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Monday, 13 November 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo
The highly-anticipated opening of Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo will take place this week, marking one of Sri Lanka’s most prominent hotel launches in decades. Featuring timeless elegance and plush interiors, the property is refreshingly contemporary and designed in line with the distinct Shangri-La style. The extensive and impressive events spaces and culinary offerings add to the excitement, along with a promise of exceptional bespoke experiences. In this interview with Daily FT, Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo Vice President and General Manager Timothy Wright outlines what we can expect and how the property will stand out, especially given the brand’s vision of ‘hospitality from the heart’. Following are excerpts:
By Marianne David
Q: One of Sri Lanka’s most prominent hotel launches in decades, Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo is set to open doors this week. Firstly, what can we expect and secondly what are your expectations once the property opens?
A: We’re obviously very excited about the opening. We’ve been preparing for this moment for quite a number of years. It’s been some time in developing. I think what people expect is something refreshingly contemporary, combined with the distinct Shangri-La style. We’ve developed a hotel that is beautiful in its proportions and its interior design. Right now I am working on getting my team ready.
The indications that we’ve had from the people who’ve come to see the property – although it isn’t quite finished yet – have certainly been encouraging. I think they enjoy the interiors; the events spaces are something that has been very well received and as a result we’ve had quite a number of bookings for weddings and conferences and MICE events. There is a lot of demand from local social segments for weddings, dinner dances and so on. We would like to encourage more international conferences in Colombo. We have been marketing the destination for nine to 12 months already and the response from the international market has been very positive.
In terms of what people can expect from a product perspective, key features of the hotel would be its expansive function event spaces. We will have the biggest ballroom in a hotel in Sri Lanka and a number of other meeting rooms and meeting spaces, including an outdoor lawn up on the fourth floor. These spaces are not only ideal for business events but are designed for social gatherings as well. We will creatively combine that with an international team of culinary and service personnel so that we are able to cater to many different tastes and occasions. Our F&B outlets will be innovative and quite interesting, and our room product will feature the characteristic Shangri-La elegance with a host of facilities.
Key highlights are our commitment and our talent or colleagues. We have many Sri Lankans working for us overseas; some of them expressed interest in returning to Sri Lanka and we are proud to have them here with us for the grand opening. Yes, we are a global organisation – however, we also embrace the local culture.
Q: Could you tell us about the investment for the Colombo property, following the demand for larger rooms and design changes, which were incorporated?
A: The investment of the whole development is several hundred million dollars. As you can see from the interiors and the finishes of the hotel, we’ve built a top grade hotel. The large sum invested obviously shows our confidence in the destination.
Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo Vice President and General Manager Timothy Wright in the Sapphyr Lounge
Q: Construction of the entire property is not complete yet; what will the other buildings feature and what are the timelines for opening?
A: The two towers on the other side of the development will be apartments and they will be complete by the second or third quarter of next year. They are progressing very well although our attention and focus in the last 12 months has been on the hotel. The third phase is the office tower and shopping mall. We expect that to be ready in the first half of 2019.
Q: How would you describe Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo’s MICE capabilities and event spaces?
A: Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo is set to become the most extensive and versatile events venue in Sri Lanka when it opens its doors. The hotel has over 3,500 sqm of events space, including two ballrooms, several function rooms and a private outdoor lawn.
Intended to appeal to large conferences and events, the hotel will complement the island’s ambition to become a global MICE hotspot, alongside Bangkok and Singapore. The property will also be the perfect host for weddings, social functions and gala dinners, while offering Shangri-La Events Collection expertise and benefits to create memorable curated experiences and bespoke incentives. 
Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo will be home to the region’s largest pillar-less ballroom, at 1,580 sqm the Shangri-La Ballroom will be capable of catering seated banquets for up to 1,500 guests and 2,100 in theatre style. The property also offers the Lotus Ballroom seating 400 guests for dinner and 600 for cocktails. Adjacent to the Lotus Ballroom are three flexible breakout rooms, thoughtfully named after different local spices: Ginger, Saffron and Tamarind. All of the conference and function rooms feature state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment.
For those wanting to take advantage of the cool sea breezes, Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo also has an outdoor events space with an open bar, lawn and suspended pavilion – a striking spot for destination weddings, fashion shows and private events. In total, the outdoor events space seats 420 for dinner and 750 guests for cocktails.
On the higher floors of the hotel, guests will find several boardrooms, including the Horizon Club Executive Boardroom. The boardroom not only offers the best views in the city but also access to the Horizon Club Lounge. The Horizon Club provides further personalised service to make the business traveller’s stay all the more comfortable, including hotel limousine transfers, private in room check-in and check-out with the option of a late check-out as well as a dedicated Club Concierge. We have a great introductory MICE offer titled ‘Meet In Colombo’ available now.
Q: What about the culinary offerings?
A: We have six different restaurants and bars. The focus will be on our Chinese restaurant, Shang Palace, where we have four Chinese chefs on board to ensure quality and standards. Table One is an innovative, multi-cuisine all-day dining restaurant, where the designer has created something that is very unique and interesting.
Capital Bar & Grill is our Western restaurant. It features a vibrant bar area as well as different components in the restaurant including a White Room and Blue Room, areas that give a different ambience. It also has an extensive outdoor area for alfresco dining and a bar area so that we can capitalise on the cool Colombo breezes.
Just off the main lobby is The Sapphyr Lounge, which also has a Cake Counter, a selection of Chocolate Jewellery and the Grab and Go unit. In partnership with renowned Sri Lankan Chef Dharshan Munidasa, we will be opening Kaema Sutra in December. In addition to these valued offerings, we have a bar around the pool as well.
Q: When it comes to the people here, you have focused heavily on hiring for heart and attitude over skills. Could you tell us about your staff and your recruitment and training process?
A: The recruitment drive has been quite a lengthy process; we wanted talent whom we felt would fit the brand, which is all about heartfelt hospitality. We have brought in almost 700 colleagues and have spent the last few months training and preparing them. That training process will continue long after we open our doors to sustain our service standards.
Q: What can we expect from Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo during the upcoming Christmas and New Year season?
A: We are just finalising our plans at present and we will be celebrating with many special events. International entertainers will be part of the celebrations and we will kick off the Christmas and New Year programs in early December.
Q: What kind of entertainment will be on offer through the year at the property?
A: We have brought in three international artists who will be playing in the Sapphyr Lounge, Capital Bar & Grill, and Kaema Sutra.
Q: How is the Shangri-La brand being positioned in Sri Lanka and what are the key differentiators it will offer to stand out from the competition?
A: We’re offering a brand of hospitality that will cater to individuals who want bespoke experiences. Our concierge will arrange special experiences that are exclusive and exceptional.
Q: Could you give us a brief outline of your experience in the hospitality industry?
A: I spent some of my childhood in the region and the opportunity to travel extensively as I was growing up. I joined the hospitality industry because I enjoy working with people. I love travelling and wanted to continue the journey that my parents gave me of experiencing different cultures. I joined the Shangri-La brand 23 years ago and had the opportunity to work in nine different countries and 11 different hotels. I was in corporate HR in my previous role, but I am delighted to be back in a soon-to-be-operating hotel.
Q: What were your first impressions of Sri Lanka and what pushed you to ask for this appointment?
A: The beauty and the charm of Sri Lanka was something that I was immediately attracted to and when the opportunity came to take the appointment, I was very eager to do so.
Q: What are your views on Sri Lanka’s potential as a tourism product?
A: Sri Lanka has lots of potential. I think we need to clearly define how we promote the destination. I don’t think that has had enough focus. The many international brands coming to Sri Lanka, we have a distribution channel that offers different opportunities and we are focusing in our target markets to promote the destination. The Government and private sector need to work together; I’ve seen signs of that coming together and I am hopeful the country will be promoted with a distinct proposition in international markets.
Pix by Ruwan Walpola
