Once a mansion of a Dutch Governor and
military barracks, the plans of a new hotel came into being in 1870 through the
works of architect R. Smith, under the patronage of then governor Robert Wilmot
Horton. And on the 5th of November 1875, the hotel was christened the ‘Grand
Oriental Hotel’.
The hotel gave opportunity for ardent fans
of the British Royals and other dignitaries to view their passing of the
harbour. The rooftop offered the perfect place for a sun bath and the garden a
place to chat and rest while listening to the well known band – Blue Star.
Famous guests at the time that came by the GOH include HRM Queen Elizabeth and
the Duke and Duchess of Kent.
In 1954, the property of Grand Oriental
Hotel, Colombo, was handed over to the Bank of Ceylon following negotiations
for a price of Rs. 6, 250,000. A fully team, lead by Mr. Ediriweera took over
the management of the hotel. Following strategic decisions in 1963, the company
name changed from Colombo Hotels Company to Hotels Colombo Ltd, the hotel
renamed as Hotel Taprobane. The re-designing was undertaken by famous architect
Mr. Geoffrey Bawa in 1966, which saw the birth of the restaurant – the Harbour
room, which overlooked the Colombo port.
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