Jaffna is fast becoming a tourist hot spot in Sri Lanka. For years people have visited Kandy and down South for their holiday getaways but now we’re seeing people truly exploring the island and discovering there’s a lot more to do than going to Hikka or Ella.
This past week, we took a trip up to the northernmost corner of our small island, all the way up to Thirunelveli, Jaffna. We checked in to The Thinnai hotel by Thinnai Group, situated on Palaly Road.
There are a handful of options for hotel stays in Jaffna, however, The Thinnai prides itself in its particular focus on their spacious accommodation, quality food, and the overall warm and welcoming authentic Jaffna-style experience.
The Thinnai’s rooms are a particular highlight and speaking to Thinnai Group General Manager Norman De Jonk, he shared that the hotel is unique in its offering of all suite rooms.
All the rooms at the hotel are suites which come in six different configurations, starting with the “Vaalai” offering a single bedroom suite with a private balcony or verandah and ending with the “Mallihai”, which has two bedrooms, two washrooms, a verandah, a balcony, a kitchen, and a private jacuzzi.
De Jonk shared that The Thinnai is ideal for family getaways looking for a quiet comfortable stay in an intimate space, and with how spacious the suites are, it is also ideal for corporate stays as well.
During their stay, guests have access to their gym and of course their pool, and can engage in activities with their organic farm. However, when in Jaffna, your activities are limitless, especially when it comes to the plethora of excursions that are available to you. Most notably, The Thinnai itself is just only 200-400 m away from the famous Nallur Temple, and there are numerous other historical locations guests can visit during their stay.
During our brief time at The Thinnai, we were also able to experience authentic Jaffna cuisine, courtesy of the many food and beverage outlets at the hotel. Speaking to Thinnai Group Resident Manager – Food and Beverage Operations Muthuraj Manishekaran, he shared that much of their focus is on food and beverages, noting that not only do they cater to their in-house guests but they also have many outlets, cafés, and restaurants which general customers can also patronise.
Manishekaran shared that it is a well-known fact that one of the key highlights of a trip to Jaffna is the authentic Jaffna cuisine. “If you go to Jaffna, you cannot leave without trying some Jaffna crab curry” is something you hear often, he said, adding that the Jaffna spices are iconic and people look forward to tasting these types of food during their visit.
He shared that The Thinnai is a place where they celebrate food, and with their many food and beverage outlets – The Amudham Restaurant, the Thulaa Café, the Saaral Pub, and The Kotti, their poolside bar – they have a number of options for guests to choose from.
You can take your pick, whether you wish to taste the unique and indigenous spices utilised with freshly prepared spices and herbs and the produce supplied daily by Thinnai Organic, or if you want to pop in to the pastry shop and select from a delectable range of pastries, cakes, and beverages, or even to enjoy a lovely drink under the canopy or by the poolside – all of these options are made available to you.
He also noted that the hotel has a special focus for their food and beverage promotions, with numerous ongoing weekend deals for their customers. They also love to celebrate all the many Lankan festivities, from Christmas, to Maha Siva Rathri, and of course the upcoming Sinhala Tamil New Year. He said that guests can look forward to some special celebrations, an avurudu uthsawaya, and many other exciting activities, and so he encourages everyone to keep an eye out for upcoming offers and promos on their social media, especially at https://www.facebook.com/TheThinnai/.
While our time at The Thinnai was brief, it was certainly memorable and we would be remiss not to mention the incredibly welcoming and warm staff at the hotel, superbly accommodating and so very knowledgeable. They were such a comfort, and we enjoyed our time immensely and wish to encourage any and all who choose to take a trip up to Jaffna to definitely check out The Thinnai hotel.
