Case Studies

Located along the pristine coastline of Kalametiya near Tangalle, CEU Ceylon had already embraced sustainable hospitality long before sustainability became a global travel trend. The property utilised renewable energy, eliminated single-use plastics, served drinking water in reusable glass bottles, and adopted numerous environmentally responsible operating practices.

Despite these efforts, the property's sustainability story had never been professionally communicated to the travel trade. Prior to partnering with Elevate Hospitality, CEU Ceylon was managed by one of Sri Lanka's leading hotel management companies. However, the owners felt the property's unique strengths were not being effectively positioned, resulting in pricing challenges and limited market recognition.

The property was actively working with only five Destination Management Companies (DMCs) in Sri Lanka and had limited direct international travel trade exposure.

Located within the Knuckles Mountain Range, Ferndale Retreat is an exclusive four-room luxury retreat offering privacy, nature, and personalised hospitality.

Prior to partnering with Elevate Hospitality, the property was managed by another hospitality management company. Following a comprehensive commercial assessment, we identified that although the property delivered an exceptional guest experience, its pricing strategy was restricting market access and limiting revenue potential.

The retreat was being sold exclusively on an all-inclusive basis, with accommodation, meals, beverages, and experiences bundled into a single nightly rate. While this approach appeared attractive on paper, it significantly reduced the property's appeal among Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), Destination Management Companies (DMCs), and international travel partners who preferred flexible pricing structures.

Lalan Leisure operates a distinctive collection of hospitality experiences, including Iona Bungalow (Hatton), Udapola Bungalow (Deraniyagala), Kuda Oya Bungalow (Matale), and Yala Chalets.

Although the properties had invested in the Exely Hospitality Platform, many of its core features were not being fully utilised. Reservation processes were largely manual, guest confirmations were sent via WhatsApp and text messages, guest information was not consistently recorded, and reservation data was not properly maintained.

There were no standard operating procedures (SOPs) for reservations, inconsistent communication with guests, and limited reporting capabilities. These operational gaps affected the overall guest experience and commercial decision-making.

Following repeated experiences with fake bookings, cancellations, and no-show losses, several properties had disconnected from Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), resulting in reduced online visibility and a heavy reliance on traditional sales channels.

The plantation bungalows had virtually no exposure to Sri Lanka's travel trade, while Yala Chalets was working with only two active Destination Management Companies (DMCs).

In addition, the plantation bungalows were primarily sold as accommodation-only properties. Guests either brought their own food or paid a cooking fee, limiting ancillary revenue opportunities and reducing the overall guest experience.

Located just minutes from the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Lario Resort offered spacious accommodation, quality facilities, and service standards comparable to a three-star hotel. Despite its strong guest experience, the resort had very limited market visibility and depended heavily on only two Destination Management Companies (DMCs) for the majority of its business.

The property had minimal presence across leading Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), lacked an integrated revenue management system, and had no clearly defined brand story to differentiate itself within the highly competitive Sigiriya hospitality market.

Lime Shine Airport Transit Hotel is a newly developed 16-room airport transit hotel strategically located near Bandaranaike International Airport.

As a new entrant to the hospitality market, the property had no established customer base, no online presence, no travel trade relationships, and no defined commercial strategy. The owner engaged Elevate Hospitality on a six-month project to prepare the hotel for market entry and establish a strong commercial foundation.

The objective was to position the hotel competitively within the airport accommodation market while creating sustainable demand from both Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) and the travel trade.

Shinagawa Beach Resort is a luxury beachfront resort in Balapitiya and one of Sri Lanka's most recognised beach hotels in the German-speaking leisure market.

Elevate Hospitality's Co-Founder, Yasas Nanayakkara, previously led the Sales & Marketing function of the resort during an earlier stage of its commercial journey. In December 2024, the owners approached Yasas after facing a series of commercial and operational challenges that were significantly affecting profitability.

Although the hotel maintained healthy occupancy throughout the year, the business was heavily dependent on a single Destination Management Company (DMC), had virtually no OTA or direct website bookings, suffered from low Average Room Rates (ARR), and was exposed to significant overbooking-related compensation costs.

In addition, several critical digital assets, including OTA extranets, the hotel website, and direct booking systems, were either inaccessible or not operating effectively, limiting the property's ability to generate direct and online revenue.

Elevate Hospitality was appointed in January 2025 to manage:

• Travel Agent Business Development
• OTA & Revenue Management
• Reservations Management
• Social Media Management

The objective was clear — stabilise operations, protect profitability, restore the hotel's commercial infrastructure, and rebuild long-term market confidence.