Galway Heights: Newest star in Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya in the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka is a world famous holiday destination known for its salubrious climate and scenic beauty. This picturesque town which is located at an elevation of over 6,000 feet above sea level, sits in the backdrop of the mighty Pidurutalagala Mountain which at 8,200 feet is Sri Lanka’s highest mountain. 

Nuwara Eliya town, which dates back to the early period of the British colonial era, is considered a perfect replication of the quintessential British countryside retreat, east of the Suez. Affluent British planters finding the climate very similar to their own back home, made Nuwara Eliya a home away from home and as the saying goes, the rest is history. Today, Nuwara Eliya is undoubtedly Sri Lanka’s ultimate holiday destination. 

The month of April has traditionally been the peak tourist season for this resort town and both foreign as well as local tourists flock in their numbers to enjoy the cool, breezy weather and take in the sights of a town in full bloom. Over the years Nuwara Eliya has given birth to many attractions that visitors keep flocking to but one such attraction has largely gone unnoticed until now, that being a protected national forest reserve known as Galway’s Land National Park. This area was first declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1938 and Gazetted as a national park in 2006.

This little gem, hidden in plain sight, lies just 10 minutes from the bustling city centre. It is a highly sensitive montane eco system that apart from the rich avifauna hosts a variety of floral species endemic to this part of the world. The Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka has noted that Galway’s Land is a significant birding site in Sri Lanka being host to about 20 rare migrant bird species and over 30 native species. The forest itself has an interesting history and is named after a quaint little village in Ireland known as Galway, which is said to bear a striking resemblance to the flora and fauna found in this patch of virgin forest in Nuwara Eliya. 

Sitting right on the perimeter of this treasure trove is the newest resort in Nuwara Eliya’s hospitality offerings. Appropriately named as Galway Heights, this luxurious, ultra-modern hotel offers unique insights into the hidden treasures of the Galway forest as well as the pristine environment in which it is located. 

Sanrose Hospitality Ltd. invested in Galway Heights back in June 2018 and spared no expense in fulfilling the vision of the company to make this unique property, its first foray into the hospitality industry, a one of a kind proposition. The end result has been the creation of a destination within a destination. 

With the company having already invested in the tea sector, it was only a matter of time before it decided to diversify into the hospitality sector, being two of the most marketable sectors, while helping to develop the local economy through employment generation. The philosophy that guides the company in this new venture is simple and refreshing, to bring about affordable, quality hospitality to a town that has so much to offer. 

“After Sanrose Hospitality purchased this property in 2018, a substantial investment was made to create a hotel that could stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in the industry. Having worked 24/7 to finish construction work the hotel first opened its doors in January 2019 but had to close just a year later due to the pandemic. Having made further improvements to both the infrastructure as well as service offerings during the period the hotel remained closed, Galway Heights is now ready to welcome visitors once again,” said Sanrose Hospitality Chairman Thanura Panapitiya. 

Speaking about the design cues for this unique hotel, Panapitiya noted that the inspiration came from Ireland. “We found that Galway is a charming, quaint city in Ireland. We endeavoured to incorporate those characteristics in the architecture of Galway Heights, blending it with the forest theme. It has resulted in the creation of a unique hotel which will add value to Nuwara Eliya as the ultimate holiday location for both locals and tourists.”

The hotel boasts of 47 luxury rooms categorised as standard rooms, deluxe rooms, junior suites, and the ultimate in luxury, a one of a kind presidential suite. The rooms have been designed with international expertise and exude an aura of clean, refined luxury. The extensive property also features an international restaurant featuring all types of cuisine including show cooking, a cosy well stocked bar, a relaxing lobby cum lounge, a library and games room, a courtyard, an extensive lawn already famous for serving the finest Ceylon tea, and a multi-purpose banquet space fully equipped to host any type of event. 

It is an accepted fact that fancy buildings alone don’t make great hotels. Greatness is achieved by the passion, skills and commitment of the staff. Keeping this in mind, Galway Heights has endeavoured to make their staff feel right at home by going the extra mile to provide a well-appointed staff quarters equipped with all the comforts of home. Not stopping at that, the staff has been made to undergo specialised training to complement their years of experience in the trade. 

“We have a world class culinary team and all our chefs have had international experience. The team has come up with unique, experiential culinary offerings such as guests being invited to cook along with the chefs using produce from the hotel garden. We grow our own vegetables that are free of pesticides. We have also introduced a ‘Dine with the Chef,’ concept where guests could go shopping to the market with the Chef and procure whatever that they fancy, which is later cooked right before their eyes. ‘Our Garden to Table’ programme is becoming very popular,” said a Hotel spokesman explaining what differentiates Galway Heights from the rest.

In order to further widen the guest experience, the hotel has introduced a wide range of bespoke offerings such as a Nuwara Eliya by night city hop, golfing excursions, bird watching expeditions at Galway Park next door, picnics to nearby Lake Gregory, bustling evenings in town, tea factory hopping, horse riding, hiking, etc.

“Although we are a family oriented hotel we are well equipped to cater to the business traveller. Our service culture is all about the total product. The underlying theme to all our efforts is to provide a memorable, value for money experience. Although we are classified as a four star hotel, our service is nothing short of five star. Elegance, affordability, and boutique style are all part of the Galway Heights experience,” emphasised Chairman Panapitiya, who is determined to make his hotel an iconic property.

Sanrose Hospitality is already drawing up plans for further additions to its hotel portfolio with an eye on the central highlands. “We want to expand in the hill country. Our vision is to be the preferred hotel brand in the hills,” notes Panapitiya, quite confident that Sri Lanka will bounce back stronger in the post-COVID era.

If guest accolades are anything to go by, Panapitiya’s vision may already have been achieved. In the short period that Galway Heights has been operating, it has been rated as the No.1 hotel in Nuwara Eliya for two consecutive years by top global travel specialist, Bookings.com while consistently being in the top five in TripAdvisor ratings.