Shangri-La opens 145-acre resort in Hambantota Sri Lanka

June 01, 2016 (LBO) - Shangri-La opened its 145-acre Hambantota Resort & Spa in the Southeast Sri Lanka on Wednesday, one of the major hotel chains to enter the island after the end of a war with Tamil Tiger separatists. The 300-room beachfront resort, which includes an 18-hole golf course and an artisan village, launched with special packages for wild-life enthusiasts, newlyweds and families. "The first upscale resort on the south west coast of the island, Shangri-La’s Hambantota Resort & Spa’s is set in naturally lush surroundings," the website said. Shangri-La invested in Sri Lanka after the end of a war in 2009 boosted tourist arrivals, making the island an attractive tourist destination in Asia. The chain has separately invested in a 500-room hotel in Colombo scheduled to open in 2017. The cost of the Colombo hotel will be over 400 million dollars. Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts currently owns or manages 98 hotels under the Shangri-La brand with a room inventory of over 40,000.  The group has upcoming projects in mainland China, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Myanmar, Philippines and Saudi Arabia. In Hambantota, guest rooms will include 26 suites with private butler service and range from 48 to 240 square metres. Wildlife enthusiasts get national park and boat safaris and access to the golf & country club in a four-day package priced at 246 dollars per night. A "Bride stays for free" package is available for newly weds, while half-board packages start from 192 dollars per night.