Cinnamon Lakeside rated ‘Best Luxury Hotel in Sri Lanka’

By Shanuka Tissera

Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo last week announced its latest accomplishment as the recipient of the ‘Best Luxury Hotel, Sri Lanka’ award at the Business Destinations 2012 travel awards.

The hotel has now entered the ring to do battle with the likes of the Trump Hotel Chicago, Fair Mont Hotel Vancouver and Marina Bay in Singapore.

Cinnamon Lakeside General Manager Denis Gruhier confidently shared that Cinnamon Lakeside was taking service to new heights. “Since I started working here, this has to be one of the most important days and we are starting to reap the rewards of all our hard work.”

Business Destinations is a UK based travel magazine that specially caters to travel professionals around the world. The leading business travel magazine specialises in news, features, hotel advice, city focuses and dining.

In a time where many sectors are biting the bullet during this economic uncertainty, Cinnamon Lakeside has now taken a step up the ladder, will look to keep climbing and the award will in fact help increase growth with its cemented international recognition.

The hotel has also been recognised at internal forums with success at the John Keells Leisure Awards and is currently recognised as the best five star city hotel by Sri Lanka Tourism. Cinnamon Lakeside scored top results in innovation, unparalleled standards in product and service, corporate values and sustainable practices.

A mix of training and development, talent recognition and innovation is the key to its success Gruhier noted. Examples of trendsetting taking place at Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo would be the first purpose built floating venue in the country, the-well renowned ‘bubbly brunch’ provides guests with an unprecedented ambience and experience such that the event held every Sunday requires three weeks prior booking.

Gruhier also announced their latest plot to keep the customers coming back and this will done through a top class gourmet dinner to be held monthly initially.

“Maybe in Sri Lanka we are not ready for gourmet food everyday, so we will slowly introduce it as a special occasion, we must cater for those who have the moulded pallet for fine dining.”

It is no surprise that Cinnamon Lakeside earned this best luxury hotel award at Business Destination Travel Awards 2012: The hotel is the only large scale property in South East Asia to successfully implement a trolley-less housekeeping service for the entire hotel. In 2011, the hotel replaced the trolleys traditionally used by the housekeeping team with a more aesthetically pleasing and practical basket system. It is due to practices such as this that customers’ mindset never changes from being in a state of luxury and calm to walking around the corner to see cumbersome trolleys cluttering the corridors.

The priority check in process offered to Executive Floor guests is implemented with the use of a wireless tablet and credit card machine system, which is a further example of the trendsetting initiatives that result in the exceptional guest experience.

There is also a large emphasis on the hotels involvement in corporate social responsibility which has been a fundamental aspect in its sustainability drive. Every three months, Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo carries out cultural restoration projects where hotel associates volunteer to restore religious structures around the country such as the Abhayagiriya Temple, St. Anne’s Church in Kuruwita and Ayeshwariya Lakshmi Kovil.

Gruhier shared his overwhelming experience when for one of the restoration projects, 100 volunteers were needed and within three hours the slots were full. This is the extra mile the company goes to help create a solid sense of community and family.

Cinnamon Lakeside continuously dedicates itself to sustainable business. It was the first five star hotel in Sri Lanka to be Green Globe certified and is the only one in Sri Lanka to be consequently recertified for its contribution to a greener environment. The hotel extends its green drive by encouraging guest involvement. Now work will begin on keeping this award in the future.