Dubai, UAE – Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts, a leading hospitality brand renowned for its exceptional properties across Sri Lanka and the Maldives, has joined Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands.

It will see the Sri Lankan-based group’s 17 hotels and resorts join GHA’s diverse portfolio of more than 850 hotels across 45 brands in 100 countries, offering the 30 million members of its award-winning loyalty programme, GHA DISCOVERY, an even greater choice of authentic properties in popular destinations.

Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts, based in Sri Lanka, is celebrated for its warm hospitality and vibrant, contemporary properties. From culturally inspired city hotels to dreamy resorts in idyllic locations, the brand offers a diverse range of experiences across Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Its Signature Selection properties, the recently opened Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams Sri Lanka in Colombo and Cinnamon Bentota Beach Signature Selection, exemplify curated luxury and personalised service, reflecting Cinnamon’s commitment to making every guest feel like the centre of their world.

Portfolio highlights also include the luxurious Cinnamon Grand Colombo, an urban sanctuary in the heart of the capital; the tranquil Cinnamon Wild Yala, located on the edge of the Yala National Park, offering wildlife enthusiasts an unforgettable stay; the Cinnamon Habarana complex offering a touch of rustic charm to reconnect you with nature; Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives, where you can go surfing with your wedding party after you say, “I do”; Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives and Cinnamon Hakuraa Hura Maldives, each offering unique and memorable experiences.

Our recent research has illuminated growing traveller demand for relaxation and unwinding as the leading reason for travel in 2025, immersive destination experiences and an appreciation of authentic hotels and resorts. Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts aligns perfectly with these trends, offering our 30 million GHA DISCOVERY members an even richer choice of properties in two idyllic destinations, said GHA CEO Chris Hartley.

“Cinnamon’s hotels and resorts will also benefit from our platform’s business-generating power, particularly with cross-brand activity – where members stay at one brand or property and then use the DISCOVERY Dollar (D$) rewards currency that they earned on their next stay at another property.”

We are excited to join Global Hotel Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of luxury hotels. The GHA DISCOVERY loyalty programme brings together unique hotel brands and this will open up incredible opportunities for Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts’ portfolio of 17 hotels and resorts across Sri Lanka and the Maldives, enabling us to showcase our unique offerings, to a global network of 30 million loyal travellers. This is particularly timely with the recent opening of Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams Sri Lanka in Colombo, which caters to a diverse clientele by offering best-in-class lifestyle and entertainment spaces. By aligning with like-minded independent hotel brands, we are elevating our guest experience and strengthening our commitment to delivering authentic, memorable stays. We look forward to welcoming GHA DISCOVERY members to our properties and being a part of this dynamic global network. Mikael Svensson, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts CEO

To celebrate, GHA DISCOVERY members have the chance to earn Double DISCOVERY Dollars (D$) for every eligible booking at one of Cinnamon’s 17 hotels & resorts. For more details about the welcome promotion, please follow this link.

For more information visit Global Hotel Alliance and GHA DISCOVERY.

GHA DISCOVERY is complimentary to join, and travellers can sign up online or download the GHA DISCOVERY app and register on their mobile phones. Travellers can also connect with GHA DISCOVERY on Instagram and Facebook.

About Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts is a diverse chain of hotels spanning Sri Lanka and the Maldives and a member of John Keells Holdings PLC, one of the largest listed conglomerates in Sri Lanka, with diverse interests in sectors ranging from Leisure, Transportation, Property, Consumer Food & Retail, Financial Services, Information Technology, Business Process Operations to Plantations.

This pioneering hotel chain was launched at The World Travel Market in London on 14 November 2005. Since its launch, it has come to represent a uniquely Cinnamon experience and has steadily risen to become the leading choice for travellers in Sri Lanka. The Cinnamon brand boasts a portfolio of vibrant and modern hotels, colourful and inspiring, unswervingly hospitable and committed to satisfying our patrons’ varied and discerning needs.

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts is the pinnacle of Sri Lankan hospitality through comfort, creativity, discovery, and inspired living. Each property is designed to showcase and complement the local environment, character, culture, and traditions of the area it serves. From Jungle cabanas to city luxury, water villas in the Maldives to beach chalets in Sri Lanka, each resort is designed to take you on a memorable journey into discovery. With three City properties in Colombo, eight Resort properties around Sri Lanka and four Resorts in the Maldives, and a host of new and exciting projects on the horizon, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts is your partner and faithful guide to ‘The Jewel of the Indian Ocean’ and its timeless and fascinating ‘Emerald Isle’.

About GHA and GHA DISCOVERY

Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) is the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands with 45 brands and more than 850 hotels in 100+ countries. Its award-winning loyalty programme—GHA DISCOVERY—provides 30 million members with recognition, D$ rewards and exclusive experiences across its hotels and partners, both with and without a stay.

Through membership in GHA, brands expand their global reach, drive incremental revenue and reduce dependence on third-party channels, all while maintaining management independence and individual positioning. For more information, visit globalhotelalliance.com or ghadiscovery.com.

Andrea Krenn
Global Hotel Alliance (GHA)