La President and CEO Greg Dogan. “This stunning resort is the perfect backdrop for guests to experience the incredible beauty, culture and warmth of Sri Lanka. We have created a destination within a destination where guests can discover unique experiences and find personal moments of ‘Shangri-La’.”

The resort comprises 279 rooms and 21 suites. 

Shangri-La’s Hambantota Resort & Spa, Sri Lanka is offering a variety of opening packages, including an all-inclusive offer for two, priced at $ 247 per night, valid until 22 December. Room rates start at $ 216, single or double occupancy, and include breakfast.

Shangri-La’s Hambantota Resort & Spa is the first of two Shangri-La hotels in Sri Lanka with the second hotel – Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo – slated to open next year. The Group operates two other resorts in the Indian Ocean – Shangri-La’s Le Touessrok Resort & Spa, Mauritius and Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa, Maldives.

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts currently owns and/or manages 98 hotels under the Shangri-La brand with a room inventory of over 40,000.

Shangri-La hotels are five-star deluxe properties featuring extensive luxury facilities and services, and are located in Australia, Canada, mainland China, Fiji, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Sultanate of Oman, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

The Group has a substantial development pipeline with upcoming projects in mainland China, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka.