Hilton Colombo
A five-star Hilton hotel in central Colombo offering accommodation, dining, events and business facilities.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Hilton Colombo is a five-star luxury hotel in central Colombo, Sri Lanka, operating under the Hilton brand. Located beside the World Trade Center Colombo, the property serves business travelers, international visitors, local residents, government and corporate events, and leisure guests. Its facilities include 382 rooms, 36 suites, several restaurants and lounges, meeting and banquet spaces, a swimming pool and a fitness center. The hotel was developed and is owned through Hotel Developers (Lanka) Ltd. The company was incorporated in 1983 and became a listed company on the Colombo Stock Exchange in 1984. Financing difficulties during development led the Government of Sri Lanka to provide support for a yen-denominated loan and to acquire a majority interest as security. The property opened in 1987 and became one of Colombo’s prominent internationally branded business hotels. Hilton Colombo’s operating model combines conventional full-service hotel accommodation with a broad food-and-beverage and events business. Its dining portfolio has included Graze Kitchen, a buffet-focused restaurant; Curry Leaf, centered on Sri Lankan cuisine; Cafe Kai; Emperor’s Wok; and entertainment-oriented venues such as Stella, L.A.B and SunsetBlu. SunsetBlu was introduced at the end of 2020 as an all-day club concept. The hotel also hosts weddings, conferences, banquets and other large gatherings. The property has periodically refreshed its public areas and food-and-beverage offer. Following an initial phase of refurbishment, Graze Kitchen and L.A.B lounge were introduced or reopened as part of the hotel’s updated commercial proposition. Hilton Colombo is also associated with the country’s largest Oktoberfest event, with the hotel’s 27th annual edition held in 2019. The ownership history has been more complex than the international branding suggests. The hotel’s underlying company experienced difficulties involving its development financing and the lease of the land on which the property was built. Hotel Developers (Lanka) Ltd. was ultimately delisted from the Colombo Stock Exchange in 2020. It is now solely owned by the Sri Lankan Government, making the hotel a state-owned enterprise while it continues to operate under the Hilton name. Operations were temporarily halted during the COVID-19 pandemic after a staff member tested positive. The interruption formed part of the wider disruption to Sri Lanka’s hospitality sector. The hotel subsequently continued its accommodation, dining and events activities. In 2021, Hilton Colombo was cited among Sri Lanka’s best workplaces, reflecting the property’s role as a major hospitality employer. Its current positioning is that of a premium, internationally managed city hotel with a strong local food, entertainment and meetings presence.
History
Hilton Colombo was developed as a major international hotel project in Sri Lanka during the 1980s. Its owning company, Hotel Developers (Lanka) Ltd., was incorporated in 1983 and listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange in 1984. The project encountered financing constraints because its promoters lacked sufficient resources to fund construction independently. The Government of Sri Lanka supported the development by guaranteeing a yen-denominated loan, while a majority interest in the company was transferred to the government as security. The hotel was built on land leased from the Land Commissioner General’s Department. The development later faced complications relating to the non-payment of the land lease, resulting in cancellation of the lease and reversion of the land. Despite these difficulties, the hotel opened in 1987 under the Hilton brand and became one of Colombo’s best-known international full-service properties. From its central location near the World Trade Center Colombo, Hilton Colombo developed a business-oriented operating model while also serving tourists and local customers. Its facilities expanded beyond rooms and suites to include restaurants, lounges, entertainment spaces, conference rooms, banquet areas, a swimming pool and a fitness center. The property has maintained a substantial food-and-beverage presence, with concepts including Graze Kitchen, Curry Leaf, Cafe Kai, Stella, L.A.B, SunsetBlu and Emperor’s Wok. The hotel marked its 30th anniversary in 2017. Sri Lanka Post commemorated the occasion by issuing a stamp and a first-day cover. Around the same period, the property pursued a refurbishment program and introduced or reopened Graze Kitchen and L.A.B lounge after the first phase of the work. These changes supported an effort to make the hotel relevant not only to overnight guests but also to Colombo’s dining, nightlife and events market. Hilton Colombo has also developed recurring event programming. Its Oktoberfest became one of the country’s largest versions of the German-themed festival, and the 27th annual event took place in 2019. At the end of 2020, the hotel launched SunsetBlu as an all-day club, broadening its entertainment and food-and-beverage offer. The ownership structure changed substantially in the modern period. Hotel Developers (Lanka) Ltd. was delisted from the Colombo Stock Exchange in 2020. The Government of Sri Lanka subsequently became the company’s sole owner, meaning that the hotel operates as a state-owned enterprise even though it continues to use the Hilton brand and remains part of Hilton’s international hotel network. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a temporary operational interruption after a hotel staff member tested positive. Like other hospitality properties, Hilton Colombo faced the effects of travel restrictions and reduced demand, but the property continued to be described as an operating hotel afterward. In 2021 it was recognized among Sri Lanka’s best workplaces. Its established role today is that of a premium city-center hotel combining internationally branded accommodation with restaurants, entertainment, corporate events, conferences and local hospitality services.
- 2021
Workplace recognition
[1]Hilton Colombo is named among Sri Lanka’s best places to work.
- 2020
Owning company is delisted
[1]Hotel Developers (Lanka) Ltd. is delisted from the Colombo Stock Exchange and later becomes wholly government-owned.
- 2020
SunsetBlu launches
[1]The hotel introduces SunsetBlu as an all-day club and entertainment venue.
- 2019
Twenty-seventh Oktoberfest held
[1]Hilton Colombo stages the 27th annual edition of its large Oktoberfest event.
- 2017
Thirtieth anniversary commemorated
[1]The hotel celebrates 30 years with a commemorative stamp and first-day cover issued by Sri Lanka Post.
- 1987
Hilton Colombo opens
[1]The hotel begins operations in central Colombo under the Hilton brand.
- 1984
Owning company is listed
[1]Hotel Developers (Lanka) Ltd. is listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange.
- 1983
Hotel Developers (Lanka) is incorporated
[1]The company established to own and develop the hotel is incorporated in Sri Lanka.
Products and positioning
Premium five-star international city hotel combining business accommodation, local and international dining, entertainment and large-scale events.
Accommodation · 1987
Guest rooms and suites
The hotel provides 382 rooms and 36 suites for business and leisure guests. The accommodation offer is supported by the property’s central Colombo location, access to dining and leisure facilities, and proximity to the World Trade Center and other commercial destinations.
Restaurant
Graze Kitchen
Graze Kitchen is the hotel’s buffet-oriented restaurant and one of its principal dining venues. It forms part of the property’s post-refurbishment food-and-beverage offer and is designed to serve hotel guests as well as local diners seeking a broad international selection.
Restaurant
Curry Leaf
Curry Leaf focuses on Sri Lankan cuisine and gives the internationally branded hotel a distinctly local culinary identity. The venue contributes to Hilton Colombo’s positioning as both a tourist hotel and a destination for residents seeking traditional Sri Lankan food.
Club and entertainment venue · 2020
SunsetBlu
SunsetBlu was launched at the end of 2020 as an all-day club concept. It extends the hotel’s offer beyond conventional restaurant service into social dining, entertainment and nightlife, helping the property compete for local leisure and event spending.
Events and business services · 1987
Meetings and banquets
Hilton Colombo provides meeting rooms, banquet areas and event services for conferences, corporate functions, weddings and other large gatherings. These facilities are central to the hotel’s business-market role and complement its accommodation and restaurant operations.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019Hilton Colombo Oktoberfest
Sri Lanka
The hotel hosted the 27th annual edition of its Oktoberfest, described as the largest Oktoberfest event in Sri Lanka. The recurring event uses food, beverages, music and entertainment to attract both hotel guests and local customers.
Outcome. The event reinforced Hilton Colombo’s profile as a major dining and entertainment destination in Colombo.
- 2017Thirtieth-anniversary commemoration
Sri Lanka
Hilton Colombo marked its 30th anniversary through commemorative activity associated with a stamp and first-day cover issued by Sri Lanka Post.
Outcome. The commemoration highlighted the hotel’s long operating history in Sri Lanka.
Brand decisions
2020
Transition to wholly government-owned ownershipStrategyBackground
Hotel Developers (Lanka) Ltd., the owning company, had been listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange since 1984 and was delisted in 2020.
Action taken
Following the delisting, the Government of Sri Lanka became the company’s sole owner, while the hotel continued operating under the Hilton brand.
Aftermath
Hilton Colombo operates as a state-owned enterprise rather than as a publicly traded hotel-owning company.
2020
Launch of SunsetBluProduct launchBackground
The hotel was expanding and refreshing its food-and-beverage and entertainment portfolio.
Action taken
Hilton Colombo launched SunsetBlu as an all-day club concept at the end of 2020.
Aftermath
The venue broadened the property’s offer to local entertainment and nightlife customers.
- Temporary COVID-19 operational haltOther
Background
A hotel staff member tested positive for COVID-19 during the pandemic.
Action taken
The hotel temporarily halted operations.
Aftermath
The property later continued operating, although the pandemic disrupted hospitality demand and travel.
Recent events
Hilton and SPAR partner for Earth Day reusable-bag distribution[2]
Reported:
Hilton Colombo and Hilton Colombo Residences partnered with SPAR Supermarket outlets in Sri Lanka for an Earth Day initiative that distributed 1,200 reusable grocery bags made from denim waste to customers at four selected outlets.
Hilton Colombo launches SunsetBlu[3]
Reported:
Hilton Colombo launched SunsetBlu, described as the city's first and only all-day club, offering food, drinks and entertainment.
Sources3 sources
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