Three Years of Randholee Resort

THURSDAY, 01 APRIL 2010 10:42

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By Sanath Weerasuriya

'Randholee Resort', most popular resort in the hills, celebrates its third anniversary today.
Nested in the Heerassalaga range, 'Randholee' boutique hotel, has the best and the most fascinating view from the top of the Heerassagala mountain.

Opened in 1 April, 2007, thehotel offers a wide rage of facilities to its guests.

Randholee is about the best that one could experience in Kandy. Seclusion, Space and Privacy, the hotel offers the ideal choice for the visitor when in Kandy.

In keeping with the traditions Randholee celebrates its anniversary with traditional and religious activities.

'We do not want to have a big anniversary bash as we have already planned several Avurudu promotions during the comg weeks' said Pandula Weerakoon, the Sales and Marketing Manager of the hotel.

From 1to 25 April, Randholee Hotel offers 'one to one' on room rates and discounts on F & B menu.
'Buy one night and stay the second night free' is our Avurudu promo on rooms and there will be 25% off for all Amex, HSBC, Standard Charted Credit Cards holders. Fifty per cent off on all beverages and extras' said Sugath Rajapakse, the Manager of the hotel.

The hotel has well appointed 25 rooms in keeping with traditional Kandyan décor having its own private balcony and the unusually large bathrooms are equipped to provide the luxury comforts to the visitors.
Out of 25 elegantly designed bedrooms, 18 have a panoramic view of the surrounding area. Each room boasts of double Queen Beds with Kandyan style paintings on the bed heads carrying the 'Palanquin' theme.

The room includes all the regular amenities which include Cable TV, telephone, air conditioning and coffee maker.

The private balcony with its wrought iron furniture, panoramic view and cool breeze is the perfect sit-out.
A walk over the wooden bridge will take to the well laid out spacious dining area. Here is served some of the finest cuisine ranging from Sri Lankan, Eastern and Western dishes.

'Most of the vegetables served in the restaurant are grown in the hotel gardens and every effort is made to serve natural and fresh ingredients in each and every meal' said Chef Neil Ranasinghe.

 'Randholee is a honeymooners paradise and people do visit here to take their wedding photographs. Since we do not encourage wedding ceremonies here, it offers special packages to honeymooners' Rajapakse said.

Apart from Avurudu offers, there will be traditional Avurudu spread on April 14 with kiribath, kevun and other sweet meats.

'Nekath will be observed at the hotel during the Avurudu period' he added. 

Catching the waves in Hikkaduwa

Catching the waves in Hikkaduwa

Hundreds of surfers gathered at Hikkaduwa for the return of the Japan Pro Surfing Association's pro surfing competition.  The roaring waves and palm-fringed beaches of Hikkaduwa provided the ideal setting for the annual JPSA Pro Surf 2010 which was a joint effort of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and SriLankan Airlines. Pic by Saman Kariyawasam

Sri Lanka ranked top travel destination for 2010

National Geographic has named Sri Lanka the No. 2 of the 25 'Best New Trips for 2010' giving the island nation known as the 'Wonder of the World' yet another top travel ranking 

this year.
In its list of 'Best New Trips for 2010,' National Geographic said, after the tsunami of 2004 and the resolution of a decades-long conflict, Sri Lanka is finally starting to look like its old self: a peaceful destination where surf lineups are nonexistent despite world-class waves and centuries-old tea estates are lined with mountain bike ready trails.
'The silver lining of the conflict is that the land and wildlife have remained untouched,' says Lisa Bolger, trip coordinator for Access Trips, one of the very few outfitters leading excursions to the Indian Ocean island this coming year.
The National Geographic notice, which touted Sri Lanka as 'Missing in action No More,' is the third top ranking that Sri Lanka has received recently from premiere travel publications.
The New York Times on January 10 named Sri Lanka the No. 1 travel destination in 2010 noting that the long conflict against the LTTE terrorist is over and that there is no better time to travel to Sri Lanka's unspoiled beaches, mountainous terrain and wildlife parks. It wrote: 'The island, with a population of just 20 million, feels like one big tropical zoo: elephants roam freely, water buffaloes idle in paddy fields and monkeys swing from trees.
And then there's the pristine coastline.
The miles of sugary white sand flanked by bamboo groves that were off-limits to most visitors until recently are a happy, if unintended byproduct of the war.
Also in January, the luxury-living website DailyCandy.com raved about Sri Lanka reporting that, 'Really, there's only one downside to Sri Lanka: Eventually, you have to leave.' Travel to Sri Lanka began to increase dramatically just days after the conflict ended in May 2009.
Tourist visits have jumped each month since then, with an impressive 67.7 percent jump in February compared to the same month in 2009. There have been no terrorist incidents anywhere in the island since the conflict ended, and a number of countries, including the U.S., have eased previous travel warnings.
Sri Lanka has long been known for its elegant, five-star destinations along its coastline and in its central highlands, which are dotted by sweeping green tea plantations and mountain vistas. The island nation also features an impressive string of wildlife parks that are home to Asian elephant herds, leopards and other exotic animals.

AN “EGGS – CEPTIONAL” EASTER AT THE HILTON COLOMBO

Easter or “Pascha” in Spanish is a springtime festival, when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ. And also a time for chocolate bunnies, Hot cross buns, and coloured eggs! Time for family affairs, forgiving and celebrations too! Hilton Colombo is also celebrating and honoring this special day of Easter where you too can bring your family on 4^th of April. Spices and Spoons will have special meals to commemorate Easter.

 

Rituals related to Easter focus on new beginnings, symbolized by the Easter egg and the hare (Easter Bunny).

 

The extravagant Easter brunch is happening at the hotel’s restaurant Spices where you can tuck into all the traditional Easter goodies such as piping hot soups, crispy salads, Virginia sugar ham, lamb, freshly baked breads, fresh farm eggs and not forgetting the delicious desserts and much more. The Sunday Easter brunch is from 11.00am to 3.00pm.

 

For a stylishly casual Easter dinner you can dine at Spoons where a special 4 course gourmet dinner has been prepared by the hotels award wining team of Chefs lead by Executive Chef Rohan Fernandopulle together with the pastry wiz Chef Gerard Mendis.  

 

 “Fine things” pastry shop too have Easter goodies starting from 1^st to 4^th April. Easter chocolate bunnies, chocolate eggs, hot cross buns, Easter cakes and lot’s more will be available during this period.  For more details please call the Food & Beverage office on 2544644.

Surfers throng Hikkaduwa

A thrilling moment Pictures Courtesy SriLankan Airlines

Japanese surfers enjoying themselves at the competition

A tourist enjoying the sunny weather in Hikkaduwa

Happy surfers on the beach

Ready to surf?

Hikkaduwa, largely dependent on tourism with hotels, small and medium enterprises, fisheries and other indirect forms of employment making up the local economy, has fought severe odds to regain its position as one of Sri Lanka’s most exciting beach spots for international tourists
The once dark memories of the devastating 2004 tsunami have now diminished or wiped away completely in Hikkaduwa. This is with the gradual return of tourists to the country sparking off hopes for a greater revival in the tourism industry.
The return of Japanese Pro-Surfers Association (JPSA) to Hikkaduwa, after a five-year absence, is evident of the town’s attraction and renewed interest among tourists to Sri Lanka.
This event which is to be an annual fixture, was jointly sponsored by SriLankan Airlines and the Tourism Promotion Bureau.

WINE & DINE STYLISHLY AT SPOONS

March 24, 2010��04:18 pm
For those of you who appreciate good food and good wine this promotion is for you. Hilton Colombo’s�signature restaurant; Spoons will have an elegant, carefully selected wine buffet along with special set menus to complement the wines from 25th to 31st March. �
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Spoons delivers the best seafood and prime cuts in a true sense. The menu unique from the rest of the hotel will concentrate on exclusivity incorporated with quality and efficiency, freshness, light and modern contemporary cooking concept blended with a global essence. �And each wine will have its distinct taste, aroma, texture and flavours from citrus, woody, fruity, and even chocolaty.
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“Food connoisseurs would enjoy and take advantage of this promotion and for the rest we encourage them to try it out and learn how food and wine goes hand in hand” said the hotel’s Marketing Communications Manager, Gigi De Silva.
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The best of ingredients are always used to produce these special ‘one of a kind” menus. Executive Chef Rohan Fernandopulle together with the Food & Beverage Manager Kapila Mohotti had chosen each dish and the wine with a lot of experimenting, and tasting.
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For more details and for reservations, please call the Food & Beverage office on 2544644"

JAPANESE SURFERS RETURN

 TO RIDE SRI LANKA’S WAVES AT JPSA PRO SURF 2010

March 16, 2010  04:31 pm

More than a hundred Japanese surfers will gather on Sri Lanka’s golden beaches for the return of the Japan Pro Surfing Association’s (JPSA) exciting annual competition to the Indian Oceanisland.

The roaring waves and palm-fringed beaches of the resort of Hikkaduwa will provide the ideal setting for JPSA Pro Surf 2010 from March 19-23, 2010, a joint effort of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and SriLankan Airlines.

The return of Japanese Pro Surf  to the resort of Hikkaduwa after a five-year absence is a major milestone for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, which has been enjoying an extraordinary period of growth over the last nine months. The Government of Sri Lanka has declared next year as “Visit Sri Lanka Year, 2011”.

Hon. Achala Jagoda, Minister of Tourism said: “The opportunity to host the prestigious JPSA competition in our tropical island is of great importance. Since May 2009 our country has been completely at peace, and this would be an opportunity to rekindle tourists’ interest in the wonders of Sri Lanka. We have the ideal environment and the ability to encourage off-season travelers and sports enthusiasts to the country, so this event is the perfect opportunity forSri Lankato promote itself as a year-round tourist destination and spread the message of the peaceful condition that prevails”.

The JPSA, Japan’s regulatory body for surfing which is a member of the global body Association of Surfing Professionals, had chosen the island for its premier event, starting in 2001. But after five highly successful years, the island’s civil war saw it being shifted elsewhere.

Nishantha Wickremasinghe, Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, said: “We are honoured that the JPSA has once again chosen Sri Lankaas the location for this fantastic event. Sri Lanka has long been a favourite destination of Japanese tourists, and the number of tourists from Japan has been increasing rapidly following the dawn of peace nearly a year ago.”

Sri Lanka has the distinction of being the only country outside Japanwhere JPSA ranking events are held, and the island attracts more than 800 Japanese surfers annually, both to Hikkaduwa and to Arugam Bayon the southeast coast.

Eranga Basnayake, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, said: “The southwestern coast of Sri Lanka is exceptionally suited for surfing and the infrastructure is well suited to handle an event of this magnitude. Sri Lanka had already acquired a reputation as a good surfing destination, and is probably the best in Asia”.

This year’s competition promises to be intense with eight world ranked surfers among the contestants battling it out for the Rs. 3 million prize money and the SriLankan Airlines Cup, ranging from professionals to amateurs. The event will also see the participation of 15 international judges, and the presence of a number of Japanese journalists to cover the action. There will also be a separate competition for Sri Lanka’s own surfing community.

SriLankan Airlines, which has a global network of 49 destinations in 32 countries, has three flights a week betweenTokyo’s Narita Airport and Colombo on Airbus A340 aircraft.

Local ground handling arrangements are being coordinated by Sri Lanka Tourism.