Another tea factory hotel in SL
View(s):Malwatte Valley Plantations PLC is planning to open its 2-star, 60 room property in two years – transforming an old tea factory to a hotel, officials said. This would be the second tea factory hotel after the Aitken Spence Tea Factory hotel in Nuwara Eliya.
“It will build on a defunct tea factory (which hasn’t been in operation for the past 20 years) and will have 60 rooms. This will be mainly targeting budget travellers. We are investing some Rs. 350 million on this property,” an official told the Business Times, adding that Ashkey de Vos is the project architect. He said the tea industry is facing stiff competition with soaring manufacturing costs and that they needed to diversify.
Malwatte Valley Plantations also owns and operate the Talduwa Manor resort in Dehiowita, Avissawella, a 12 roomed colonial bungalow built in 1920. “We have invested nearly US$450,000 in Melbourne to build four town housing units as a pilot project some years ago,” he said, mentioning this to be their first foray into the real estate sector. “We also hope to build a similar hotel targeting budget travellers in Passikudah,” he said.
(Duruthu)