Our
history begins in the year 1966 when Ceylon
Holiday Resorts Ltd., was incorporated as
a private limited liability company. The
same year, the company leased an extent
of 10 acres of land from the Ceylon Tourist
Board on a 30 year lease in Bentota, and
took over the management of Hikkaduwa Rest
House. The company became a public limited
liability company on October 14, 1966 by
a special resolution. In April 1967, construction
began on a 66 roomed hotel in Bentota. In
1969, 12 rooms were added to the Hikkaduwa
Rest House, which was renamed Coral Gardens.
Bentota Beach Hotel was opened for business
in 1970. The company declared its first
dividend of 2.5% in 1972. In 1978 Resort
Hotels Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary was
incorporated.
In
1982 Coral Gardens was demolished and construction
commenced on a new 156 roomed hotel. In
the following year Bentota Beach Hotel received
4 star classification. In 1991, John Keells
Holdings acquired the Whittall’s Group,
whereby the controlling interest of the
company changed hands.
In
1995 Sports and Recreation Bentota (Pvt)
Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the company
commenced operations of its Sports Complex
at Bentota. In the following year the Board
approved the complete refurbishment of the
135 roomed Bentota Beach Hotel. In 1998/99
Ceylon Holiday Resorts was the winner in
the Best Corporate Report and Accounts Competition
organized by the Institute of Chartered
Accountants of Sri Lanka.
In
a survey of 4500 hotels patronized by clients
of Neckermann Reisen, a tour operating brand
of the Thomas Cook Group, Bentota Beach
Hotel won international recognition, ranking
among the 100 best and most popular resort
hotels.
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