COMBINING A TASTEFUL BLEND OF MODERN AND TRADITIONAL SRI LANKAN ARCHITECTURE,

the gracious Trans Asia Hotel is located just minutes from Colombo's commercial hub, and offers its guests a panoramic view of the meandering Beira Lake and the Indian Ocean.

The hotel caters mainly to a business clientele from Europe and Asia but is also the last stopover destination for a number of package tours. It has 368 rooms spread out over 7 floors, including two Executive Floors, each complemented by a private lounge and bar. The rooms are luxurious, intimate and give an excellent view over the City of Colombo. Categorized into Standard, Deluxe, Club Rooms and Deluxe Suites, the hotel has 26 interconnecting rooms, 18 non-smoking rooms and a fully fitted room for the disabled.

The Summerfields coffee shop is open at all times, and you can order just about anything that takes your fancy from here. The cuisine ranges from theme nights specialising in Malaysian and Seafood to Italian and French food. There is also the very best of Chinese cuisine at the Long Feng and exotic dishes to tantalize your tastebuds at The Royal Thai restaurant. The service is scrupulous wherever you are in this courtly hotel, and the staff is very friendly and helpful.

Need a convenient place for a quick meeting with a client? Fancy drinks before dinner? Try the spacious Beira Lounge Bar, with it's comfortable furniture, wide choice of beverages and live bands providing light entertainment every night. You can also have drinks by the pool that is situated in the midst of a beautifully landscaped garden, often used as a location for fashion shoots. The more energetic can pop into the Library, one of Colombo's most exclusive clubs at night and a cosy lounge by day, where you'll find a divergence of literature on the well-stocked shelves. The general atmosphere of the hotel is vibrant and energetic - especially during weekends.

The TransAsia also has a 24-hour Business Centre, as well as a fully equipped gym, tennis and squash courts, a sauna, and hair and beauty parlour. There is a doctor on call in addition to The Wellness Health Center, and the Au-Veda Spa, which practices the native healing therapy of Ayurveda, as well as Shiatsu.