Heritage

Historic Hotel Nippon Building in Slave Island (කොම්පඤ්ඤවීදිය ඓතිහාසික නිපොන් හෝටල් ගොඩනැගිල්ල)

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Lying along Kumaran Ratnam Road in Slave Island, Hotel Nippon is one of Colombo’s most historic landmarks. Originally named Manning Mansions, the building was constructed in 1882 with 14 apartments intended to house members of the British military. Its fame spread internationally when it appeared in the classic film Bridge over the River Kwai, which was shot in Ceylon.

Architectural Features

The architecture of Manning Mansions stands out from contemporary colonial buildings. The long corridor is lined with iron columns, each connected at the top by intricate ironwork that spells out the name “Manning Mansions.” The lower floor features Doric-style walls on the exterior, while the interior was historically occupied by restaurants and offices. The upper floor, reserved for rooms, has windows fitted with awnings and sunshades. At the very top, the building’s gable prominently bears the name Hotel Nippon, reflecting its later reincarnation. (Manathunga, 2005/2020, pp. 32–33)

Transformation into Hotel Nippon

Over the years, the building has undergone several transitions. Initially used as barracks and later apartments, it was eventually purchased by a Polish migrant, Greg Roszkoswki, who transformed it into a hotel and named it “Hotel Polski”. He married a Japanese woman. Renaming the property Hotel Nippon was his way of honoring her heritage (Ismail, 2017).

Decline and Revival

Like many heritage properties in Colombo, Hotel Nippon struggled during the civil unrest of the 1980s and the prolonged war that followed. Mismanagement and disuse left the property in a state of decline. However, after the end of the war in 2009 and the resurgence of tourism, the building underwent significant refurbishment. In 2017, it reopened as a three-star hotel with 49 rooms, balancing modern amenities with colonial-era charm.

Despite the renovations, the hotel has carefully preserved its heritage features. The 130-year-old Burma teak staircases still connect the different levels of the building, while the antique Seth Thomas grandfather clock remains a centerpiece of its history. Today, Hotel Nippon is classified as a heritage building, representing over 140 years of Colombo’s evolving urban story.

References

Manathunga, S. B. (2020). කොළඹ දිස්ත්‍රික්කය: පෞරාණික ස්ථාන හා ස්මාරක (3rd ed.). Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka. (Original work published 2005)
Ismail, A. (2017, March 12). Rolling back on nostalgia and spicing it up. The Sunday Times Sri Lanka. Retrieved September 17, 2025, from https://www.sundaytimes.lk/170312/plus/rolling-back-on-nostalgia-and-spicing-it-up-231909.html

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Changing Face of the Slave Island

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Route from Colombo Fort to Historic Hotel Nippon Building
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