TV Times

TV Times

200 year b’day bash of ‘grand ole lady’
Mount Lavinia Hotel popularly known as ‘Galkisse Maha Hotalaya’ celebrates 200 years of Existence this year. Celebrations take off The Mount Lavinia Hotel, centerpiece of Sri Lankan tourism and travel, announced that it will commence celebrating its historic milestone on 14 April (Avurudu Day) to last the whole year.

On the theme ‘Celebrating our Past, Present and Future’, the hotel, will host a series of activities to the Sri Lankan community at large and the many guests of the hotel for their continued patronage and support over the years.
‘Celebrations will take off with a nationwide release of balloons with cash prizes amounting to Rs. 1 Million - which is Mount Lavinia Hotel's way of taking the heritage of the hotel islandwide, while offering the Sri Lankan population an opportunity to win a cash prize’ said Bazeer Uvais, Director General Manager of Mount Lavinia Hotel.

Other events to be looked forward to are the launch of a lavishly illustrated hard bound book, a definitive of the history of the hotel, the opening of the Mount Lavinia Hotel museum and giftshop, meals at nostalgic rates of Rs.200/=, speciality high tea buffets and several other promotions.
‘Mount Lavinia Hotel now belongs to the class of world historic hotel and is Sri Lanka's heritage, offering guests top quality accommodation with an appealing taste of history combined with romance’, said Sanath Ukwatte, the hotel's Chairman at the press conference.

The original mansion which was built in 1806 by Sir Thomas Maitland, British Governor of Ceylon, forms the nucleus of the hotel, which later was expanded in size and architectural style to the grand colonial hotel that it is today.
Built 200 years ago by Maitland, in the then village of Gal Vissa (later became Galkissa), hotel has its own brand of romance linked to it.

According to village tales and records found in the hotel, the high ranking British Governor was to court and fall in love with a local dancing girl named Lovina Aponsuwa, who's name provided the inspiration in the naming of the house, which the Governor named Mount Lavinia and which later was extended to the entire area.

Having been a 'Martime Palace' of the Governors of Ceylon for several years, during the tenures of Sir Edward Barnes, Sir Robert Brownrig and Sir Edward Paget, the ageless mansion became a hotel in 1877 and has remained so to this day.

Today, Mount Lavinia Hotel can look back with pride at the many presidents, business tycoons, royalty, celebrities, movie stars and aristocrats that it has welcomed and accommodated over the centuries. Mount Lavinia Hotel is still South Colombo's most picturesque and favoured landmarks and a thriving destination to thousands of guests yearly.

The History of the hotel is also unique in that it was to fall into the hands of many illustrious and pioneering private owners. Arthur Ephraums, the owner of several other prestigious hotels, The Globe Hotel, The Bristol Hotel and the Whitehorse Hotel in Colombo, purchased Mount Lavinia Hotel in 1927. The management was by Cargills & Co until 1939, when the hotel was taken over by the military to serve as both hospital and military base when Ceylon was catapulted into World War II with the Japanese launching air attacks on the island. The hotel was sold in 1944 to Ceylon Hotels Corporation Ltd and later in 1948, the year in which Ceylon achieved Independence; the hotel was sold to H.J. Pilbrow and then sold again in 1955 to Mr. P. A. Ediriweera.

In 1975 Mr. U. K. Edmund purchased the hotel becoming the Director and Chairman of the Hotel until his demise in 1985. Mr. Edmund spared no expenses to restore the hotel to its original splendour.

One of the major expansions to the hotel, the new Bay Wing was constructed during his term to accommodate the influx of tourists. Sanath Ukwatte, the present Chairman took over the reins of this internationally renowned hotel in 1985.

The restoration of the Governor's House gets underway to include a classically inspired terrace and restaurant and work begins to recreate the original banqueting hall and a fine first floor reception room in preparation for the bicentenary celebration of this former Governor's residence.

Top