Shangri-La serviced apartments, ideal for business travellers
Consider this. The skyline in Colombo is changing so fast that very soon tourists who visited the capital a few years back and arriving in 2020 will find it almost un- recognisable. The Colombo Port or Finance City is another kettle of fish, an unopened package, as someone called it.
While current room capacity in Colombo (3-5 stars) is 5,367, another 4,135 rooms will be added to the hardware in 2021 ( mainly 4- 5 stars), according to official data. Additionally Altair, Cinnamon Life, Galle Face One (Shangri-La managed), ITC Colombo and Abans Colombo City Centre will provide space for new malls, shopping arcades, entertainment centres, hotel rooms, cinemas and apartments.
In the ‘open’ package of options comes the Shangri-La hotel which offers both hotel rooms and 1- 2 bedroom serviced apartments, probably a first in the city. In front of the picturesque Galle Face, the property has 500 guest rooms and41 apartments. During a recent, exclusive tour of the complex including a one- night, fully hosted stay in a 2-bedroom apartment, it was revealed that the hotel has over 3,500 sq metres of events space including two ballrooms, several function rooms and a private outdoor lawn with ambitions of becoming the region’s MICE hotspot, rivalled only by Singapore and Bangkok. There are several boardrooms for business events and breakout sessions. The Chi Spa on the fourth floor is a great place to unwind with a massage with a standout feature - a simple hot towel being laid under the neck to soothe the neck muscles!
Catch sunset at the Horizon lounge on the 32nd floor exclusively for Horizon Club members where you feel the strong sea breeze as you watch rows of traffic, old colonial buildings of a forgotten British and Dutch era and listen to the occasional toot of a train or ships blowing their horns from the nearby Colombo harbour.
The serviced apartments, I found, are great for both shortterm and long-term stays and ideal for business travellers or convention traffic. The décor and plush interiors with contemporary light wood, lush carpeting and rich marble blend to create exquisite spaces that are both lavish and cosy.
You can order your choice of food and drink delivered to the apartment from any of the six restaurants and bars, not only from room service. The apartment is equipped with a cooker, dishwasher, washing machine, refrigerator, cutlery, bread toaster, rice cooker, large frying pan, microwave, etc. Each apartment has a 49-inch LED screen TVs with cable channels and cordless telephones across all areas.
The 2- bedroom apartment has a spacious living room, a fully equipped kitchen, signature Shangri- La Beds, an en- suite bathroom, complimentary Wi- Fi and premium Shangri- La amenities. There are loads of storage space with built- in wardrobes and drawers and additionally a small, completely bare room --probably for extra storage to keep those bags during long stays! Offered the choice of having dinner in one of the restaurants or a cosy, 4- course meal in the comfort of the apartment, I opt for the home dining option. The course meal: Sauteed Prawns for starters; Asparagus Bisque for the soup; Pan Seared Barramundi for the main course, ending with Classic Baked Cheesecake. Staff is warm, engaging and ready to accommodate every need. (Feizal)