Located within the city limits of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, The Thinnai Hotel is perfect for travellers who seek to relax amid traditional Northern hospitality. As a part of the Thinnai Group, we focus on providing an authentic experience of Jaffna’s cultural heritage and natural sceneries to tourists while focusing on sustainability and uplifting the local community. The Thinnai hotel has 39 luxurious suites, delicious food, plenty of open spaces and staff from the local community with warm smiles that are friendly and welcoming.
Our Story
‘Thinnai’ is the Tamil word for a raised platform or verandah found at the entrance of a house. This aesthetically pleasing architectural element is a part of many old Tamil houses in Jaffna and Southern India. Originally it was meant to be the place where family members would sit and observe the surroundings and talk to passers-by. But it is also the place where gossips and discussions happen, and where people would sit and read or have their afternoon nap. As the name suggests, thinnais are an integral part of the hotel’s architecture. Most of its suites have a thinnai, a private verandah where guests can sit to read, relax, talk or to observe the surroundings.
We aspire to operate our business ethically and are committed to integrating sustainable practices throughout our hotel operations whilst delivering excellent service to our guests.
Our core values were drawn from our parent company’s visionary founder, late A.Y.S. Gnanam's history to create a firm foundation for the company.
- Quality
- Resilience
- Integrity
Maintaining operational and financial records according to the accepted standards prevailing internationally and locally.
Uplifting the local community by purchasing local products as well as helping them improve their standards where they too can develop as we grow.
Giving equal opportunity to aspiring individuals from all walks of life to join our ranks by adopting a recruitment and selection policy that ensures all stakeholders are involved in the process and can be confident with the transparency of the outcome.
Continuously developing objectives and strategies to reduce our carbon footprint and to embrace sustainability, at the same time being aware of the environmental impact to our business operations.
Providing high quality guest services that exceed their expectations through continuous innovation and the provision of authentic local experiences.
Culture
Jaffna is a city steeped in history, with a unique culture that has survived much turmoil. Jaffna’s culture is significantly influenced by Southern Indian traditions which affect everything from the language and religion to the spices used in their curries. The city of Jaffna is recognised as Sri Lanka’s cultural capital for Tamil people due to its predominant Tamil population. The hospitality of the locals will surely impress any tourist to this place. It is a true hidden gem filled with beautiful Hindu temples, interesting colonial architecture, vibrant street art, and warm, hospitable people.
Sustainability
In keeping with its vision to embrace the principles of sustainable development, The Thinnai Hotel has adopted many sustainable development measures throughout the hotel premises. For example, we have introduced an initiative called ‘I Love Green’ to encourage our guests to join us in our efforts towards a sustainable future. The initiative encourages guests to reuse their towels and bed linen for which we will reward them. Thereby the hotel can reduce energy consumption and water usage. We have minimised the use of plastic by using biodegradable products such as paper straws, and glass bottles for drinking water. Dry garbage is being properly segregated and kept for disposal while treated wastewater is sent to Thinnai Organic farm.
Location
Located on the Northern tip of Sri Lanka, Jaffna is the capital of the Northern Province. It is surrounded by the Jaffna Lagoon to its west and south, Kokuvil and Thirunelveli to its north, and Nallur to its east. Kandarodai, an ancient hamlet which served as an emporium in the Jaffna peninsula since classical antiquity, is approximately six miles (9.7 kilometres) from Jaffna.
Nallur, a suburb of Jaffna, served as the capital of the mediaeval Jaffna Kingdom for four centuries. Jaffna is known in Tamil as Yāḻppāṇam and earlier known as Yalpanapattinam. A 15th-century inscription of the Vijayanagara Empire mentions the place as Yalpaanayanpaddinam.
The peninsula is one of the oldest inhabited places in Sri Lanka and is separated from India by the Palk Strait and the Bay of Bengal.
Transport
The Thinnai Hotel is easily accessible from any of the following cities or locations via public or private transportation:
- 400 km – Colombo
- 372 km – Bandaranaike International Airport
- 317 km – Kandy
- 300 km – Kurunegala
- 430 km – Nuwara Eliya
- 360 km – Batticaloa
- 235 km – Trincomalee
You may CONTACT US for directions and any other assistance.
Weather
Jaffna is 5m above sea level and the climate features a tropical savanna climate with a dry season between February and August, and a wet season between September and January.
The average annual temperature in Jaffna is 83 °F (28 °C). April to May and August to September are the hottest months, while December to January is the coldest. The average rainfall is 50 inches in the western part of the Jaffna peninsula.