Dilmah Tea develops Sri Lankan hotel collection

The Fernando family, which founded the Dilmah Tea company, has announced the launch of a new collection of hotels in Sri Lanka. The new company, Resplendent Ceylon, will manage a collection of small luxury resorts in various locations across Sri Lanka, in an effort to create a “unique trail” across the country. The hotels will offer “authentic experiences linked to Sri Lanka’s history, culture and nature”, according to Dilmah, and will be designed and operated using eco-friendly practices. “We have two further locations at concept stage,” revealed Malik J. Fernando, managing director of Resplendent Ceylon. “When complete, we will be able to offer a trail of six distinctive properties around Sri Lanka that will pamper guests in a residential, non-hotel atmosphere with gourmet dining and authentic local experiences.” The Fernando family are no strangers to the hotel sector, having launched their first property, Ceylon Tea Trails, in 2005. This four-bungalow resort is a Relais & Chateaux member, and an additional bungalow will be added this year. The family also opened the 40-suite and -villa Cape Weligama luxury resort October 2014, on Sri Lanka’s south coast, which has also joined the Relais & Chateaux collection. Resplendent Ceylon is also now in the process of developing two new luxury tented camps. The Wild Coast Lodge will open in mid-2016 on a beach in the Yala National Park, while the Red Rocks Beach Camp will follow shortly afterwards, located on the beach at Kuchaveli, near the seaport of Trincomalee on Sri Lanka’s north coast. Both camps will feature 28 air-conditioned 45m² tented suites with 25m² decks. sourced:traveldailymedia.com