Luxury and nature; Jetwing is back at Yala
It’s the ultimate relaxation to spend an evening by the beach lulled by the sound of the surf. But add in untamed wildlife and
Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Jetwing Chairman Hiran Cooray and others at the opening
mesmerising landscapes and you get an idea of what Jetwing Yala is all about. From beautiful sunsets, to thrilling animal calls Jetwing Yala is for the lover of the great outdoors-complete with the beach, sand dunes, and of course, the jungle.
Opened on January 27 by Minister for Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa, Jetwing Yala is the latest resort by Sri Lanka’s premier hospitality brand Jetwing, the launch date marking the 85th birthday of the founder of Jetwing, the late Herbert Cooray.
The Rs.2.1 billion property, spread over 38 acres overlooks the ocean on one side and the wildlife sanctuary on the other. It’s only three km away from the park entrance and 35 km from the recently opened Mattala airport. The hotel has 80 rooms and is equipped with a state of the art gymnasium, spa and a pool complete with a swim-up pool bar. Sri Lankan and Asian inspired cuisine experiences in a variety of different settings such as dune dining, tree house dining, and even bird hide dining await guests.
“After close to 10 years, we are back in Yala. Our first property, the ‘Yala Safari Game Lodge’ was destroyed in the tsunami; a tragedy that left us with much to regret. Yala has been always known for its wildlife, and as a result quite a lot of other superb experiences are missed out on. The beaches of Yala are magnificent, and its sand dunes are spectacular. This is what we are trying to accomplish. We hope to see the resort being known as an icon of the Deep South of Sri Lanka, and where an adventure will be truly yours and yours alone,” said Chairman of Jetwing, Hiran Cooray.
The hotel is also in close proximity to many tourist destinations like Bundala National Park, shrines like the Tissamaharama temple, the Kataragama shrine, Sithulpawwa and Mulkirigama, and Deberawewa which is ideal for an evening stroll on the tank bund.
Jetwing Yala has been created from the beginning of its construction to be as sustainable as possible. Energy conservation initiatives include illumination through 100% LED lighting and feature LED backlit TVs in guest rooms; a biomass boiler that burns cinnamon
wood for night time hot water generation (sourced through local suppliers). It also features a central solar hot water system for daytime demand; a solar photo-voltaic (300kW) plant which will cater to 1/3rd of the hotel’s day consumption amongst others. Most of these initiatives are now standard at Jetwing properties around the country. The staff of the hotel are also drawn from the youth of Hambantota area who have been given special training.
“Sri Lanka is very well known as a five star country. Our hope is to decorate it with five star hotels. Jetwing Yala is set to change the face of the Deep South of Sri Lanka – the perfect blend of luxury and nature,” says Mr. Cooray.