Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, one of the major hotel chains to enter the island after the end of the war with Tamil Tiger separatists, by investing USD 120 million in the 145-acre, 300-room beachfront resort.

The resort is home to an 18-hole golf course, an expansive spa and an artisan village that celebrates local arts and craft, according to the hotel's website.

The chain has separately invested US$ 400 million in a mixed complex in Colombo scheduled to open in 2017.