The Isle of Agnes to be built in the southern most part of Sri Lanka in the middle of the sea with nothing between it and the South Pole promises to be the next level of hotel in the country’s tourism development. Prices will range from US$ 1000 to 10,000 per night for suite only. This will make it the most expensive hotel for a very long time to come.
The concept comes from Prasanna W. Jayewardene who conceptualized and developed the one of a kind ‘Elephant Corridor’ Hotel on land he owned in the middle of the jungle, by a lake surrounded by hills and mountains with the iconic Sigirya rock fortress as the focal point. Almost five years after, the trail blazing opening of this hotel which led the way to many firsts, including electric cars, plunge pools in every suite, no fences, naturescaping, no buffets or meal times, the Isle of Agnes will undoubtedly be also world class but unique among the unique in the world of future tourism.
Prasanna admits that the first hotels he saw only from the outside, were the Queens and Suisse hotels in Kandy while schooling Trinity College and growing up in the hill capital. He subsequently managed both these hotels, as well as the other two colonial classics, Mount Lavinia and Galle Face Hotels, at different times of his forty year career.
Having also managed hotels and hotel groups in Malaysia and the Seychelles, quite apart from those in Sri Lanka, his schooling at the tourism institute in Klesshiem Castle in Salzburg Austria, led him to training in Switzerland, France, Pakistan, and the U.K.
From the first hotel he managed in Sri Lanka, The Browns Beach Hotel in Negombo, in the early 1970s, to the Isle of Agnes has been undoubtedly a very long road in every sense of the word. From a sun and sand hotel catering to mass tourists arriving by European charter planes, requiring buffets and menus written daily in German and French and entertainment programmes to night clubs. The movement to luxury stretched limousines and no menus, coupled with underwater cameras and room doors opened by handprint has been a huge progression.
Admitting that having lived and schooled in the outstations of this country in spite of his very varied and international experience in 10 countries and speaking 5 languages, he has seen and learned a lot.
Prasanna Jayewardene however, is very emphatic that he is Sri Lankan made and a product of this country. The opportunity for the creation of the Isle of Agnes is like everything else, both in my life and career, a gift from Sri Lanka in one way or another. My true good fortune has been to be born here and to be able to be even in a small way a part of the growth process of this country, says this hotelier ready to go a few decades more following the opportunities which present themselves.
The magical Isle of Agnes named after a legendary southern Belle hopes to open at end of next year.
The Bottom Line
The concept comes from Prasanna W. Jayewardene who conceptualized and developed the one of a kind ‘Elephant Corridor’ Hotel on land he owned in the middle of the jungle, by a lake surrounded by hills and mountains with the iconic Sigirya rock fortress as the focal point. Almost five years after, the trail blazing opening of this hotel which led the way to many firsts, including electric cars, plunge pools in every suite, no fences, naturescaping, no buffets or meal times, the Isle of Agnes will undoubtedly be also world class but unique among the unique in the world of future tourism.
Prasanna admits that the first hotels he saw only from the outside, were the Queens and Suisse hotels in Kandy while schooling Trinity College and growing up in the hill capital. He subsequently managed both these hotels, as well as the other two colonial classics, Mount Lavinia and Galle Face Hotels, at different times of his forty year career.
Having also managed hotels and hotel groups in Malaysia and the Seychelles, quite apart from those in Sri Lanka, his schooling at the tourism institute in Klesshiem Castle in Salzburg Austria, led him to training in Switzerland, France, Pakistan, and the U.K.
From the first hotel he managed in Sri Lanka, The Browns Beach Hotel in Negombo, in the early 1970s, to the Isle of Agnes has been undoubtedly a very long road in every sense of the word. From a sun and sand hotel catering to mass tourists arriving by European charter planes, requiring buffets and menus written daily in German and French and entertainment programmes to night clubs. The movement to luxury stretched limousines and no menus, coupled with underwater cameras and room doors opened by handprint has been a huge progression.
Admitting that having lived and schooled in the outstations of this country in spite of his very varied and international experience in 10 countries and speaking 5 languages, he has seen and learned a lot.
Prasanna Jayewardene however, is very emphatic that he is Sri Lankan made and a product of this country. The opportunity for the creation of the Isle of Agnes is like everything else, both in my life and career, a gift from Sri Lanka in one way or another. My true good fortune has been to be born here and to be able to be even in a small way a part of the growth process of this country, says this hotelier ready to go a few decades more following the opportunities which present themselves.
The magical Isle of Agnes named after a legendary southern Belle hopes to open at end of next year.
The Bottom Line
