Nuwa at City of Dreams Sri Lanka has received five-star classification from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), giving Colombo’s luxury hospitality sector a further boost as the capital seeks to attract higher-spending regional and international travellers.
The recognition was marked at a recent event at Nuwa, attended by tourism officials, hospitality leaders, and senior representatives of City of Dreams Sri Lanka. The discussion focused on the importance of the classification for the hotel, and also for Colombo’s changing role within Sri Lanka’s tourism offering.
The classification is also a notable case for Sri Lanka’s hotel rating system, as Nuwa and Cinnamon Life operate as two five-star hotels within the same integrated resort. SLTDA Chairperson Buddhika Hewawasam said the structure required careful assessment, as this was a new model within Sri Lanka’s classification framework.
The classification process involved an assessment of the hotel’s facilities, service standards, operational readiness, and compliance with SLTDA’s star-classification requirements. Officials said the Nuwa case required closer review because it involved a hotel operating within a larger integrated resort.
Hewawasam said Colombo’s hospitality market was entering a new phase, with integrated developments and high-end hotels helping to strengthen the city’s image as a regional destination. Colombo has traditionally been viewed mainly as a commercial city, but properties of this nature could support its appeal as a luxury, business, and events tourism hub.
Deputy Minister of Tourism Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe said Sri Lanka had moved from a period of tourism recovery toward greater stability, and that higher-end tourism products would help the country compete more effectively in the region.
Nuwa operates within City of Dreams Sri Lanka, which its operators describe as South Asia’s first fully integrated luxury resort. The development brings together Nuwa and Cinnamon Life within one property, along with restaurants, entertainment spaces, shopping, gaming, convention facilities, and other visitor experiences.
City of Dreams Sri Lanka Property General Manager Michael Habashi said the resort had been designed to offer a range of experiences within a single destination, from luxury shopping and restaurants to entertainment and gaming. The model gives Colombo an all-under-one-roof hospitality product at a time when Sri Lanka is looking to increase tourism earnings beyond room revenue alone.
Nuwa Hotel Manager Thakshila Galappaththy said the brand was built on sophistication, quality, and innovation. He said Nuwa is part of an international portfolio, with properties in Macau, Manila, and Sri Lanka. The Colombo property offers 113 rooms and suites and is positioned as the luxury hotel component of City of Dreams Sri Lanka.
Galappaththy said the hotel had placed strong emphasis on service quality, recruiting 168 staff members after interviewing around 500 candidates. He said maintaining the guest experience would be key to the hotel’s next phase, particularly as luxury travellers expected consistency from arrival to departure.
Cinnamon Life General Manager Kamal Munasinghe said securing the classification was only one part of the process, as maintaining five-star standards required continuous attention to service, facilities, and operational discipline. He said the presence of Nuwa alongside Cinnamon Life created a complementary hospitality offering, combining an international luxury brand with a major Sri Lankan hospitality operator.
Industry officials also noted that the classification places continued pressure on operators to maintain service consistency, staff training, facility standards, and guest experience, particularly as Colombo seeks to compete with established luxury destinations in the region.