info
Thank you for visiting my site.

Mount Lavinia Hotel - Mount lavinia ( near Colombo)

Mount Lavinia Hotel - Mount lavinia ( near Colombo)

Located in the coastal town of Mount Lavinia, which is just 12 kilometres south of the City of Colombo and 54 kilometres from the Bandaranaike International Airport, the hotel is easy to reach, yet away from the congestion of the capital. It is situated atop a rock and looks over the aquamarine waters of the Indian Ocean. The hotel allows direct access to the beach.

The town of Mount Lavinia was originally known as Galkissa in Sinhala. It's said to have acquired the latter name in memory of 'Lady Lovinia'.
 
History

The Governor''s Palace

In the year 1805, Sir Thomas Maitland, a gallant military General, sailed to the island of Ceylon (as Sri Lanka was known at that time) to assume duties as the second British Governor. He was better known by the sobriquet ''King Tom''.

King Tom had the desire to build a grand country mansion for himself, as he was very dissatisfied with the accommodation provided to him on arrival, which he regarded as hardly fitting for a man of his rank and stature. On his travels around the island he discovered the perfect location for a stately house, on a promontory overlooking the sea in the village of Galkissa, not too far from the capital, Colombo.

It was in the year 1806 that King Tom built his new residence, a symbol of the power and authority vested in him, as His Majesty''s Governor of the island of Ceylon. Indeed King Tom built a house fit for a king, wherein he fulfilled his greatest desire of creating a pleasure-dome filled with excitement and entertainment to escape the inevitable pressures upon his freedom as Governor, within a rigidly circumscribed colonial English society.

Here within the portals of this house, King Tom first set eyes on a beautiful mestizo dancer, Lovina Aponsuwa, the half Portuguese and half Sinhalese lead dancer of her father''s dancing troupe. As she danced before him, enticing him with her long flowing jet black tresses and fixing his attention with her large, expressive, hazel brown eyes, King Tom was mesmerised. He fell instantly in love with Lovina, for nowhere had he seen such perfection, such beauty, and such grace. Lovina and her dance troupe became regular performers at the Governor''s house. Flattered by the attentions of this high-ranking official, Lovina, the lowly dancer was further elated when, as a token of his growing affection, she learned that he was to name his grand country mansion Mount Lavinia, after her.

Before long, King Tom and Lovina were engaged in a clandestine romance, their deep passion for one another flourishing in secret, away from the disapproving eyes of the English society in Colombo, and the moral imperatives of such a closed community.

Lovina''s life could not have been more different from that of her exalted paramour. She was from the lowest caste among the Sinhalese, the Rodiya community, looked down upon by the higher castes. She lived in humble dwellings a short distance from the Governor''s grand mansion. An underground tunnel allowed the Governor and his beloved to keep their trysts secret. The mouth of this tunnel was a disused well near Lovina''s dwelling place, and the underground passage led to the cellars of the Governor''s House. Their romance continued for six years with Lovina a regular visitor at King Tom''s private residence.

The duties of conscientious Governorship soon took their toll on King Tom, however, and poor health forced him to leave the island of Ceylon and his adored Lovina. The Governor, an honourable man, who wanted to do the very best for Lovina within the social mores of the time, presented her with a parting gift: a large piece of land in Attidiya, a village some distance away from Galkissa.

Although the departure of King Tom was to naturally seal the end of their love affair, Lovina''s name is remembered as providing the inspiration in naming the Governor''s house. Indeed, it is believed that her descendants still live in the vicinity of Mount Lavinia. The legend is the story of Lovina, how she fervently held the attention, and captured the heart of a distinguished British Governor of Ceylon.

To this day, the secret tunnel remains, keeping alive the memory and spirit of the beautiful mestizo dancer, elevated in the popular imagination to ''Lady Lavinia''.

The premier restaurant of the hotel provides an ambiance of old world charm. Enjoy the ambiance of a colonial era Ceylonese style restaurant, with a creative blend of regional and continental specialties. The Governor's Restaurant can comfortably seat up to 200 people. A La Carte is served at lunch and dinner. Dress up and go to the Governor's for an evening of elegance and sophistication.

The Terrace
Designated by Newsweek magazine as one of the "World's best gathering places", this is one of the most sought after dining locations for both national and international clients in Colombo. Enjoy the enchanting experience of dining under the stars, seduced by a soft tropical breeze, while lounging by the pool. The bright pinks, oranges and purples of the sky as the sun sets over the Indian Ocean will mesmerise you while you enjoy your meal or sip a tropical cocktail. You can dine to the soothing sounds of live music over a gourmet dinner; on Sunday a live jazz band plays while you enjoy our brunch. The Terrace features daily international lunch buffets and a world of themed nightly buffets that takes you on a gastronomical journey, while A La Carte is served daily from 9.00am to 1.00am. Walk in for breakfast and lunch in casual wear, or take out an elegant dress for dinner.

Sea food cove
Enjoy the magic and romance of the Seafood Cove, with a table set right on the beach, candle light, the warm ocean breeze and the surf breaking softly just a few feet away. Watch the flickering illumination of hurricane lamps throw shadows of history on the soft sand underfoot. It is designed to make your heart skip a beat: a rustic island style Cadjan-thatched gazebo that shades you from the sun and shelters you from the rain, perched on the pristine sands of the paradise beach overlooking the Indian Ocean. It is a quaint yet stylish venue with the ambiance signifying the natural aesthetic beauty with a setting that is nothing short of picture perfect. The cool night breeze will caress you while waiters in ethnic island style attire cosset you. Freshly caught seafood straight from the Indian Ocean is on display on a massive ice filled basket, to be cooked just the way you want it, grilled, sautéed, devilled, poached, fried or in any other style that you prefer. Enjoy the rustic setting and live calypso band that plays during dinner while you tuck into your lobster, jumbo prawns, cuttlefish, squid or fish. So pay us a visit on a starry night to the superlative Seafood Cove. You don't even need to dress up to dine on the finest cuisine at the Seafood Cove - come as you are.

Lobby lounge and bar
Relax and enjoy the magnificent view of the Indian Ocean while you sip a tropical cocktail and munch on your favourite snack.  The Lobby Lounge is open 24 hours a day and the bar is open till midnight. Reserve a cocktail dress or smart shirt especially for an evening at the Lobby Lounge.

* No alcoholic beverages are served in any of the bars on Poya days and religious holidays.

Fish tale bar
The bar designed in the style of a Cajun beach tavern is where you can savour traditional blues as well as the world's finest alcoholic beverages. Located on the golden beach, this is the place to find a bit of shade and sip a cool beer or cocktail after enjoying a spell in the sun. The Beach Bar is an extension of the Seafood Cove and is open from eight in the morning to midnight. You don't need to dress up to enjoy a drink here. The Beach Bar can comfortably accommodate up to 30 guests.

In room amenities
 Amenities and Services Featured in all Rooms

    Air conditioning with individual temperature control
    International Direct Dialing (IDD)
    WiFi facility available in all rooms (Free Internet)
    24-hour house keeping with daily evening turn-down service
    Satellite television with international & local channels
    Hair dryer
    Mini bar
    Tea and coffee making facility
    All bathrooms are supplied with luxury bathroom amenities, hair dryer and 24-hour hot and cold running water.

The following amenities are also available for guests on request.

    Iron and ironing board
    Bathrobe and slippers
    Toiletries (Toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.), shoe polish, sewing kit
    Personal wake-up call service (through the hotel operator)
    Extra storage-safe facilities are available at the Front Office

3 room types

Colonial rooms
Direct ocean view rooms
Ocean view rooms
Suits

Feedback from valuable clients + See all

    "Thanks a lot for making great arrangements for the visit. The visit was very well organized with good hotels and the vehicle/ driver. I would highly recommend your agency and its services to everyone who wants to visit Sri Lanka. Anastasia - Russia, Feb 2011 " Anastasia

    "If you ever plan to visit Sri Lanka (and I think you should) this is your guide!!! Martha Iordanidou  - Thesoloneki - Greece  " Martha Iordanidou

    "  Dear Cyril We spent a wonderful week with you. We were so pleased to have to visited your beautiful country and we will recommend you for all of our relatives and to friends. It has been a pleasure to spend these days with you, we will never forget nice smile on your face all the time. Thank you and if one day you would like to visit Switzerland we will be raedy take you around snowy mountans! All the best, Franz family" Dr. David franz from Swiss

    "Hello my dear friend Mr. Cyril We are all fine dear, I have visited Sri Lanka and I loved the country, Insha’Allah I will visit again your country, it is amazing place. This is the first  day at work , really I enjoy the tour to sri lanka with my  family  and it was very nice and  I wish  to go again to sri lanka and of course you were very good and polite and respectable guy  -thanks  a lot  for every thing and  I wish you ..." Nasser Mohamed from Oman

    "Dear Cyril, We want to thank you so much for making our trip so unforgetable and delightful. We received your name from our friends lives in Geneva who travelled with you in January 2009 and they gave you such a high recommendation that we decided to conbtact you for our two weeks trip this year. Although we have been to Sri Lanka a few times already. We have never found such an excellent driver and guide. It has been a great pleasure to visit Colombo with you and then to Koggala for two day tr..." Mr.Gabor Kato & Mrs.Ann Kato

    "Thank you Cyril for caring us and giving a very enjoyable tour to all of our family while we are on holiday in Sri Lanka. Definitely we will recommend you to our friends and relatives. Hitendra Molleti and family" Hitendra Molleti

    "  Hi Cyril   We have had a fabulous holiday driven and guided by Cyril from CYRIL TOURS. Hotel recommendations were perfect and knowledge supertb. We would happy to introduce CYRIL TOURS to our frieinds and relatives. Thank you for the photos you are taken and send to us, they are a great reminder of our amazing experience in Sri Lanka.   We had a truly memorable time and we are grateful to you for all your knowledge and guidance throughout our trip, it would not have been..." Mr. Richard & Mrs. Bridget Simson and family from

    "Dear Cyril, Thanks for taking care of the Dr.Sethukavalar and his wife very well. They were indeed very happy for all the care you have shown during your tour. They were very impressed of your patience and kindness. I look forward to see you soon and maintain this good relationship we have developed in a short period of time. We will not hesitate a second to recommend you to all our friends who would like to visit Sri Lanka. Taking this opportunity of wishing you all the best. Thanks fo..." HARIDAS KANDASAMY

    "Thank you so much for wonderful Sri Lanka trip.We had a great time. The trip was very relaxing as well as fun. My daughter MAHI who lovingly started calling you "Cyril Dada"(grand farther) Had a memorable trip. She cannot stop talking about elephants. Our trip to Sri Lanka will be full of great memories, its because of you. Thank you for showing us your beautiful country the way we wanted, eating local food, lots of King coconut and Corn stops. We will be surely coming back  to see rest o..." Mithil Patel

    "  Dear Cyril, We are fortunate to have you as a friend here in Sri Lanka. You are extremly  Knowledgeable and more than ever - having an attitude of helpful nature and the willingness to solve issues on hand whilst on our tour around Sri Lanka. As I have said to you we will reccommend you to all our friends who wish to tour in Sri Lanka. My family Karen, Kalvin and Andre also liked your company and wish you and your family well. God bless you all and we will keep in touch, for sur..." Alwyn Santhumayor & family

RECENT PACKAGES
11 NIGHTS 12 DAYS INCLUDING EAST COAST
Exploring the Best of Sri Lanka
SPLENDID TOUR BY 11 DAYS AROUND SRI LANKA
LAST MINUTE DEAL WITH HERITANCE KANDALAMA
6 DAYS SPECIAL HOLIDAY PACKAGE IN SRI LANKA
2 DAYS EXCURSION - SIGIRIYA - DAMBULLA AND KANDY
ONE DAY EXCURSION TO SIGIRIYA  AND DAMBULLA
SURFING IN SRI LANKA - ARUGAMBAY AND HIKKADUWA
EXPLORE SRI LANKA IN 16 DAYS
CAR AND DRIVER FROM SRI LANKA

MAKE A REQUEST