Mövenpick buoyant on Sri Lanka tourism

President Maithripala Sirisena unveiling the plaque to signify opening of Mövenpick Hotel in Colombo on Saturday, while Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts President and CEO Olivier Chavy, Softlogic Holdings Plc Chairman Ashok Pathirage, Plantation Industries Minister Navin Dissanayake and Tourism Development Minister John Amaratunga look on 

By Charumini de Silva

Leading Swiss hospitality brand Mövenpick is upbeat on Sri Lanka’s tourism industry’s prospects, banking its confidence on its first hotel in the country, whilst optimistic on future opportunities for resort properties.

“We are very confident about the future of Sri Lanka and we are absolutely delighted to be here. This country has an amazing potential to grow. We would seize the opportunity for resort hotels and look at it hopefully to have more hotels here in future,” Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts – MiddleEast and South Asia Chief Operating Officer Andreas Mattmüller told journalists in Colombo.

He said they welcome more international hotels to come to Sri Lanka as they look at the ‘big picture’ adding that the entry of global hotel chains would help to promote the destination of Colombo and Sri Lanka as a whole.

Noting that Sri Lanka was one time called the ‘sleeping beauty’ he said the ‘beauty’ is now waken up by the prince called Government which has teamed up with entrepreneurs to invest into the tourist industry and believes that it would create a lot of positive investments in this sector.

Having many years of working experience in regional countries Mattmüller said Sri Lanka is likely to see the same growth which took off in Phuket, Thailand few years back.  

Speaking of Mövenpick’s secret of success he said: “We are not doing anything extraordinary — we are simply successful because we are doing normal things in extraordinary manner.”

He stressed that Mövenpick integrates into the local community and respect local culture in any country they operate.

From over 1,000 that applied for jobs at the Mövenpick Hotel Colombo he said they hired them based on their character, attitude and passion as those values cannot be taught like skills.

“We didn’t do traditional interviews. Natural enjoyment is something we instill in all our training among colleagues at hotel level, because that reflects positively on the guests, sales, and eventually in terms of the overall financial returns,” Mattmüller added.

Being the first five star to open doors in Sri Lanka in 25 years, Movenpick inauguration saw a fitting tribute with President Maithripala Sirisena as the Chief Guest.

Partnering with Softlogic Holdings Plc, the Swiss giant is ready to open its doors on 16 January to introduce a unique hospitality concept to the Sri Lankan capital with the strikingly modern 24-floor, 219-room five-star property in Colpetty.

Speaking at the inauguration, Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts President and CEO Olivier Chavy said he qualified the Colombo property as a vertical and urban resort.

“I am pretty sure that this will set the tone for the new generation of hotels in Sri Lanka,” he added.

Softlogic Holdings Plc Head of Leisure Sector Dr. Stephan Anthonisz said the hotel provided a fresh concentration on design, vistas, comfort, service and technology.

Furthermore, he asserted that the hotel represented a new vertical experience with altitude and attitude to Colombo’s traditional hotel market.

He said the Mövenpick brand mission talked of bringing leisure, indulgence and authenticity with a specific aim to make “ordinary something extraordinary” showcasing attentiveness with captivating business adding that the brand mission blended perfectly with Softlogic’s tagline ‘best in the business’.

 “We believe our dynamic General Manager Markus Marti and his team will deliver the Mövenpick Hotel Colombo its brand promise of ‘natural enjoyment’ in a way that is compelling and competitive,” he added.

Moreover, he said Softlogic was successful in finding Swiss giant Movenpick, terming it a perfect partnership, which has a great legacy in operating hotels with an international reach.  

With the fast-growing corporate and incentive markets in mind, the property offers the largest executive lounge and rooms in the city as well as a dedicated business traveller reception, while banquet facilities include five meeting rooms and a boardroom.

There are 219 guest rooms including Junior Suites, Executive Suites and a Presidential Suite, all luxuriously furnished and offering access to the rooftop infinity pool and Jacuzzi.

True to the hospitality brand’s gastronomic roots, the dining experience is the heart and soul of the hotel, with seven creative bar and restaurant concepts from which to choose, all promising unique themes, theatre and cuisine created with passion.

They include the Brasserie, Colombo’s first in-hotel classic French restaurant, as well as Robata Grill & Lounge serving Japanese cuisine and sushi, all-day dining venue AYU, Vistas Rooftop Bar and Lounge, with the exclusive Mansion bar and night lounge, the chic Lobby Lounge and the Pool Bar where drinks and light meals can be enjoyed while taking in the city vistas.

Guests can also enjoy a workout with a view at the fully-equipped gym, located 100 metres high or relax at the Spa Ceylon, where signature treatments include the use of natural oils and herbs.