TikaWeeks #42/2017: Sri Lanka update
Posted by John on 24th October 2017
15 October 2017
Early starts are a habit in Sri Lanka, not only because of our busy schedule, but also due to the dawn chorus of bird calls, pine squirrel (chipmunk) chirrups and monkey howls heralding a new day at around 5.30am. The cool and still daybreaks on the island are something to savour and enjoy, listening to the quietening buzz of cicadas while the sun rises quickly in the east, warming the fragrant air and brightening the clear blue sky as its rays pierce the ever-present palm trees.
The road between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya has changed beyond recognition since my first travels on the island some 17 years ago, and we reminisce about the gruelling drives along the steep and winding, single-lane and pitted roads following ancient and asthmatic trucks and buses billowing out noxious plumes of smoke from their rattling, rusty exhausts. Finally the road was widened and resurfaced, and a tunnel excavated at Ramboda, and the four-hour journey shrunk to two hours to cover the 66 km in between.
Nuwara Eliya is not my favourite place to visit in Sri Lanka, a jaded, slightly shabby town playing on its former colonial glory. However, Milano is a good local restaurant near the central market for a traditional breakfast and Pathi, Sateesh and I tuck into parathas, dhal, fish curry and pol sambol with relish. Suitably refreshed, we first visit Oatlands by Jetwing behind Jetwing St. Andrew’s, which is a straightforward, four-bedroom former tea bungalow and a good option for a more intimate stay close to town. Then we head out east into some of the original tea estates established on the island, where the first Scottish planters came to make their fortune in the middle of the 19th century.
Scottish Planter Glendevon Bungalow is a revelation. Built in the 1880s for one of the pioneers of tea in Sri Lanka, the bungalow is incredibly well preserved with original features, fittings and fixtures throughout, from dark wood-panel walls, polished floorboards and imposing stone fireplaces to an early central heating system of cast iron boiler and pipes. The dimensions of rooms and corridors are on a grand scale, in keeping with the Scottish laird heritage of the owners, and the architecture is reminiscent of a hunting lodge in the wilds of Hibernia, replete with antler trophies of unfortunate stags. A personal butler service is provided for each room, which is a growing fashion in the more upmarket properties around the island. The house is surrounded by a two-acre estate planted with flowers familiar to many British gardens and a couple of well-tended lawns. There are one- to three-hour walks directly from the bungalow, bicycles to hire for a foray into the countryside and a guided visit to a local tea factory, where you may also take lunch proved by the bungalow. Our idea would be to stay here instead of Nuwara Eliya if you are not planning to trek to World’s End in Horton Plains, which would be too far to visit. A leisurely drive from Kandy after breakfast and a visit to Nuwara Eliya, then an afternoon and night’s stay at Glendevon with the following morning at the bungalow, would fit in nicely with the scenic afternoon train ride from Nanu Oya to Ella. Or you could stay longer…
Not too far away we come to Stafford Bungalow near Ragala and meet the owners who are up for the weekend from Colombo. One of the dynasty that founded Hemas Holdings, an established conglomerate of companies with many interests in the country, Mr Imtiaz is the third generation of the family to own the estate, which was originally acquired from a British planter by his grandfather. The house (circa 1884) and surroundings have been completely reworked to produce a homely boutique hotel, quite a different proposition to Glendevon. The interiors and grounds have benefited from the creative and artistic flair of Taru, the eponymous designer of her own stylish hotel collection. It genuinely retains the feel of an existing planter’s home, with family photos and portraits adorning the walls, books liberally covering shelves and side tables, and traditional occasions celebrated throughout the day, including G&Ts at sundown! Taru also convinced the owners to remodel the ugly, prefab garage into a bijou facsimile of the bungalow and offer it as a social space for families and small groups. Surrounded by a 50-acre working tea estate dissected by a babbling brook, the house has a wonderful position immersed in the verdant Hill Country away from it all and it is definitely a luxurious alternative to Glendevon.
Pushing on south, passing back though Nuwara Eliya and by Gregory Lake, now insulted by jet skis and speedboats cutting deep wounds into its previously serene surface, we have a brief visit to Villa Republic Bandarawela on our way to Belihuloya, via Haputale and Beragala, a new area for us and an upcoming region of the Hill Country.
Driving out past Sabaragamuwa University campus and the towering dam wall of massive Samanalawewa Reservoir, we enter a protected reserve where Ahaspokuna is situated and meet up with Channa, a specialist consultant with Eco Team, which is a pioneer of all things wild. Warm and friendly Channa takes us into Ahaspokuna Bush Walks Camp with a couple of local guides who previously were hunters in the area and have been retrained as wildlife guides and trackers. The 20-minute walk from the metalled road along a jungle trail takes us through a forest, over a couple of streams and into Ahaspokuna proper, a generous, open forest glade containing three secluded luxury suites and the dining tent. Each rustic suite is very spacious and includes a viewing/sitting area, bedroom with Queen-size bed and proper bathroom in two individual tented units separated by an open-plan dressing area, a private ‘jungle’ bath for naturist ablutions or a relaxing soak, and a day/sky bed on a free-standing platform. The concept of the bushwalks camp is the inspiration of Anuruddha (‘A.B.’), an entrepreneur and pioneer of the outdoors in Sri Lanka. As the founder of Eco Team, A.B. developed Ahaspokuna from his own ancestral land in the area, land that one of his forefathers had settled on in 1818 after fleeing south from the British invaders’ persecution and butchery following the fall of the last Kandyan kingdom. This is quite special and unique to Sri Lanka; walking through the bush accompanied by local trackers on a bespoke jungle trek immerses you in the true rural heartlands of the island with the opportunity to spot various wildlife including elephants – this area borders Uda Walawe NP. In fact, each suite at the campsite is enclosed by an electric fence to deter wandering and inquisitive pachyderms! Returning to the car we inspect our feet and legs for leeches and sure enough Pathi and I remove four each – bloodsucking blighters! Leech socks are provided by the camp but it is worth appreciating that you are deep in the jungle, which is home to a variety of inhabitants…
We retrace our steps back to Belihuloya before continuing up into the hills to The Glenrock, which is situated alongside the river of which the town is named. Arriving just before sunset gives us enough time to view the property and absorb the wonderful surroundings. The wood-built Eco Cabanas and Eco Suites follow the river’s edge overlooking white-water cascades, giant water-splashed boulders and deep rock pools, a truly invigorating and exhilarating environment but also relaxing and restful at the same time. The Eco Suites are little incongruous and a misnomer since they have carpeted floors and air conditioning! (A/c is common to all of the suites.) A purpose built, three-storey block contains the Modern Suites, which have far-reaching panoramic vistas of the southern Hill Country. These suites are more like self-contained apartments, with separate bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette. From these balconies, the views are stunning; encircled by high peaks and lush woodland traversed by a myriad of watercourses, the sunrise over these hills is said to be a sight to behold!
Returning to Beragala after dark, we take the road down to the southern plain via Diyaluma Falls, Sri Lanka’s second highest waterfall plummeting 220 metres. Currently, the road is being widened and resurfaced so less than 40 km distance takes us 1.5 hours to drive…
Finally arriving at Jetwing Kaduruketha in Wellawaya is a welcome respite from the road and familiarisation visits of the day. The hotel has evolved well with the surroundings over the past couple of years since it opened and it is a restful place as an overnight stop. The local paddy fields are owned by Jetwing but managed by resident farmers and the produce is served at table in the hotel as are locally grown, organic vegetables and fruit. Visits to local farms are encouraged in line with the resorts efforts to engage with the local community. Recently, Jetwing has introduced a vegan dining menu as the primary option at mealtimes, which is a welcome breakthrough in hotels’ cuisine. The 25 well-spaced chalets are fashioned on a traditional rice barn, with spherical stone boulders acting as foundation pillars to raise the building from the ground. Inside, the rough sculptured walls complement the ancient agro-building aesthetic, although the three-quarter height wall between bedroom and bathroom does not provide much privacy for ablutions. In keeping with the resorts eco aspirations, only ceiling fans act to cool the rooms and all common areas (no air conditioning), and there is hot water produced from solar thermal heat exchangers as well as a solar farm for producing electricity.
16 October 2017
After breakfast, we head to Pottuvil on the east coast to visit Kottukal Beach House by Jetwing and the soon-to-be-opened Jetwing Surf next door. As luck would have it, Kottukal’s owners, Len and Vicky, are staying there again as they were three years ago when we last visited. Great to chat to Len about developments (addition of a swimming pool, some landscaping and better garden lighting) and what is available in the region, which is still ostensibly a traditional east coast, mixed culture community (Sinhalese, Tamil and Moslem). Len gets me excited about local wildlife watching hotspots (tanks full of massive ‘gators, wild elephants walking by you in the forest, excellent birdlife) and surf breakpoints, the latter being a draw for surfers from all around the world – Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka’s surfing ‘Mecca’, is 10-minutes’ drive away. We then go next door and get a tour of the new Jetwing hotel from genial Dilip, an old colleague of Pathi’s. The resort is styled on typical Maldivian island accommodation of high-pitched, grass roofed rondoval villas finished in earthen hues and spacious, open-plan interiors. The initial idea is to have natural ventilation only (no air conditioning) provided by ceiling fans and open vents between the roof and wall. However, we will see how long the resolve lasts in the face of customer expectations… For me, it is an admirable intention and when we visited during the day, the onshore breeze in spite of 35°C temperatures was enough to keep us cool, which means that it may be sufficient at night as well when the air is cooler. Watch this space… The swimming pool, bar and restaurant overlook a deserted beach with a ‘secret’ breakpoint just off shore. These two properties together provide a formidable combination for our customers well away from the surfing, backpacker centre of Arugam Bay.
Met up with Priyantha at his place in Panama south along the coast, who provides jeep safaris and safari camps in Kumana (Yala East) NP. He appears to have a very good organisation and supports other tour operators such as Walkers Tours and Jetwing already so he seems to be the person for us, too. Kumana NP will be a very good option in the future since Yala West NP has serious issues with overcrowding and irresponsible behaviour of jeep drivers and tourists alike.
Then inland to Okkampitiya, an undiscovered area and one of the poorest regions of the country. Kumbuk River Eco Extraordinaire first came to our attention after its launch in 2007 as the original building takes the form of a colossal straw mammoth! The site is 14 km from the main Buttala to Kataragama road and when we first tried to visit, a jeep transfer had to be arranged due to the road’s terrible condition. Today, the road is fine all of the way to the front door. The property now has four units with another under construction: the original straw elephant, a boathouse (floating in the river), a tree house and a truck house (converted from an old Morris lorry). All are air conditioned except for the naturally ventilated ‘elephant’, which has the capacity for ten persons although the space is also private if you are only a couple as none of the units are shared. When we visited, Marta, a very welcoming and engaging Spanish Reiki Master, was settling in to her new role with a new site manager and yoga teacher. The future aim of the property is to offer wellness as the primary objective and what an environment to retreat to! The Kimbuk River sidles through the estate with natural bathing pools and rock slides along its route, and the opposite bank is the extreme limit of Yala West NP, where a local ex-elephant hunter acts as a guide for nature walks after crossing the river by boat. The equally important objective of the project is to support the local community and, potentially, make it self-sustaining and self-reliant. This property would not appeal to everyone, but to those who do visit it can be a life-changing experience.
Finally down to the Palatupana area of Yala close to the main entrance to the park and our stay at Jetwing Yala, which has the largest private solar farm on the island. A popular hotel for package groups but also fine for couples and families, the resort has comfortable a/c rooms with large bathrooms and balconies, a beachside position for relaxing in between safaris, and easy access to the park.
17 October 2017
Our first visit of the day takes us to Back of Beyond Safari Lodge, which is accessed from the main Tissamaharama (Tissa) to Yala road. Kasun shows us around the main mud house, which is similar in design and feel to one of the groups other properties, Jungle Hideaway at Pidurangala near Sigiriya in the Cultural Triangle. This property is newer and has the addition of an a/c bungalow but the overall concept is the same. The mud house has a private bedroom and then other outside sleeping positions made up from the bench seats of the main living area (mosquito nets are provided). There is one open air bathroom with shower and toilet, and a separate wash basin. A chef prepares meals and a night watchman patrols after dark. According to Kasun, a recent guest was sitting relaxing during the day when a leopard passed nearby through the surrounding vegetation, so who needs to go into the park to see big cats?! I like this property for the authentic experience it provides and the location is apparently ideal for wildlife watching.
Wild Coast Tented Lodge at Yala is the latest addition to the portfolio of Resplendent Ceylon, the luxury hotels chain owned and run by the founding family of Dilmah Tea. It opens next month and we were allowed a sneak preview before launch… On our tour of the area by the General Manager we bump into Malik, the MD of Resplendent Ceylon and second son of Dilmah Tea founder, Merrill Fernando. Sometimes apparently aloof, this time he greets me like an old friend with smiles and handshakes with a hope of meeting up at the World Travel Market at ExCeL in London next month. As always, I have no doubt of the quality of the design and construction of this property since Resplendent Ceylon is the gold standard in Sri Lanka, setting the bar very high with its previous developments, Ceylon Tea Trails and Cape Weligama. The concept at Wild Coast Tented Lodge is Jules Verne meets NASA, creative design allusions to the author’s great books (“Around the world in 80 days” and “20,000 leagues under the sea”) while employing cutting edge materials and construction practices. The Cocoons (some with private pool) and Urchins are luxury accommodation pods utilising state-of-the-art ventilation, heat recovery and water recycling processes. The resort was still in the latter stages of completion when we visited with all hands on deck but I am sure that it will be ready for launch as planned and soon will become a serious competitor to Uga Chena Huts close by.
On to Tissa and an old favourite, Hibiscus Garden Hotel. We stopped using this hotel a few years ago after a couple of complaints from customers and an unsatisfactory follow up visit by us: dirty and unkempt bedrooms and common areas, sullen staff and a bad atmosphere. Thankfully, this time, the story was very different. Nilini, who hosted us, was ever smiling, efficient and informative, and the a/c garden chalets were ultra clean and well presented, in keeping with the Germanic ideal of the owner. The central swimming pool was crystal clear and inviting, and the garden very well-tended with colourful hibiscus and bougainvillea blossoms everywhere. A sizeable pond adjacent to the property was reasonably full despite the lack of rain and it is home to over 25 species of birds. The upstairs, open dining area was lovely and cool during the heat of the day without artificial help from fans. Welcome back into the fold, Hibiscus Garden Hotel!
Next we visited Wild Trails, the camping outlet of Theme Resorts (Aliya Resort & Spa, Maalu Maalu Resort & Spa, Scottish Planter Glendevon Bungalow etc.), which is located off the Tissa to Sithulpawwa road. Malinda (Mili) showed us around the secluded campsite, which only has four large tents set in the dry zone scrub jungle. Each tent is raised off the ground on a wooden deck and includes an outside sitting area, spacious bedroom with proper Queen-size bed (not camping bed), and separate bathroom with pipe-borne water to a flushable toilet, overhead rain shower and basin. The price of Wild Trails is similar to Big Game Camp, which has many more tents in rows with little privacy, so Wild Trails is a very good alternative indeed.
Back to Tissa for lunch at EKHO Safari Tissa, which has gone through various incarnations since it was converted from the government rest house a while ago. The recent makeover has a smart new reception area with jungle-like, green fronded vegetation screening off a new coffee shop lounge that opens out to the garden, swimming pool and landing stage with wonderful views over Tissa Wewa lake. The rooms were refurbished reasonably recently and they seem to be standing up pretty well to wear. The nicer rooms (and three suites) have lake views. As always, the ex-rest house properties still serve a very good rice and curry lunch! When the lake has enough water, Cinnamon Air seaplane flights arrive at the landing stage for an easy transfer to the hotel or Tissa and beyond.
Not quite sure what to make of our next visit... Leopard Trails was requested by repeat customers of ours before they postponed their fourth trip with us to another year. The tented campsite is more like a hotel with tented chalets in a garden than a jungle camp. Close to the Kataragamuwa entrance to the park, like many of the other upmarket tented safari camps, Leopard Trails is a permanent site of more than six years standing with gravel paths, car park and diesel generators – not too natural so far. Entering the luxury tents, you step onto carpet and into a luxury suite, not dissimilar to many I have seen in boutique hotels around the island. The bathroom is similarly plush. The atmosphere of the ‘camp’ is ‘unnatural’ and nothing like any other campsite that I have ever visited in Sri Lanka – and there are many. To cap it all, the staff quarters are a small village the other side of a flimsy, artificial screen the opposite side of the car park. Need I say more…?
Our final visit of the day takes us past the herd of White Elephants conceived by the former president (and local MP) during his glory days: a Chinese built airport (Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport), ocean port (Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port), exhibition centre (Hambantota International Convention Centre) and accompanying infrastructure. Other than the port (apparently), the rest of the projects are either unused or redundant. I have travelled this route many times since their launch and the pristine, four-lane highways, impressive bridges and sweeping intersections never carry more than a few vehicles – a travesty when one considers the poor road infrastructure in other parts of the country.
Shangri-La’s Hambantota Golf Resort & Spa is a 300-room edifice facing the ocean and set on 145 acres of beachfront land (84 acres of which is golf course, Sri Lanka’s fourth 18-hole, internationally-accredited course). Anyone who knows the Shangri-La brand will realise that this resort has everything, from various categories of luxury rooms and suites to a plethora of things to do for adults and children. Another Kasun ably showed us around and we had to stop him from going into every detail and option at the resort, otherwise we would have been here a week! To be honest, not my kind of hotel as I like small, unique and intimate places to stay with flair and style but what do I know! However, I am sure that the resort will satisfy a lot of guests and open up many employment opportunities for locals.
We continue along the south coast to Rekawa near Tangalle, which is still my favourite beach area on the island. We have been invited to stay at Buckingham Place, one of our most popular beach hotels. I am shown to the Honeymoon Suite, a particularly spacious suite amongst a selection of 16 spacious rooms and suites, with Pathi in the suite next door. After freshening up in the sizeable, inside/outside bathroom, we move down to the newish (one year old) restaurant, bar and pool area to be greeted by Nick, the owner of the eponymous hotel – and what a job he has done! After ten long years developing his property, it is now one of the most exquisite beachside hotels anywhere in Sri Lanka – light and airy spaces, clean lines, tasteful décor, stylish use of artwork and objet d’art, atmospheric lighting and, above all, immaculate understated service not to mention excellent food – need I say more?!
Pathi and I enjoy drinks and a chat with Nick, who started this project just before the tsunami struck on Boxing Day 2004 when he became inextricably linked to Tangalle hospital, a planned three-month fundraising and care project that lasted two years! His support of the local community is legendary and all of his staff of 60 are employed throughout the year, not seasonally as in most hotels, and many have been with him for a long time and a few from the beginning. He seems to engender absolute loyalty and receive unconditional respect from his team. Nick is the heart and soul of the place, directing operations from his recumbent position in the shadows, with his trusty walking stick by his side. Nothing seems to get past his gaze and nothing is left to chance – a truly intuitive organiser and natural leader. Nick recommends sushi tuna with a soya sauce and wasabi dressing, a new entry on the ever-changing menu, and one of my favourite ways of preparing tuna – the generous dish is a highlight of this trip.
18 October 2017
We say farewell to Nick at breakfast and thank him for his very generous hospitality before moving on to Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort at Goyambokka just the other side of Tangalle town. Another large development, like Shangri-La at Hambantota, but a totally different proposition, thankfully. Shafni is our host for the inspection, a delightful local lad who joined the resort at its inception and is one of the dedicated butlers given to each villa. The resort hugs a rugged, secluded bay with crashing waves breaking on the rocky shoreline that also has a wide swathe of golden sand and a safe area for swimming (in the season). The 152 luxury rooms and pool villas are complemented by three restaurants, pool bar, swimming pool, and various activities and services including tennis and badminton courts, yoga and meditation classes, spa, gym, bicycles, children’s and teen’s club, and specialist surf centre. The pool villas are particularly impressive and compare admirably to similar villas offered in Maldives, a benchmark of quality accommodation worldwide. Panoramic views from the top-notch ‘Il Mare’ specialist Italian restaurant on the headland at sunset would be breath-taking, and the vacant plot of land and heritage house next door are going to be developed into the resort’s club house, which is not surprising considering the idyllic position. If you yearn for the Maldivian experience without the inflated price tag then Anantara Tangalle may be just the ticket.
Continuing west along the southern coastline takes us to the developing beach area of Kamburugamuwa near Mirissa. After a brief stop at Saffron Cottage, we visit Sri Sharavi Beach Villas & Spa close by. Marcy, the Canadian General Manager and an old university friend of the Sri Lankan owners, shows us around the deceptively large beachside plot. As you enter along the boardwalk towards the front of the property, the rolling ocean waves are framed between two of the four villas with the sparkling swimming pool in the foreground, a creative design touch overlooked by many hotel architects. The four-bedroom, modern chic villas may be taken as a whole or as individual rooms, of which there are also four categories spread over two floors. Since the villas are sited well into the deep plot of land, there is no perceptible road noise unlike that experienced at many of the other villas along the narrow strip of beachside land from Mirissa to Galle. Marcy tells us that the only guest complaint is the sound of the thundering waves against the shore! These luxury beach villas will be featuring on our website for sure.
After a brief revisit to Eraeliya Villas and Gardens near Weligama, KK Beach at Habaraduwa is our next stop. The younger sister property of the Grande Dame of special places to stay in the Galle area, Kahanda Kanda, KK Beach is a modernist inspired beachfront villa with the usual trappings of elegant swimming pool, bar, international cuisine and direct beach access. All of the artwork in the hotel has been commissioned from Sri Lankan artists, giving them an opportunity to showcase their talents. The white-washed bedrooms are light and comfortable rather than elegant and sumptuous, and to tell the truth, I expected something more stylish and exceptional from the owner-designer who is renowned for pushing the creative boundaries. However, with the addition of four new suites this coming season, the villa has potential to delight.
Onto Owl and the Pussycat at Thalpe, when we can find it! A small, stylised sign marks the entrance to a non-descript and narrow lane down towards the ocean front. We are greeted warmly by two of the staff, who guide us into a small office, which I assume is the sales office. But no, this is reception and we step out awkwardly through a side door in between two buildings to the main property – the most bizarre and ill-conceived entrance I have ever seen to a hotel… and the peculiarity continues. The décor and general interior design are inspired by the curious and fanciful poem by Edward Lear of the same name. Quotations from the poem adorn bedroom doors, corridor walls and bespoke soft furnishings. Bedrooms have comically coloured-up, black and white photos hanging on walls and freestanding mannequin torsos dressed to surprise are dotted around the place. An eclectic collection of nick-knacks fills bookshelves and covers occasional tables. As far as the rooms are concerned, a double-unit, sliding partition door separates two individual private spaces and is said to provide sufficient acoustic insulation, but I have my doubts. The buildings feel more like an office block than a hotel. All in all, an odd and unsettling experience. However, the popular restaurant and bar may be its saving grace.
On arriving in Galle, we visit two old favourites to see how things are progressing. 41 Lighthouse Street, a wonderful 17th century Dutch colonial villa, had a light refurbishment when it was listed by an exclusive global club for its members. Thankfully this venture failed and ‘41’ has returned to the land of the ‘first come, first served’ like us! My family and I stayed here last year for three nights and we all loved it. Prageeth, the gentle and genial host and chef, and his brother greet us like long lost friends and I vow to return some day. When we stayed, they invited us to the alms giving ceremony for the first anniversary of their mother’s passing at their village inland from Galle, which was a very moving and humbling experience, offering food to a group of local monks while enjoying lunch with their family and friends. These ceremonies are traditionally arranged one week, three months and one year following the death of a loved one and then annually, or when the family has the disposition and/or budget to commemorate, from there on.
Our last visit of the day finds us at Fort Bazaar on Church Street. We have always been more than happy with this hotel, a 17-room property converted from another traditional 17th century Dutch colonial villa, but the unfinished swimming pool at the back of the hotel and lack of a liquor licence deters us from recommending it at the present time. I just hope both can be sorted quickly as we really would like to offer Fort Bazaar as soon as possible.
We stay at Jetwing Lighthouse, an old friend, but find it a little jaded and lacklustre, particularly the offhand service in the bar area with the exception of one waiter who seems to be doing all the work. A supervisor standing around talking to a friend when guests are waiting to be served is hardly what I would expect from a purported 5-star hotel. The service and staff in general seem unmotivated and may be the influx of large tour groups over the past couple of years has affected the morale and service ethic of the hotel. The rooms are also in need of refurbishment and the food is the usual, and rather tiresome, buffet served in all larger hotels in Sri Lanka – give me à la carte any day.
19 October 2017
The day begins with Fortaleza, originally a restaurant with rooms but now managing five properties in all. We meet Asha, an old tele-buddy of Pathi’s who he got to know through the years over the phone when she worked for Jetwing but has never met in person before – this happens a lot on our way around the country! Asha is in charge of reservations and she comes across as a warm, friendly and efficient character and a very positive addition to the set up here. We are introduced to Ethan, the well-respected and quietly confident manager, who shows us the properties. Starting with the original Fortaleza, a three-bedroom lodging and now called Fortaleza No. 9 Church Cross Street, it is as good as I remember so we move on to Fortaleza No. 50 Lighthouse Street, which turns out to be my favourite. Entering the high-ceilinged reception room, you instantly feel the spaciousness of the villa and the décor of white-washed walls, carefully selected artwork and objet d’art add to the elegant and sophisticated ambience. Moving through to the dining area and out into the inner courtyard, you appreciate the size of the property and the mature bamboo stands and other jungle-like vegetation add to this impression. The two upstairs Garden Balcony Rooms are a delight and I could move into one of them right now! Spacious, light and very comfortable, this is a wonderful surprise so early on in the day! However, Fortaleza No. 5 Middle Street next is a disappointment with the dark wood-pannelled walls and ceilings to the bedrooms creating a contradictory claustrophobic sensation in the large and spacious rooms. Fortaleza Landesi is an enormous villa, one of the largest I have ever visited in the Fort, particularly when you realise that there are only three bedrooms! The social spaces upstairs and downstairs are also gargantuan, although the villa may suffer from not having a pool like the rest of the Fortaleza collection. Finally we visit the diminutive No. 1A Court Square, a one-bedroom, upside down, self-catering villa overlooking the court house plaza. Reworked by Channa Daswatte, one of the most influential and sought-after architects on the island and an acolyte of Geoffrey Bawa, the space has been well engineered with the compact bedroom downstairs and the living area with balcony upstairs. Popular with honeymooners, this bijou villa will appeal to those craving their own space and flexibility of eating options.
Leaving Galle, we head north to Gintota, which straddles the Gin Ganga river at its estuary. Villa Republic Galle is a nice surprise from its sister property in Bandarawela. The hotel is located overlooking the estuary to a sandbank and the rolling waves of the Indian Ocean beyond. Looking like an old traditional walauwa at first glance, the property is just three years old and has been executed very well. The generous spaces, inside and outside of the bedrooms, stylish interior design in keeping with the aesthetic of its faux colonial heritage, swimming pool, restaurant and bar, and well-presented and comfortable en suite bedrooms (some with a plunge pool or Jacuzzi) provide all of the necessary attributes for a relaxing stay.
Next to Villa Saffron at Hikkaduwa, which was the first place I visited on my initial travels to Sri Lanka back in 1999. Always popular with backpackers and even more so today, Hikkaduwa is not high on our recommendation list usually but Villa Saffron and Yohan, the urbane manager, changed my mind. Created by another of Bawa’s colleagues, Anjalendran, the villa is artfully designed and draws inspiration from the vernacular traditions of the island, particularly the architect’s ancestral Tamil roots of Jaffna. The five-bedroom villa is situated at the southern limit of Hikkaduwa beach, which is a blessing as the location is quiet but also convenient for accessing the thrills and spills of Hikkaduwa proper. Four spacious and luxurious rooms and suites have ocean views while the fifth, the creator’s favourite, lies at the back of the property in the rear garden. The small front garden has a swimming pool and direct beach access, which is a broad strand of sand during the season and the ocean is also safe to swim during this period, with care. May be Hikkaduwa does have a place in our heart after all!
Further north along the southwest coast we reach Balapitiya and Kumu Beach, which opened only recently. The boutique hotel’s situation is a real bonus as the local beach is quiet, secluded and safe for swimming during the season not to mention picturesque. The open garden area and inviting, over-long swimming pool add to the hotel’s attraction, and then there are the rooms and suites… Spacious, light and airy, all with ocean views, the bedrooms are finished immaculately and the attention to detail and design is impressive. I particularly liked the ribbed teak furniture and large bathrooms. Definitely another one to be added to our accommodation portfolio.
The turtle hatcheries around Kosgoda have always had the scent of commercial enterprises rather than conservation projects to me despite their names and alleged aspirations. However, we believe that we have found a turtle hatchery that does follow its objectives through and it is the Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project. It is run by Dudley Perera, who has been protecting turtle nests in situ since 1988 following international guidelines and it is also recommended by two local turtle experts. I was taken around the hatchery by his wife, who is starting a BSc in Ecology very soon. A simple set up but totally heartfelt and an incredibly valuable contribution to sea turtle conservation in Sri Lanka. Please visit if you are ever in the area.
Now to one of my favourite hotels that we visited on this trip and another iconic property by Taru (Nayantara Fonseka), an enigmatic and truly creative designer of all things stylish. Taru Villas – The Muse is in fact the reincarnation of Taru’s first property, Taru Taprobana, which first opened in 2002 and immediately set the benchmark for small, contemporary hotels on the island. The reworked hotel, after many years of neglect by other owners, is a stunning exemplar of Taru at her best. We are shown around by Nihal, the newly arrived General Manager from Qatar after 20 years of managing international hotels there, which is a welcome trend for the Sri Lankan tourism industry to entice back home hoteliers with extensive experience and knowhow from abroad. What can I say? Elegant simplicity is her trademark, every detail considered in depth and finished to perfection, from the positioning of a particular object or piece of artwork to dimension enhancing touches such as a rug, two easy chairs and an occasional table situated on the threshold of one of the smaller bedrooms to create the impression of extra space. The use of off-white walls and polished fine-terrazzo floors throughout, contrasted by fabrics and paintings of vivid colours as well as more simple black and white figures creates light and airy, engaging spaces from potentially drab interiors. The garden has carefully selected sculptures positioned à point, and not even the single-track railway line at the end of the property can detract from the overall sophisticated and tranquil ambience of this immaculately turned out hotel.
We also visit Taru Villas – River Cottage, which is located on the riverfront of the Bentota Ganga upstream. Although potentially a charming, two-bedroom self-catering cottage, the proximity of buildings next door and the road behind undermine the property’s riverside position and quaint interior.
At the end of our long trip around the coast, we finally arrive at our last stop, Centara Ceysands Resort & Spa in Bentota. Accessed by boat across the lagoon behind the sand spit on which the hotel is positioned, arrival at the hotel is novel and possibly augments the experience for some guests. The hotel itself has many new additions to the original Ceysands Hotel that stood here for nearly three decades before the tsunami ended its existence. This is principally a tour group hotel with many package companies from the UK plying their trade here. Normally this wouldn’t be our cup of tea, but the hotel’s location and facilities, especially for children, may appeal to some families.
20 & 21 October 2017
Two days to catch up with work at Hanthana House, including writing this blog!
I also have a surprise visit from Upul, who worked with us at the beginning in Sri Lanka and help me enormously with the IT side of things – takes me back to the ‘Coffee Pot’ days, an internet café in Kandy where I used to go to get online and where Upul was one of the administrators. He now works as an IT specialist for the government-run national clearing house for credit/debit cards and cheques in Colombo and lives in Kegalle. He tells me that he suggested the tag line for the new company branding and received a Rs10,000 bonus – a snip of the cost of engaging a branding agency to come up with something naff! I am introduced to his two kids, who I have never met, and also his wife, Sandamali, who I have. Great to see him looking so well, despite the recent death of his mother. I resolve to keep in contact with him much better in the future.
Categories: Accommodation, Honeymoon, Sightseeing, Sri Lanka, Wildlife
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