Thursday Dec 26, 2024
Thursday Dec 26, 2024
Friday, 28 June 2024 00:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Royal Classic Resort, Kandy has embarked on a major expansion, driven to grow their footprint, and have taken over the management of two properties in Kandy and Sigiriya.
Royal Classic Resort General Manager R. Jeyapradhap said that Royal Classic Resort Chairman Ammaippan Sivasubramaniam, a businessman in Kandy for over 30 years, diversified into the leisure sector and invested in the Royal Classic Resort Ltd. in 2019.
The Wisdom Boutique Resort, situated close to Royal Classic, offers 11 spacious and luxurious rooms that elegantly combine Kandyan tradition and modernity, an outdoor swimming pool, garden, and children’s games facilities along with all other modern facilities.
Jeyapradhap said one of the biggest draws is the former store’s underground room, now converted to a club and bar, which may be the only such facility in the country. “We are promoting this ‘private heaven’ to the local and foreign upmarket clientele who prefer a quiet holiday with privacy. This property was closed for some time. We invested in refurbishing the property and upgrading it to a super luxury retreat. Due to its smaller size, it is also sought after for both local and foreign family get-togethers, corporate and special functions, and also to host foreign weddings that usually buy the entire property.”
The Wisdom Nature Resort, Dambulla is the third to be added to their inventory and the property offers 10 super deluxe and deluxe rooms, an outdoor swimming pool, a 100 capacity banquet facility, and many outdoor sports activities in the adjoining Dambulla River.
The first luxury property, Royal Classic, opened in 2019, features 30 spacious rooms with a pool bar, coffee lounge bar, restaurant, gym, conference hall, three banquet halls, and an outdoor pool with a mountain view and a garden area with high-end amenities. Jeyapradhap also said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Royal Classic never closed down and kept the staff and maintained the hotel and when the pandemic was over, the hotel was fully functional and was among the first to reopen.
Meanwhile, the Chairman’s son Mahesh Sivasubramaniam also joined the hotel as a trainee and has now been promoted to the Marketing Manager of Royal Classic. He said that Royal Classic Kandy, due to its superior service, has made a huge impact in the wedding conference segment and became a much sought after hotel for functions. “Due to this, the management is now looking at investing a further Rs. 350 million to build another banquet hall which will be added by next year.”
Due to the hotel’s occupancy rates also increasing, the management decided to add more hotels to their portfolio and soon took over the management of both Wisdom Boutique Resort in Kandy and also Wisdom Nature Resort in Sigiriya. “We have taken these properties on a long lease and have invested around Rs. 200 million for refurbishment, leasing, and outer overheads.” he added.
