ONYX Hospitality Group appoints Simon Dell as Vice President and Area General Manager for Sri Lanka

Thailand-based ONYX Hospitality Group appoints Simon Dell as its new Vice President and Area General Manager for Sri Lanka. In his new role, Dell oversees ONYX’s growing presence in Sri Lanka, which now includes two OZO properties and the soon-to-be launched Amari Galle. He was most recently Vice President of Operations for ONYX North Asia with regional responsibility across Hong Kong and China.

In his role, Dell will be responsible for the operations of the three hotels managed by ONYX in Sri Lanka, ensuring that the properties fully deliver on their guest satisfaction, team development and business targets.

Having started his career in the front office, Dell has since held various management positions at well-known international hotels in the UK, Switzerland, Israel, Germany, Russia, Hong Kong and Thailand.

Dell has been with ONYX since 2008 and has held various positions within the group. He first joined Amari Pattaya as the Executive Assistant Manager, and was subsequently the pre-opening General Manager for Amari Hua Hin, the first new hotel to feature all the new Amari hallmarks following the brand’s relaunch in late 2009. His expertise in hotel preopening and exposure to a broad range of international cultures will further support the long term expansion of ONYX in this growing market.

Commenting on the new role, Dell said: “The appeal of Sri Lanka as a travel destination for business and for leisure continues to rise and I look forward to the launch of the first Amari hotel and the third for ONYX Hospitality Group in this country. I am committed to establishing Amari Galle as the hotel of choice for travellers to this beautiful part of the island, and continuing the success of our two existing OZO hotels in Colombo and Kandy.” 

Amari Galle is developed and owned by Sino Lanka Hotels Holdings, the company behind OZO Colombo and OZO Kandy. Under Dell’s guidance and supervision, the Amari project will hold its grand opening in the last quarter of this year. The resort will have 172 rooms and suites, all featuring direct sea views. It will also present an extensive multi-tiered pool deck with direct beach access, Amari’s signature Breeze Spa, two restaurants, banquet facilities and a fitness centre.

Dell is a British citizen with 25 years of hospitality experience, a graduate of Johnson & Wales University in the US and also holds a degree in Hotel and F&B Administration at the Institut Hôtelier César Ritz in Switzerland.