In a bid to meet the growing demand for high end travellers who seek luxury style accommodation, Romance Valley in Haputale will be investing over Rs. 300 million to add more rooms to their property. “We plan to add four luxury suites to our property increasing the total investment for the hotel to over Rs. 1 billion,” said Director, Romance Valley and Panarch Pvt Ltd, Architect Kumudu Munasinghe. He said that the four 1,000 square feet rooms would be built into a separate tower and would have rooftop infinity and a pool as well. “I started this hotel as a holiday home on a three-and-half-acre land in 2015. Due to its picturesque surroundings and design of the hotel and its facilities I received numerous requests to convert this to a hotel. Then I invested around Rs. 700 million and built five luxury suites each having its own living area with two swimming pools mainly catering to the niche market in 2015.”

Each suit has a flat screen TV with cable TV connection, free Wifi, tea coffee making facility and offers the finest linen and towels. The three suite block also has a separate kitchen making it ideal for family stays. “We also offer in room dining and also have separate restaurants as well. The interior space includes luxury furniture designed to cater to the guests with greater comfort and containment.” Munasinghe said that the hotel was designed to give utmost privacy to guests and due to this famed international celebrity, some Sri Lankan VVIPS’s including Presidents have stayed at Romance Valley Haputale. “I have also designed the hotel in such a way that guests living in Suites do not meet each other. This is to ensure privacy."

Its unique architectural design enables one to enjoy an unobstructed view of the beautiful surroundings and has helped in winning many global awards for the hotel. He said with the country situation settling down there is new exploration of both local and foreign clientele; this is one reason for expansion. Having graduated in Architecture from University of Moratuwa he joined the Anthony NG Architect in Hong Kong for their World Trade Centre Project in Colombo. He also worked in Crestcat Boulevard and Ceylinco Seylan Tower as a Resident Architect. He has also specialized in high rise building and worked for many other projects including Monarch Tower up Market Residential and Hotel projects which includes Cinnamon Grand Hotel, Aliya Resort & Spa and Amaya Lake Dambulla, Loversleap Nuwara Eliya, The Reef Hikkaduwa and many more. He has also designed a University in England and was engaged in many overseas projects. He is a member of Sri Lanka Institute of Architects and Association of Project Management in the UK. Romance Valley is also listed in the Small Luxury Hotels Catalogue and was also voted as the Best Honeymoon destination in Asia by Conde Nast Traveler. The hotel has also won the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects Design Excellence award.

Image Caption - Director, Romance Valley and Panarch Pvt Ltd, Architect Kumudu Munasinghe