Thambapanni Leisure to open fifth hotel, Thambapanni Villa in Unawatuna in Dec.

Thambapanni Leisure Group of Hotels will open its fifth property in Unawatuna at the end of next month.
Branded as Thambapanni Villa, the new development will feature 28 luxury villas built on a one-acre site. The upcoming luxury property, Thaproban Villa, is designed to offer an exclusive and tranquil guest experience with all modern amenities.

Managing Director of Thambapanni Leisure, Prashantha Dissanayake, said construction is nearing completion. “We have already marketed the hotel globally, and forward bookings are very positive,” he noted.

Dissanayake, a self-made entrepreneur, made his first leisure sector investment in the late 1990s with the opening of Thaproban Beach House in Unawatuna, which at the time offered only three rooms and a restaurant—considered the largest hotel investment in the area during that period.

“At the time, Unawatuna was far from a popular tourist destination, and tourism was mostly limited to homestays with daily rental rates below USD 5.”

“Within four years I expanded the Thaproban Beach House to 14 rooms and built a larger restaurant, which became one of the busiest venues in the area, serving around 200 guests at any given time,” he said.

Building on this success, he invested in his second property, the 16-room luxury Thambapanni Retreat, which also proved to be a viable investment. “We also introduced yoga lessons to the venue, and to this day it is heavily patronised by foreign guests,” he added.

Driven by rising demand, superior service standards, and a loyal international clientele, he then developed and opened his first four-star property, the crown jewel of the group: the Thaproban Pavilion Resort and Spa.

“Looking back, I am happy that within four years, many entrepreneurs followed and invested in small hotels and restaurants. This contributed to job creation and brought significant economic benefits to the area. Most importantly, it helped raise room rates in Unawatuna to around USD 50,” he said.

He added that these investments helped build confidence among other investors and encouraged the development of star-class hotels and resorts, transforming Unawatuna into one of Sri Lanka’s most sought-after tourist destinations.

“Our hard work was recognised in 2016 when Thambapanni Leisure won two prestigious Gold Circle Awards for Thaproban Beach House and Thambapanni Retreat, after fierce competition among 3,000 hotels in Sri Lanka,” Dissanayake recalled.

This achievement encouraged him to launch his fourth property, Thambapanni Waves, in 2018.

He noted that with the opening of Thambapanni Villa, the group will exceed 100 star-class rooms and employ over 200 staff.