ONYX breaks ground in Galle for 172-room third resort in Sri Lanka

Friday, 20 February 2015 00:50 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The proposed Amari Galle The Thailand-based ONYX Hospitality Group yesterday marked a key development in the expansion of its Amari brand by breaking ground for the construction of the third property Amari Galle in Sri Lanka. The hospitality group’s hotel brand OZO has already made an indelible footprint in Sri Lanka’s hospitality landscape, with OZO Colombo, which opened in June 2014 and OZO Kandy, which is due to open in April this year. Owned by Sino Lanka Hotels Galle Ltd. and headed by Bob Kundanmal, Amari Galle will be managed by the ONYX Hospitality Group under its full-service Amari brand.

From left: President and CEO, ONYX Hospitality Group, Peter Henley; Director, Sino Lanka Hotels Holdings Ltd., Manu Bhojwani; Director, Sino Lanka Hotels Holdings Ltd., Rajan Bharvani; Director, Sino Lanka Hotels Holdings Ltd., Stefan Furkhan; Minister for Sports and Tourism, Navin Dissanayake; Chairman, Sino Lanka Hotels Holdings Ltd., Bob Kundanmal; Governor – Southern Province, Dr. Hemakumara Nanayakkara; Galle Mayor Methsiri De Silva The 172-room hotel is located on Galle Road, approximately 2.5km north of the Galle Fort. The hotel’s facilities will include a swimming pool, gym, Breeze Spa, banqueting facilities and two restaurants. Proud of its Asian roots, Amari creates memorable experiences that embody the spirit of local culture as well as enhance the renowned traditions of Asian hospitality. Every Amari property shares the flavours and texture of its setting, so whether travelling for business or pleasure, guests will discover contemporary spaces where they can relax and enjoy their time. Commenting on the proceedings, ONYX Hospitality Group President and CEO Peter Henley said: “We are thrilled to be breaking ground on our third project in Sri Lanka. Tourism is thriving and we think a full service hotel product like Amari will be very well-received in the market. The brand aims to provide guests with culturally enriched and memorable shared experiences, and with the array of historical sites and the warmth of Sri Lankan hospitality, Galle is an obvious location for our next Amari property.” Sino Lanka Hotels Galle Ltd. owner Bob Kundanmal also expressed his excitement about the project: “We’re very excited to be introducing a new hospitality brand to Sri Lanka with Amari. With its proven track-record of hospitality excellence in Thailand and its renowned warmth and genuine service, we are sure this new property will appeal to business and leisure travellers alike. Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is growing rapidly, with 2.5 million tourists expected to arrive by 2016. This property, along with the other two OZOs in Colombo and Kandy will help to meet the projected demand for new hotel rooms around the island and contribute to Sri Lanka’s continued economic growth under the leadership of President Maithripala Sirisena.” Amari is the centrepiece of the ONYX portfolio of hospitality brands, reflecting the warmth and energy of an evolving modern Asia. Amari’s network of properties spans Thailand and beyond, from scenic seaside locations to vibrant urban settings including Thailand, Qatar and Bangladesh. There are a further eight Amari projects in the pipeline in China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Maldives.