Grand Nuwara Eliya first hotel in Sri Lanka to receive ‘Heritage Grand’ classification from SLTDA

Tangerine Hotels Deputy Chairman Gerard Ondaatjie (right) hands over the ‘Heritage Grand’ certificate to General Manager Suresh Abbas

The legendary Tudor styled Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya received a well-deserved fitting crown when it was awarded the ‘Heritage Grand’ classification from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) becoming the first hotel in Sri Lanka to receive this accolade which meets with the top most criteria in the heritage hotel classification.

A heritage hotel is a piece of history and wondering what it is to be classified as a heritage hotel; it is running hotels in palaces/castles/forts built prior to 1950. The facade, architectural features and general construction have the distinctive qualities and ambience in keeping with the traditional way of life of the area

Grand Hotel was the private residence of Sir Edward Barnes way back in 1828 and was converted into modern accommodation befitting royalty and today it is being owned and operated by Tangerine Group of Hotels, a member of the Mercantile Investments and Finance PLC.

The 1990s saw The Grand Hotel bestowed its title of a ‘National Heritage Property’, by The Archeology Department of Sri Lanka. This prestigious label represents the value placed on the decade Grand Hotel, Nuwara Eliya as both a historic building, as well as a place that holds a deep historic and cultural significance for Sri Lanka, worthy of preservation.

“Our Victorian-era rooms have a distinct period look, with old world furnishings. So, if you are a fan of history and architectural heritage, look no further. What’s more we are now accredited as a Heritage Hotel,” the newly appointed General Manager Suresh Abbas said. He said that this is a rare honour not only to the hotel but also to the local tourism industry as now it can boast of having a true ‘Heritage Grand’ property in Sri Lanka.

Abbas, a high performance individual with a wealth of experience spanning over three decades in operations in three continents said that the hotel stated that the Grand old dame can only be compared with the Raffles Singapore, The Peninsula Hong Kong and the Manila Hotel Philippines. He further stated that he looks forward to leading a passionately enthusiastic team across many different departments, as well as making his own contribution to the hotel’s exciting plans to enhance the guest experience by providing unparalleled luxury matched with gracious and intuitive service. He also said that Grande hotels is one of the few hotels that has a high ratio of female staff and they now aim to increase it to nearly 40%.

The iconic Grand Hotel has 154 bedrooms, four restaurants and two bars, a Coffee bar and the Tea Lounge overlooking the prize-winning garden. The Grand Hotel is the only colonial property in Sri Lanka that is Travelife certified for sustainability and has obtained the ISO 22000 and ISO 9001 and HACCP certified for food safety and hygiene. It also offers a heated swimming pool and a sauna.