In Sri Lanka, Anantara Kalutara Resort, a Minor Hotels’ owned property, officially opened its door in October 2016. Ten minutes from the historic town of Kalutara and an hour south of the capital Colombo, Anantara Kalutara Resort is set between Sri Lanka’s beautiful southwest coast of the Indian Ocean and Kalu River. The resort, consisting of 141 guest rooms, suites and pool villas, was originally designed by Sri Lanka’s most famous architect, the late Geoffrey Bawa, and is inspired by his vision of simplistic elegance and great craftsmanship. Continuing the philosophy of connecting modern travellers to genuine places, Anantara Kalutara Resort allows travellers to experience Sri Lanka’s colonial charms and sacred heritage, including the world’s tallest sitting Buddha statue and the world’s only hollow Buddhist shrine. Anantara Kalutara Resort joins Minor Hotels’ Sri Lankan portfolio as the second Anantara property, bringing the Sri Lankan portfolio to six properties.

The debut of Anantara in Oman marks an exciting chapter for the brand in the international arena. Minor Hotels today manages two luxury resorts under the Anantara brand in the country. Opened its door in October 2016, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort is the highest five star luxury resort in the Middle East. Perched 2,000 metres above sea level on the Sultanate’s fabled ‘Green Mountain’, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort is situated in one of the most spectacular settings in the world. Guests can explore a spectacular cliff-edge platform known as Diana’s Point, named after Diana, Princess of Wales, who visited the exact spot in November 1986. Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort offers 115 luxury guest rooms and villas overlooking the dramatic canyon or tranquil gardens in the northern Oman. In November 2016, Minor Hotels opened the second Anantara resort in the country, Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara. Situated between a long, scenic beach and freshwater lagoon, bordering the historic Al Baleed UNESCO archaeological site, the resort brings a new level of luxury and refinement to the region, allowing discerning guests to discover the unique charms of southern Oman. The resort comprises 136 guest rooms and villas offering views of the ocean, lagoon or picturesque gardens. Renowned for opening the door to authentic experiences in each destination, the two new Anantara resorts offer a wide variety of activities – from high adrenalin to total relaxation – as well as intimate experiences with culture and nature.

With the three newly opened hotels, Anantara portfolio today consists of 38 Anantara hotels, of which 11 have been recognized in the 2016 Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards as amongst the very best in the world.

Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotels, commented, “We are very excited to announce the expansion of our Anantara brand in two exclusive destinations – truly exemplifying the brand philosophy of connecting modern travellers to new places and experiences. Sri Lanka and Oman have emerged as popular tourist destinations with promising opportunities for the luxury hospitality business. We are very thrilled to launch new hotels in these dynamic regions and look forward to exploring further expansion opportunities through both investment and management agreement to strengthen our luxury hotel portfolio”.

About Minor International:

Minor International (MINT) is a global company focused on three core businesses: restaurants, hospitality and lifestyle brands distribution. MINT is one of Asia’s largest restaurant companies with over 1,900 outlets operating system-wide in 19 countries under The Pizza Company, Swensen’s, Sizzler, Dairy Queen, Burger King, Thai Express, The Coffee Club, Ribs and Rumps, BreadTalk (Thailand) and Riverside brands. MINT is also a hotel owner, operator and investor with a portfolio of 155 hotels and serviced suites under the Anantara, AVANI, Oaks, PER AQUUM, Tivoli, Elewana, Marriott, Four Seasons, St. Regis, Radisson Blu and Minor International brands in 23 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Europe and South America. MINT is one of Thailand’s largest distributors of lifestyle brands focusing primarily on fashion, cosmetics and contract manufacturing. Its brands include Gap, Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, Kojima Jeans, Esprit, Bossini, Etam, Radley, Anello, Charles & Keith, Pedro, Red Earth, Zwilling J.A. Henckels and ETL Learning. For more information, please visit www.minorinternational.com.

About Anantara:

Anantara is a luxury hospitality brand for modern travellers, connecting them to genuine places, people and stories through personal experiences, and providing heartfelt hospitality in the world’s most exciting destinations. The collection of distinct, thoughtfully designed luxury hotels and resorts provides a window through which to journey into invigorating new territory, curating personal travel experiences.

From cosmopolitan cities to desert sands to lush islands, Anantara connects travellers to the indigenous, grounds them in authentic luxury, and hosts them with passionate expertise, currently boasting over 30 stunning properties located in Thailand, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Mozambique, Zambia, the UAE, Qatar and Oman, with a pipeline of future properties across Asia, the Indian Ocean, Middle East and Africa.

For more information on Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, please visit www.anantara.com.