Bogambara cells transform to hotel rooms
Spending a holiday in a prison with a cell for a room might seem unusual; yet the oldest and maximum security prison Bogambara in Kandy, now declared as a heritage site, is likely to become part of the Signature Collection of the Hilton Hotel chain.
The government has been in discussion with the Melwa Group that has been engaged in establishing the Hilton hotel in Yala and since it was looking for space in Kandy this heritage site in the centre of the city will become the next best attraction for visitors.
“Any hill country hotel has a view but Bogambara is in the middle of the city – when we do a hotel there is quite a challenge” due to the heritage value of the building and the thematic nature of the prison previous investors were unable to maintain it as such, Melwa Hotels COO Mahinda Pinnapola told The Sunday Times Business.
He explained that they were on the look out to establish a Hilton hotel in Kandy when they were approached by the authorities to use this building while retaining its heritage value they were ready to accept it.
The requirement for Bogambara prison is to be converted to a hotel that will attract high end travellers and for the landmark building to be developed as a historical place, it was pointed out.
The negotiations are still on and the lease agreement is yet to be signed with the Melwa Group and the government, he noted.
With about 350 cells on four floors within these walls it includes various art work and in fact the walls have a large number of inscriptions in the form of poems relating the stories of its inmates.
“We are interested and it is a very challenging property,” he said adding that with plans to establish a hospitality training institute this would become an ideal location.
Architects ARC International based in Dubai will be working on the project to ensure the building will be preserved.
Plans are underway to host guests to evening shows and dramas and other activities, Mr. Pinnapola said.
Considering the historical value of this place, it is likely that they have to use the facilities solely for the hotel whereas staff quarters and laundry and other aspects will have to be housed elsewhere.
Built by the British it is one of the few prisons in Sri Lanka that has the gallows and the death row comprising single cells where prisoners are held seven days before they are hanged.
Some years the Bogambara prison was closed down and shifted to Pallekele.
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