Leading hotelier appointed General Manager of Grand Kandyan

Wednesday, 25 June 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The ‘Grandest’ hotel project underway in the hill capital

Thusith Samaraweera takes office as General Manager of the ‘Grand Kandyan’ hotel in Kandy. His leadership qualities, enthusiasm, customer focus and attitude are well recognised in the hospitality sector. An accomplished hotelier with many years of experience, Samaraweera has an excellent track record in improved operations. His management skills during his tenure as General Manager at Earl’s Regency Hotel in Kandy, and Waters Edge leisure complex in Colombo, are well documented.

With many years of experience working overseas for ACCOR group in the UAE and here in Sri Lanka, his professional expertise and knowledge have been put to good use. Of late as a consultant, he headed a large project in upgrading and providing advice on continuous development of properties under Amagi Group, and other investing companies that have joined the leisure industry in recent times. Taking on the new ‘Grand Kandyan’ project – Samaraweera is not merely joining a hotel that is already in operation focussing on improvements. He made the right decision in getting involved in monitoring its progress, foreseeing the long term benefits of creating the perfect atmosphere by providing the finest facilities to the customer. This luxury hotel comprises of 100 tastefully decorated rooms inclusive of two large presidential suits and three reception halls. While the grand ballroom accommodates 1100 guests, the other two halls are customised to accommodate 450 and 350 guests. It also has excellent leisure facilities. Working together with the principals of the new project on the planning, development and operations side in order to bring the ‘Grand Kandyan’ to life – has given Samaraweera an excellent opportunity, to add a new dimension to his career. He is confident that a hotel of this calibre will help raise the profile for Kandy, along with the prospects of employment for the local community. Most of all, Samaraweera is overjoyed with the fact that he is able to set his feet firmly back on Kandyan soil where he left his heart five years ago when he moved to Waters Edge Colombo, taking on even a bigger challenge in his professional career. This just goes to prove that the saying ‘Home is where your heart is’ is not a mere proverb, but a true statement for Thusith Samaraweera with the ‘Grand Kandyan’ at heart.