Strategic Advice & Repositioning for a Private Heritage Bungalow

Repositioning legacy, reviving heritage.

Client: Private Property Owner & Donor-implementation Partners

Status: Completed

Through the multi-donor funded Pekoe Trail Business Incubation programme, RETRACE Hospitality was appointed Advisor and Mentor to the Owner of Walauwa on the Hill, a legacy Heritage home in Hatton, Sri Lanka. The property is now a first-generation tourism business, converted from a private residential holiday home that continues to quaintly retain single-family ownership, today descending down over four generations.

Over a period of six months, RETRACE Hospitality founder Chalana worked closely with the Owner and Management of Walauwa on the Hill to identify, define and address both near term, medium-term and long-term areas of improvement. Following an overnight stay on property and deep exploration of the surrounding areas over a period of several days, the engagement involved regular check-ins with the Owner. The following months required the Owner to deliver several pre-agreed deliverables, which were reviewed virtually and through impromptu audits and inspection by RETRACE Hospitality and other Pekoe Trail implementation partners.

RETRACE Hospitality provided advice, guidance and strategic planning in (among others) the following areas:

1. Brand building, concept & development (including deep dive into historic heritage, themes)

2. Interior design, styling, refurbishing & signage (with limited budget, using principles of regenerative design)

3. Menu revisions, designs & planning (including ingredient sourcing footprint planning)

4. Financial management & planning (scrutiny on cashflow management)

5. Rate & revenue strategy, distribution & marketing insights (including target market profiling)

6. Staffing & resource planning

7. Allied excursions & experience design + partnership proposals

8. Long-term business planning & strategy

9. Capacity building & coaching for ownership & management

10. Product development, value addition

For more information, visit www.walauwaonthehill.com, the property’s recently launched website.