Sri Lanka’s new pinnacle of luxury and innovation

For those eager to not only explore Sri Lanka but truly immerse themselves in its essence, ITC Ratnadipa, a Luxury Collection Hotel, is the perfect destination. Situated between the Indian Ocean and Beira Lake, the five-star Colombo hotel offers an exceptional experience that goes beyond the ordinary. Though the Island Nation has always looked at the luxury segment, especially in the recent years, it has not been pursued as high-end when compared with Singapore or Maldives. “Sri Lanka his country has everything a traveller can ever think of and there’s a tremendous opportunity to drive high-end luxury, lifestyle and also promote it as the ideal lifestyle and culinary destination for the discerning luxury traveller, not just in the country but for South Asia. With the entry of ITC Ratnadipa meaning island of gems, we have stimulated new demand and potential for both high end MICE clientele as well as destination weddings, predominantly from India. This, we believe, will not help us as a brand but the entire tourism industry in Sri Lanka,” says General Manager Sujeet Kumar.

Hospitality trends and exclusive features

India has been leading the tourist arrivals along with Europe and China. “Most look at experiential travel and not just a hotel room anymore. They are in need of customised experiences, exceptional customer service and a thirst for trying out something new and different. ITC Ratnadipa has positioned itself as a leading culinary destination with remarkable F&B outlets including Ahasa, the sky bridge, suspended 100 m above the clouds with its roof housing two infinity pools with a sky deck provides a unique design dimension,” he shares, adding the helipad is a unique feature that directly takes guests to the private Grand Presidential Suite. The spacious rooms with private balconies have all waterfront views. “Last but not least, the hotel will soon be launching its culinary loyalty programme that offers guests the best possible savings here in the city, Kumar informs. Then, there’s The Sagara (translating to ocean) lobby that showcases sweeping views of the Indian Ocean.

Ahasa

Elements of local culture and heritage

Drawing inspiration from the rich architectural history of Sri Lanka, ITC Ratnadipa provides an extraordinary luxury living experience while incorporating elements of local architecture and vernacular practices. The development’s distinctive triangular plan is designed to maximise the views and provide substantial energy savings. “With Ayubowan being our key greeting translating to ‘may you live long’, similar to namaste, we have incorporated few local elements at the property. The hotel houses over 600-plus local artifacts, ranging from paintings created by some of the best artists in the country, from black and white photography to sculptures. The aim is to support local artists,” says he.  

Premier amenities and unique features

The hotel has an infinity pool on the fourth floor with beautiful views of the Indian Ocean. In addition, the 31st floor hosts two sky pools with panoramic views. With state-of-the-art equipment in our fitness centre with sweeping views, it caters to both business and leisure travellers alike. Dedicated banqueting space is the key at ITC Ratnadipa with a separate entrance and elevators that can hold even vehicles for unique events. With two open decks and meeting spaces, the hotel is ideal for MICE clientele.  

“The banquet features 15,000 sq ft of pillar-less space with the capacity to host over 2,000 guests in theatre style. A showstopper gleaming with exquisite details, built-in JBL speakers and audio visuals at Sangam - The Ballroom, enthralls guests with stratospherically high 24-foot ceilings and window walls that wrap around to provide breathtaking views of the iconic skyline and Indian Ocean, making it a beautiful backdrop for sunset events. It can be divided into three equal parts together with five separate meeting spaces,” shares the GM. 

Avartana

Services for corporate travelers

The hotel offers corporate travellers a seamless check-in and check-out where the rooms and suites feature all accessories during their stay. Each room provides a workstation and private balcony and high-speed wi-fi. The laundry valet is another unique feature that gives guests privacy with all laundry taken in and out via a separate cabinet. In addition, guests are invited for Luxury Hours from 5.30-7.30 pm (free beverages from a special menu). Airport pickup and drop can be arranged on request and corporate clients have access to meeting rooms that can be booked along with a Business Centre for daily work requirements. Club Prive, a member’s only lounge, grants members the ideal setting for all private meetings with high speed internet.  

Culinary experiences

Even though brands like Avartana and Peshawri exist in Colombo, restaurants at the property blend local elements like in the case of Avartana where a Sri Lankan 11-course menu, Jiaa, is served. From room amenities to locally sourced batik saris, ITC Ratnadipa brings out the locality successfully. The Indian Ocean Pavilion, the all-day dining not only features seven live stations but fosters a strong sense of connection to local cuisine that brings out an explosion of flavour, impeccable ingredients and dishes prepared by chefs who take pride in innovation whilst Yi Jing treats guests to the finest Chinese cuisines. “The Indian traveller has always appreciated the culinary offerings of ITC Hotels across India and we couldn’t be happier to highlight that they will most certainly feel at home here,” says Kumar. Then, there’s Peshawri that dishes up a tantalising journey through North West frontier cuisine where guests can savour expertly crafted tandoor delights and indulge in the famous Dal Bukhara.  

Room With a View

Responsible luxury and sustainability

A Luxury Collection Hotel Colombo, has been accredited with the coveted LEED Platinum certification by USGBC, (United States Green Building Council).  This LEED certification identifies ITC Ratnadipa as an exemplar of sustainability and demonstrates its leadership in transforming the hospitality industry towards a planet positive future. Some of the hotel’s Responsible Luxury initiatives include elimination of single use plastic, reduced usage of glass in the building elevation and usage of multi-glazed low-e-coated glass to reduce the heat ingress, energy efficient chilled water system with best in-class chillers, rainwater harvesting designed to address peak rainfall event, the property’s water bottling plantation to name a few.