Centara to open second resort in Sri Lanka

Wednesday, 5 February 2014 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

BANGKOK, Thailand: Centara Hotels & Resorts of Thailand will soft open its second resort in Sri Lanka in spring of this year. The resort is owned by Softlogic Leisure and will be operated by Centara under a management contract. Centara Ceysands Resort & Spa Sri Lanka is set on the Bentota Peninsula, at the south of the island, with the Bentota River on one side and the Indian Ocean on the other. The resort’s arrival lounge is situated at Aluthgama, on the inland side of the river, with guests travelling across the water by barge, a journey that takes five minutes. Centara’s first property in Sri Lanka, Centara Passikudah Resort & Spa, is located on the east coast of the island and opened early in 2013.

“Bentota is one of the most exciting destinations in Sri Lanka, and our two resorts give us a very significant profile in this strongly growing market,” says Chris Bailey, senior vice president for sales and marketing at Centara Hotels & Resorts. “The Indian Ocean is a highly important part of our development strategy, and Centara Ceysands Resort & Spa is an outstanding property that will have both a romantic appeal for couples and lots of leisure attractions for families.” Centara’s Area General Manager for Sri Lanka Alexandre Glauser says that the Bentota Peninsula offers a unique holiday experience. “There is the unspoiled charm of the river with its mangroves and wildlife, there is the classic golden tropical beach with calm seas and all kinds of water sports to enjoy, and of course there is all the color and history of Sri Lanka itself,” he says. “For guests to Centara Ceysands Resort & Spa, the scene is set with the charming ride across the river on board our ferry, and no matter which room or suite they are staying in, the view for guests will be stunning.” The resort has 165 rooms and suites, including family residences with bunk beds for the children, with all the accommodation featuring views across the river, or across the beach and the ocean. Restaurant facilities will include Cafe Bem, serving Sri Lankan and international cuisines along with buffets; 360 Seafood, which specialises in locally sourced seafood; and Ceylon Club, which will have a gourmet selection of Ceylon teas. Spa Cenvaree will offer traditional Sri Lankan and Indian treatments along with its range of signature Thai therapies, there is a fitness centre, an oceanfront swimming pool with Jacuzzi and a children’s pool, a water sports centre, and a Kids’ Club with separate zones for the youngsters and the teens.

With its own pleasure launch Wayvz, the resort will also offer dinner cruises along the Bentota River. The resort is just a few minutes from Aluthgama railway station. Colombo is reached in less than two hours by road and Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport is 100 kilometres away from the resort. Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand’s leading operator of hotels, with 47 deluxe and first-class properties covering all the major tourist destinations in the Kingdom. A further 18 resorts in the Maldives, Vietnam, Shanghai, Bali Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Mauritius Indian Ocean, Ethiopia brings the present total to 65 properties. Brands and properties within Centara ensure that specific categories such as couples, families, individuals, and meetings and incentives groups will all find a hotel or resort that is appropriate to their needs. Centara operates 27 branches of Spa Cenvaree, one of Thailand’s most luxurious and innovative spa brands, together with its newly-launched value brand Cense by Spa Cenvaree, which provides core spa services for busy travellers. The company’s Kids’ Club is available at all the family-friendly resorts to ensure that the youngsters and teens are taken care of. Centara Hotels & Resorts also operates three state-of-the-art convention centres in Bangkok, and two in north eastern Thailand, one being located in Udon Thani and the other in Khon Kaen. The latest Centara brand is named COSI Hotels, an economy brand designed for travellers who predominantly make their bookings via the internet and who want comfort and convenience at the most friendly prices available, which is under development with the first property due to open in 2016.