Nilaveli Beach Hotel: 45 years of excellence

By Sanath Weerasuriya

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Whether you want to Scuba dive in exotic ocean waters or sun- bath on palm fringed beaches, Nilaveli beach is the place to be. It is a land of miles of sun-kissed lonely beaches where guests can watch the sun rise over beautiful bays, go for long walks or have a romantic stroll in the dusky lonely beach stretch.

If paradise is a place of complete bliss, delight and peace, ‘Nilaveli Beach Hotel’ (NBH) is precisely what lives up to the past 45 years. Nilaveli Beach Hotel is the oldest and the pioneering star class Resort built in the Eastern Coast. NBH, the very first property in the Tangerine Groups of Hotels, is the ultimate gateway for those who wish for quiet bliss on a tropical heaven.

Having officially opened on 21st September, 1974 by late P.B.G. Kalugalle, then Minister of Tourism, famous ‘Nilaveli Beach Hotel’ celebrated its grand 45 years excellence in September this year.

The hotel boasts of forty seven luxury air-conditioned double rooms, which consists of two luxury suites with ocean view.

‘Nilaveli Hotel had enjoyed the grand 84 room accommodation facilities till it was reduced to forty five rooms by 2004 tsunami. The management was not keen to build the lost 34 rooms again but only recently, we have completed the two grand suites by the beach’ explained GM Premkumar.

‘During the LTTE conflict the hotel went through many hardships but was never abandoned and was continuously occupied by guests visiting Nilaveli for its pristine beaches’ he added.

The resort now offers comfortable 47 rooms that are adequately furnished and adorned with modern amenities. All rooms are equipped with telephone, piped music, mini refrigerator, electronic safe, hair dryer, tea and coffee making facilities and en-suite bathrooms with all modern amenities.

Nilaveli Beach Hotel definitely has the best grounds – sprawling, shady groves with hammocks and a gorgeous pool area- of any hotel in the area, as well as a beautiful stretch of beach, with views across to Pigeon Island.

The restaurant is a destination of good seafood. Resort offers a 100 cover restaurant and 60 cover Beach Cafe that specialises in seafood and also a Beach Bar and air-conditioned main bar and lounge.

The beach front restaurant provides an international menu and a variety of beverages. Dining at NBH is a speciality by itself. The hotel is renowned for excellent sea food bought straight from the fishing boats in the vicinity of the hotel.

‘Guest can also tuck into a wide and varied A-la-Carte menu featuring both international and local cuisine prepared to suit the discerning taste of guests. Still more if there is a special dish you wish to have made, just request it and I am ready and will be more than happy to prepare it for you. We are specialised in sea food and our guests are always getting attracted to authentic preparation of ‘Nilaveli Special Sea food dishes’ stated Aruna Ekanayake, the Executive Chef of the Hotel.

‘Pigeon Island’ off beautiful Nilaveli beach stretch is just 10 minutes boat trip and is a 40-minute drive to Trincomalee Natural Harbour and Swami Rock, from the hotel. Fort Fredrick, Koneswaram temple,
Seruwawila Rajamaha Viharaya and Marble Beach are some of the biggest attractions in the Trincomalee District. Pigeon Island attracts hundreds of travellers both Sri Lankan and foreign daily to its shallow waters for water based activities.

Trincomalee in particular is becoming increasingly accessible to local and foreign holiday-makers with the development of the road network, allowing them to enjoy the beautiful beaches of Uppuveli and Nilaveli, not only the best Scuba diving and snorkelling spots in the country, but a host of other activities including yachting, angling and whale watching, short visits to hot water wells, Dutch Bay Beach and Maritime Museum.

Pix Nilan Maligaspe