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Golden sands of Negombo & Browns Beach Hotel
By Sanath Weerasuriya
Not only overseas visitorts, but in Sri Lankans too, always link Negombo with its grand lady ‘Browns Beach Hotel’. When it come to Negombo, the Browns is the flagship hotel.

The Negombo city is always identified with fishing and Catholic Churches. Negombo boasts of a rich cultural heritage with impressive Roman Catholic churches built by the Portuguese and the ruins of an old Dutch Fort. But when it comes to the Hotels in Negombo, it is always the Browns Beach Hotel.

Browns Beach Hotel started three decades ago to cater to the beach loving tourist flow in the seventies. Though the concept in Sri Lankan Tourism has changed after 30 years to the Culture, Nature and Wilderness, the demand for Sun, Sand Sea, has not changed.

Originally owned by Brown & Co, the hotel has now come under the umbrella of Aitken Spence Hotel chain. The hotel has 140 air-conditioned rooms with direct sea view frontage, which include four suites, ten villas and 25 beach rooms. The hotel has one Penthouse. All rooms have attached bath or shower, hot/cold water, telephone, radio with balcony or terrace.

“The Beach has become very small duo to the sea erotion in late eighties , but the authorities had done a good job by creating this artificial beach. there is no beach boys menace and the visitors can enjoy their holiday to the maximum.” said Felix Rodrigo the Director General Manager of the Hotel.

The most significant place in the hotel is Sun Set Night Club , which is one of the oldest night clubs in Sri Lanka. The hotel has two restaurants ‘Orchid’ and ‘Carnation’ offering guests a set menu, buffet, and an a-la carte menus. The menues of the hotel is always filled with the mouthwatering sea food delights straight from the famous Negombo lagoon.

According to the Executive Chef Thuresh Weeraratne, the man behind the cuisine carnival at the hotel, there are theme nights spread throughout the week. Lobster Night, Prawn Night, Bon Fire Night Sri Lankan Night BBQ Night and Around the World are some of the theme nights come alive at the hotel.
Sri Lankan Night is very popular amongst locals as well as foreigners and our Sunday Buffet is one of the best and most popular in the region.” said Chef Shirley, who is in charge if the pastry section.

Sports and Leisure activities includes Outdoor Swimming at the mini Olympic style Pool, Floodlit Tennis court, Indoor Games, Boating, two Squash Courts, Table Tennis, number of Water Sports and Beach Volley-ball. There is a special section for kiddies at the swimming pool area.

Poolside Bar and Beach Bar, Karaoke Bar, Night Club, 24 Hour Laundry and Room Service, Beauty Salon, Conference and Banquet Facilities, Shopping Arcade, Kiddies Corner, Health Club with Sauna and Massage are some of the other attractions at the hotel.

The large Jasmine Conference hall and the Orchid Banquet hall caters to the large scale conferences and meetings, which Sri Lanka is now gaining popularity as MICE destination. “Hotel is a popular place for parties and other functions in the region and we are one of the major destination for weddings” said DGM Rodrigo. The other major attraction of the Browns Beach is newly added Kerala type Ayurveda Centre.

The hotel an Aitken Spence Hotel and the Directors of the Browns Beach Hotel Limited as at August 12 are Mr. J.C. R.Cooray (Chairman), Mr. V. M. Theagarajah, Mr.D.H.S. Jayawardena, Mr. J.M.S. Brito, Dr. V.P.Vittachi, Mr. N.M. Udeshi and F. S. Rodrigo (Director/ General Manager)

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