Sri Lanka Tourism Blog

Photo credit : smartovski (flickr)

Rory Spowers - The Guardian

‘Our job was always seen in negative terms,” said Siggi. “But now we can feel some dignity in what we do. And we make more money than before, without fighting over it.”

We were sitting in a palm thatch lean-to on the “golden mile” of beach stretching from Beruwela to Bentota on Sri Lanka’s south-west coast. To our left, an impeccably clean stretch of sand was given added colour by artistic displays of hats and sarongs hanging from wigwam structures of sticks and driftwood. To our right, a tall green fence separated us from the Riverina Hotel’s swimming pool, where two English families were playing water polo. “One day we hope the fences will come down,” added Sujit Yamasinghe, the young sociologist spearheading the LINC (Learning Involving Nurturing Communities) project which has elevated Siggi from “beach boy” status to “beach operator”, boosted his income and prospects, while simultaneously improving his relations with foreign guests, local people and the management of the Riverina Hotel.

On busy tropical beaches, from Bali to Barbados, the scene is familiar: an almost incessant stream of hawkers, “beach bums” in regulation surf shorts, Bob Marley T-shirts and crowned with dreadlocks, offering everything from massages and sunglasses to boat trips and local tours. Although their exchanges can be friendly and engaging, they are often regarded with suspicion and can become irritatingly persistent.

Having lived the last four years in south Sri Lanka, I know how family trips to the beach can be marred by these interruptions. There are only so many times you can say no to the same toy wooden boat and sarongs.

Until recently, this stretch of Sri Lankan coast, an area badly affected by the 2004 tsunami, was no exception. Hundreds of “beach boys” gathered outside the hotels, hassling their prey on the other side of high green fences. At the Riverina Hotel, the problem had become so severe that tourists rarely ventured to the beach from the hotel compound. Even locals and hotel staff kept their distance, for fear of the friction that might ensue. One hotel operator had likened the informal industry to “a mafia”.

Now, thanks to an initiative implemented by Sri Lanka’s Responsible Tourism Partnership (RTP) and sponsored by the UK Travel Foundation and tour operator Kuoni, the situation has been reversed. Noisy hordes of hustlers, who previously secured their game by pestering the loudest, have been replaced by teams of Beach Operators (BOs), dressed in official T-shirts, their names embossed on the sleeves and seated in the shade under palm frond beach huts. Tourists now come to them, rather than the other way round. Of the 72 originally trained under the scheme, 65 are now operating in teams of four or five. The proceeds from their commissions, sales and tips are then pooled and split equally between the group.

“The first thing we did was replace the term ‘beach boys’ with ‘beach operators’, providing a link between the formal and informal tourism industries,” said Sujit.

And since only one representative from each group needs to be on the beach at one time, you’ll often find just 14 BOs on the golden mile, rather than a swarm of 70 .

This informal industry has a long history and some of those working the beach are continuing a family profession stretching back generations. Many are eager to point out that some local politicians and successful businessmen started their careers by selling trinkets and tours on this strip of beach, while hotel managers accept that the local knowledge and foreign language skills of the BOs are often superior to that of their own staff. All too often however, large hotel developments have ignored the needs of the local community and left many unemployed, thereby creating the sort of tension that evolved at the Riverina.

Now local community activities, ranging from New Year and Independence Day celebrations to cricket matches, integrate foreign guests with hotel staff and the BOs. Unlike two years ago, when hotel staff would hardly dare venture to the beach, the BOs actively promote the Riverina among their contacts. A Community Fund has been established, creating a welfare system that helps pay for funerals and other events that can financially cripple poor families.

The positive results of the LINC project have been systemic, stretching to beach-cleaning and tree-planting programmes to combat erosion, with BOs working alongside hotel employees. The neighbouring Neptune Hotel, a white concrete complex designed by the celebrated Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa in the 1970s, has also signed up to the project. “We always had a good rapport with the BOs and are the only hotel not separated from the beach by a fence,” said general manager Samantha Gunaratne. “But after seeing the success of the Riverina pilot project, we invited Sujit to replicate it here and relations have become even better.” The hope is that the model will now be rolled out on other Sri Lankan beaches.

Back at the Riverina, instead of feeling enclosed and intimidated, tourists walked undisturbed to the beach. One or two stopped to chat with the BOs assigned to them, discussing the details of impending excursions to local markets and temples. Gone are the cries for “massage”, “sarong” and “coconut”.

Rory Spowers runs Samakanda “bio-versity” (samakanda.org) where the bungalows cost from £40 per night.

A Year in Green Tea and Tuk-Tuks, Rory Spowers’ book about moving to Sri Lanka, the 2004 tsunami and the creation of Samakanda, is published by Harper Element, priced £8.99.

Nature, Culture, Luxury… a Lifestyle!

The newest and most ambitious project of Jetwing Hotels, located within 5km of the ‘8th Wonder of the World’-Sigiriya- is the creation of a truly ‘Lifestyle Hotel’. Sigiriya, located within the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka is famous for its rich history and Sri Lankan heritage. Vil Uyana situated within view of Sigiriya rock, on the flatlands that stretch to the west, integrates into an ancient plan - a plan to irrigate, in the tradition of the Sinhala kings.

The introduction of a wetland on reclaimed agricultural lands within the Dry Zone, provides the unique backdrop for this exciting new property. Inspired from local and rural traditions.

A private nature reserve provides a haven for wildlife and a setting of peace and tranquility. The hotel is possibly the first in the world to construct a wetland system with lakes and reed beds to form a private nature reserve.

This has allowed for the first time in Sri Lanka for rooms to be built over water. Centered around water bodies are parklands and woodlands, designed for leisure; an extension of the ancient practice of planning gardens for pleasure.

A challenge has been overcome, for the conversion of Dry Zone chena lands formed by slash & burn agriculture, to a seasonal wetland (land that is inundated by water for part of the year). The colonization of the new habitats by local fauna and flora has been accelerated by the planting of reed beds and groves of trees.

5 acres of land was used to re-grow paddy using traditional methods of farming and harvesting, providing a new and exciting feature. Rooms have been placed within the paddy fields, thereby giving the guest a unique opportunity of participating in both the farming and harvesting if they wished; yet another first in Sri Lanka! The regeneration of the forested groves create a feeling of ultimate privacy and seclusion in the Forest Lodges, the largest of the Chalets.

The tastefully designed rooms boast space as its hallmark of luxury. Dine in the privacy of your room or ‘under the stars’ or simply relax and pamper yourself at the Island Spa with a range of treatments to choose from.

The many components of the ecosystem will be subject to continuous monitoring. The hotel is unique in building a research facility from inception. Comfortable accommodation will be provided to researchers locally and internationally, overcoming one of the key logistics hurdles to field work. The research center also has a library, a room for laboratory based work and a computer room. The guest will be a participant in the metamorphosis of tourism as a champion of conservation. The environmental awareness will be an important aspect of a new ethos.

As part of Jetwing’s responsibility towards local communities an English teaching program is being held in two Buddhist temples located near Vil Uyana. Namely, Rotawewa and Kimbissa. Unemployed youth now attend these classes where they are trained to read, write and speak English. Halfway through their 6 months training they will receive hotel craft training in a field selected from Hotel Housekeeping, Reception, Restaurant & Bar and Cookery. The objective of the initiative is to make them gainfully employable. Some of them will have the opportunity to join Jetwing while others can look for employment in other companies in Sri Lanka or even overseas.

Whether it is the nature lover in you or the task of ‘finding yourself again’ treat yourself to an experience…come be part of the lifestyle!

This prestigious property is scheduled to be opened in Autumn 2006.

25 Tastefully appointed Chalets set in 3 distinct ‘habitats’:

7 Water Pavilions 1030 Sq. Ft (Dining Deck 200 Sq. Ft)

6 Paddy Field Villas 1030 Sq. Ft (Dining Deck 200 Sq. Ft and Plunge Pool 200 Sq.Ft)

2 Marsh Villas 1030 Sq. Ft (Dining Deck 200 Sq. Ft and Plunge Pool 200 Sq. Ft)

10 Forest Lodges 2100 Sq. Ft (Private Pool)

Spread Over 24 Acres of Land

Location:

169 km from Colombo (About a 4 ½ hr drive)

153 km from the International Airport (About a 4 hour drive)

Louise Heal, last year’s winner of the IoS/Bradt Travel Writing Competition, assesses this country’s plans to boost eco-friendly tourism

Five hornets’ nests hung down from the cliff. As we reached the plat-eau below, one of the nests began to swarm; a black, irate column buzzing from cliff to ground, a little too close for comfort. “It’s OK,” my guide reassured me. “We can wait until they’ve calmed down.”

We didn’t have to wait long. The hornets returned to their cliffside home and we climbed the final steps to the top of Sigiriya, the fifth-century rock fortress in Sri Lanka’s Matale district. The views made the climb – and the close encounter – worthwhile. The green forests and grasslands here host the Sirigiya Sanctuary and Minneriya National Park, providing visitors with abundant opportunities to observe Sri Lanka’s wide variety of wildlife.

Eco-tourism is being seen as a way forward for Sri Lanka’s tourist industry, post tsunami. Renton de Alwis, chairman of the country’s tourism bureau, announced Sri Lanka’s environmental ambitions at the United Nations World Tourism Organisation conference last October, pledging to balance financial growth with ecological accountability by making the country a carbon-neutral destination. Further details on are due to be released at a meeting of the Pacific Asia Travel Association this weekend in Bangkok. A 10-year plan to transform Sri Lanka into an “Earth Lung” began shortly after the conference, with a tree-planting initiative that saw enough trees put in the ground to offset the greenhouse gases produced by last autumn’s England cricket tour.

I got a taste of the eco-conscious tourism that could be Sri Lanka’s future at the Vil Uyana, an “eco-luxury” hotel about five kilometres from Sigiriya, where my room was a two-storey villa with a private plunge pool. This hotel’s attraction lies not just in the level of luxury it offers but in its eco-credentials. Five years ago, Vil Uyana was an abandoned agricultural site, before being developed with the aid of, among others, naturalists from the London Wetland Centre. Its aim to conserve the local environment isn’t confined to asking guests to desist from too many towel changes; visitors are expected to separate wet and dry rubbish in bins in the bedrooms and the hotel has a recycling plant for water and sewage.

Guests at Vil Uyana also benefit from the talents of the hotel’s resident naturalist, Nadeera, who I joined on a bird-watching walk around a nearby lake. As we strolled together, grey parakeets flew overhead while we watched coots and moorhens pick their way around the lotus flowers floating on the water.

On another afternoon, Nadeera and I took a bumpy 30-minute jeep drive to Kaudulla National Park for a spot of elephant-watching. We had only been in the park for a short time when we came across our first sighting: a mother with two calves. All three were unbothered by our presence. Not so the lone juvenile male we came across, which indulged in a little chest-beating.

But I didn’t even have to leave the hotel to enjoy the wildlife. From my private pool, I could admire a whole host of birdlife amid the paddy fields and reed ponds. (There is also a crocodile that visits the restaurant pool.) And three of the trees in the grounds are home to thousands of fruit bats.

Peter Bishop of Tourism Concern, a UK-based charity, believes Sri Lanka’s ambitions for carbon neutrality might be achieved, but he thinks the responsibility, ultimately, remains with the individual tourist. “As tourists, we should question whether we are choosing hotels with environmental credentials that benefit local communities, and assess our carbon footprint while in Sri Lanka,” he says.

Destinations such as Vil Uyana can help us make that choice.

By Sanath Weerasuriya, Pix Credit Shehal (Flickr),
From the very beginning, Kandy has had a special place for Sri Lanka tourism industry. The majority of holiday travellers visiting Sri Lanka mark Kandy as the top attraction on their tour. It has been a tradition to visit Kandy, as it has a blend of old world charm and the character of its own.

The Swiss Residence Hotel in Kandy is a popular place for travelers coming to the hill capital. Built in a picturesque location and surrounded by the scenic mountains, Swiss Residence is a three star property of Kandyan traditions with a Swiss touch. Standing on a one-acre land at Bahirawakanda, The Swiss Residence has successfully captured a charming blend of European and Kandyan culture in its modern architecture.

Hotel Swiss Residence offers 40 tastefully designed rooms inclusive of one Suite and 14 deluxe rooms. All rooms are with private balconies and a panoramic view of the city of Kandy.‘Our hotel is always bound to serve the wants and needs of the guests. It offers a totally relaxing atmosphere and an enjoyable holiday by the cool mountain breezes. In addition to the demand by overseas travelers, it is also a popular place with Sri Lankan clientele. The atmosphere and the services give Swiss Residenec has an edge over the rest’ said Lalith Ellepola, the Manager of the hotel.

All rooms are equipped with modern facilities that a 5-star hotel offers. The suite features a ‘Jacuzzi’ bath with massage and soothing effect. All other rooms are with modern facilities such as telephone, mini bar, television, safety locker and a modern bathroom.

Most of the interior decor at The Swiss Residence has a typical Kandyan aspect. The woodwork and woodcraft, a common sight in most Kandyan ‘walauwas’ seem to be the theme at the Swiss Residence. An attractive and unusual feature is the hotel’s wooden ceiling. The cuisine plays a major role at the hotel. Executive Chef of the hotel, Terrence Ratnayake said, they offer cuisine around the globe for their guests.

‘Theme nights too are popular here. Sri Lankan, Indian, Chinese, Italian, Mongolian, Indonesian and Continental culinary are the most popular among the guests’ he said. ‘The Swiss Bar is designed for relaxation or to have a good time with the boys is guaranteed. The cosy atmosphere puts you at home, as you relax and unwind your knots to some gentle melodies with the company of your preferred beverage. The Swiss bar is certainly so much more’ he added.

‘Private dining at the pool side or garden or at an outside location is also possible on request’ he said. The Swiss Banquet Hall caters for all guests necessities. Conferences and seminars can be accommodated in the main hall, which is capable of having 150 pax and the mini conference hall with 50 pax capacity. ‘Space is not an issue, as our hall can comfortably accommodate up to 350 individuals for weddings and other partie’ said Ellepola.

The hotel has a beautiful swimming pool from where guests get a picturesque view of the hotel as well as the surrounding environs. The ‘Blackout’ is the hotel’s discotheque with all modern facilities.‘We do not open the discotheque on a regular basis. It is on request for big groups and for private gigs’ Lalith said.

The hotel being in close proximity to the Dalada Maligawa, Asgiriya Cricket Stadium, Udawatte Kele forest reserve, the holiday makers love to visit these places in a relaxed mood. Also the excursions to Udawatte Kele, Knuckles Range Corbets Gap are popular with adventure tourists. Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, Sigiriya Rock Climb, Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, ‘Victoria Golf Course’ too are popular places of interest and has made the Swiss Residence an idyllic tourist spot.

Indigenous Medical Treatment and Ayurvedha Spa is the latest addition at the hotel.‘It offers various kinds of Ayurvedhic treatment and herbal therapies for hotel guests. It has a specialized doctor and trained therapist at the Centre’ Mr. Ellepola said. The design and planning of this unique hotel has been done by Sarath Bandara Wijesuriya, head of Zurikan Hotels and Travels (Pvt) Ltd. the owning company of Swiss Residence. Sarath is a Sri Lankan expatriate turned Swiss citizen.

The hotel is owned by Sarath and his wife Ruth Wijesuriya and Melani Perera, a long standing member of the hotel has been appointed as a board member of the hotel.

Hotel Lanka Supercorals - Hikkaduwa is ideally situated in close proximity to famous marine sanctuary with exotic coral formation in Hikkaduwa.Hundred kms South of Colombo Hotel Lanka Supercorals sited on a spot marvelously landscaped green garden.

It is a prefect stopover for those who seek the pleasure of sun sand and surf. The hotel has been refurbished and opened last year after the damage caused by the tsunami.

Hotel Lanka Supercorals, which originally had 100 guest rooms has had soft opening with 40 guest rooms, and is over looking beautiful Hikkaduwa Beach.

Thirty one rooms are directly sea view and all rooms are equipped with A/C, hot/cold water shower, balcony, high speed internet facility, International Sports Channel on Cable TV, mini bar offered for Sri Lankan holiday makers during the coming Avurudu season.

The hotel has two spacious specialty restaurants serving all meals. Western, Chinese and oriental cuisine along with B.B.Q, buffet is the specialty of the main restaurant, while fresh seafood and Sri Lankan cuisine serves at the other restaurant.

Coral bar offers a well stocked range of wines, spirits, liquors, beer and fresh fruit juices.

Apart from that, pizza hut and super café are the two popular places for snacks.

As a part of a recreation and animation, hotel offers two separate swimming pools. One is specially designed for kids and the main pool separately for animation programmes, water polo and other water based activities.

Beach Volley Ball and indoor games too are popular with overseas travellers.

Hotel Lanka Supercorals also offers excursions for travellers and there are tailor made programmes for holiday makers.

‘Half a day excursions to Galle Dutch Fort, Maadu Ganga River Safari, sightseeing tour of popular Moonstone Mine off Kahawa and sea safaris are some of the popular trips arranged by the hotel’ said Rohan de Silva, Manager of Hotel Lanka Supercorals

The other most popular attraction is the Cinnamon Trail and Eco Tour.

The guests are taken to a large cinnamon cultivation owned by Devmith Kaggodaarachchi, the Managing Director of the hotel for a tour.

‘This is quite a popular event, especially with foreigners. They love to see cinnamon cultivation, cropping and other processing up to packing. This is unique to this area’ said Mr. Kaggodaarachchi.

Tree of Life Hotel, is a place where nature takes pride of place. Set in 64 acres of idyllic surroundings at Yahalatenna, Kandy the draw of nature’s tranquility is hard to resist.The mere sight of the splendid location will put your mind and body instantly at ease, wiping out the stress and strain of the life and the day to day rat race.

The Tree of Life is an eco friendly hotel worthy of its nature. The hotel has a unique architectural style, a fusion of colonial features and an openness to nature married in surrounding that are untouched by artificial landscaping.

Surrounded by 700 acres, of land the hotel has a rich history. The old wing was once an estate bungalow built during the colonial era, over 100 years ago.

The hotel is covered by a green carpet of vegetation with the ‘Knuckles’ mountain range providing a magnificent backdrop adding to the beauty and serenity of the scene.

As for the creature comforts of Tree of Life there are 40 luxurious rooms, equipped with TV/Hot, Cold water bath plus private balcony, which offers a guest a panoramic view of the encircling hills. To many this is indeed a romantic setting among the foliage and is ideal for both honeymooners and nature lovers. The hotel has two restaurants, adjacent to the large and beautiful swimming pool. They offer exquisite Sri Lankan and Western cuisine.

A plunge into the crystal clear water of the hotel’s swimming pool which commands a breathtaking view of the surrounding landscape is sure to invigorate anyone.

You can chill out in the billiard room or party the night away at the in-house disco or emerge yourself in Ayurvedic herbal treatment the last work in luxury. The hotel’s experienced masseurs will sooth your stress and tension away.

There are mountain bike outings or you may join a trained hiking guide. And that not all, the songs of the wide varieties of birds might tempt you to go bird watching at the Tree of Life.

Conference and workshop groups will find the fully equipped conference hall just the place for brain storming. Manager Timothy Paldano takes care of every individual guest to make his/her stay at Tree of Life memorable. The latest addition to Hotel Tree of Life is four modern Villas.

‘Magul Maduwa’ overlooking the hotel’s beautiful swimming pool is also another addition to Tree of Life. This has become extremely popular for weddings due to its beautiful setting.

Tree of Life is certainly a honey mooner’s paradise due to its romantic setting, Managing Director Tree of Life Shelly Tehenuwara said.

At a time when tourist arrivals are low, we are thankful to the local clientele who have always patronised Tree of Life. We have a large honeymoon market through word of Mouth’. Manager, Timothy Paldano said. Their recommendation of the hotel is highly accepted because the hotel runs to ‘Packed Houses’ on Nekath Days.

Hotel staff have been trained at Tree of Life and posted to the restaurants and Ayurvedic Centre in Japan, thereby giving employees and opportunity to work in Japan Thenuwara said.

Tree of Life is a Japan/Sri Lanka venture and is a Green Globe certified hotel.It won the prestigious President’s Environment Award. – 2005

The Cinnamon Lodge and Nature Odyssey in collaboration with the John Keells Social Responsibility Foundation recently opened a Butterfly Garden at the Cinnamon Lodge, Habarana. The objective of the project is to develop an ecologically rich plot of land as an ideal habitat to attract butterflies; simultaneously creating awareness among guests, schoolchildren and other visitors about butterflies and biodiversity.The garden currently comprises about 300 plants that attract a wide variety of butterflies. Situated on a ten acre block of land at the Cinnamon Lodge farm, the Butterfly Garden was declared open by Director, John Keells Holdings PLC, Sumithra Gunesekera in the presence of renowned butterfly specialist Dr. Michael van der Poorten, Head of IUCN Asia’s Business and Biodiversity programme Shiranee Yasaratne, staff of the Cinnamon Lodge, schoolchildren from the area and other guests. The consultant on the project is the renowned butterfly specialist Dr. Michael van der Poorten, who has been studying butterflies in Sri Lanka for many years.

He recently discovered a species of butterfly that is new to Sri Lanka, the Orange Migrant (Catopsilia Scylla), which is found in Asia but has never been recorded in Sri Lanka before.“We are trying to promote the development of habitats in which butterflies can live and sustain stable populations”, said Dr. Van der Poorten. “It is important to make people aware of the resources that butterflies require in different habitats.

Two of the most important resources are food for the caterpillars (larval host plants) and food for the adults (usually nectar plants).”A total of 244 species of butterflies are are found in Sri Lanka, including the recently discovered Orange Migrant by Dr. van der Poorten. Among them, 20 species are endemic to Sri Lanka. A total of 66 butterfly species are considered as nationally threatened, according to the IUCN 2007 National Red List.

Among the native butterflies of Sri Lanka, one in four species is believed to be nationally threatened, due to loss of natural habitat, decline of food plants and environmental pollution. “We are encouraged that corporate entities such as John Keells are engaged in the conservation of threatened species to help save Sri Lanka’s vanishing biological heritage. Retaining viable populations of species in their native habitats is an essential conservation response for ensuring the long-term survival of these species. John Keells is doing just that, and IUCN is privileged to be a partner in this process,” said Head of IUCN Asia’s Business and Biodiversity Programme, Shiranee Yasaratne.The project will be sustained by Nature Odyssey (a member of the John Keells Group and an inbound tour operator specialising in nature and adventure) and the Cinnamon Lodge under the guidance of Dr. van der Poorten, while IUCN will collaborate in its development by means of advice and literature.Director, John Keells Holdings, Sumithra Gunesekera said, “My congratulations to Nature Odyssey and Cinnamon Lodge for such an original, yet simple way of making a difference to our environment. We often take butterflies for granted, never realising the part they play in our ecology. Dr. van der Poorten’s contribution has been priceless. My sincere appreciation to him for the effort and passion he has put into this work. I also hope that all visitors to the butterfly garden will come away more enlightened and interested in these amazing creatures. Conservation, we believe, begins with awareness and education, and this is exactly what we hope to achieve through this project.”

In the latest edition of the travel+leasur
magazine has selected Sri Lanka’s Heritance Kandalama Hotel among the best 15 eco hotels (Green Hotels) of the world. Heritance Kandalama has been among the best ten-twenty from the inception and it is good to see they are maintaining their quality even during the hard times.
More about Heritance Kandalama : http://www.heritancehotels.com/HK/index.php

“Indulge yourself with a healthy sunrise breakfast on the shores of the lake” urged the welcome letter from Sarath Wickremasinghe, general manager of Cinnamon Lodge.
After a five hour drive from Colombo to Habarana, we had been guided to our suite by a young man introduced to us as our butler, Nuwan. Instead of Jeeves’s bow tie and tails he wore an orange tunic and an equally vivid sarong. Monkeys gambolled in the vast parkland setting while birds - including a hornbill - chortled in surprise as we walked to our suite. Tall Roystonea palm trees, my favourite of course, guarded the swimming pool that itself adjoined a mini-lake where a small rowing boat was moored by the bank.
We were staying in one of the four Master Suites in the 142-unit resort. My first experience of suites was during my youthful rock ‘n’ roll years when I toured the USA with a band and we had bedrooms with parlours attached. Since then I have stayed in so-called suites that are no more than a standard bedroom partitioned off from an alcove with a curtain. The suites at Cinnnamon Lodge are not those kind; they are more like private villas.

Entrance is from a veranda with chairs for lazing while watching wild birds flitting in the trees and tame tourists strolling to their rooms. The door of our suite, number 73, the Cedar, opened into a hall with stairs of polished coconut wood and an umbrella stand, with four umbrellas. Ahead was the parlour, a symphony of polished wood and a club-like atmosphere of which the real Jeeves would have approved.

A wooden, silk upholstered chaise longue guarded the approach to the French windows opening onto another veranda, this one overlooking the park and lake. A huge cement chaise longue, heavily cushioned, defined one end of the room, while solid wooden furniture with mini-bar and pantry cupboard marked the other end. A guest bathroom was beyond. In the middle was a massive dining table for eight guests, and there were books on the shelves and apples in bowls as décor.

Off the hallway was a bedroom for two, with ensuite bathroom and its own TV, while the master bedroom was up the stairs. Entering it was to be transported to the elegance of a Bangkok five-star hotel: an enormous, deep bed piled high with silk cushions and spread with crisp, Egyptian cotton sheets. French windows opened onto a broad balcony, an ideal spot for sundowners. In the bathroom there was a Jacuzzi with lake view, a separate vanity table and twin stand-alone wash basins, and a rain shower.

The Cinnamon Lodge suites seem designed for permanent residence, not for an over-night stay. Unfortunately tourists on a round-trip, racing around Sri Lanka, have no time to stay long at the resort. Sri Lankans are luckier in being able to settle there for a few days while sightseeing in the Cultural Triangle, or simply enjoying the tranquillity of the countryside.

In a way, Cinnamon Lodge is like a resort in the Maldives since it is horizontal and secluded and self-contained. For a holiday it offers much more than a Maldives resort, at much less cost, because of the attractions - elephants instead of fish, jungle instead of sand - as well as privacy and individual attention from a tropical Jeeves.
Ours attended us on demand throughout our stay. He served us when we dined in the restaurant on an eclectic table d’hote menu of innovative cuisine (executive chef, Senaka, even gave us his recipe for Tomato Crystal Consomme). Butler Nuwan also delivered the promised “healthy breakfast” on a table set up especially for us on the lake shore. Hearty is a better word to describe the omelette, bacon, sausages and two baskets of bread all washed down with fresh wood apple juice. Perhaps the healthy touch was the exercise of the walk to get to it.

Cinnamon Lodge is remarkable in retaining an unspoilt character despite its years of existence (it was previously known simply as Habarana Lodge) while, with its manorial suites, positioning itself as an upmarket sophisticated retreat for the cultured and discerning. www.cinnamonhotels.com
more photos : http://www.flickr.com/photos/nishannthe/

Adding an extra touch of nature and concentrating on the local tourist market has helped a hotel controlled by Sri Lanka’s John Keells Holdings to maintain higher occupancy. This year the Chaaya Village in north-central Habarana says it has recorded higher occupancy rates than other properties in the area, despite a 22 percent slump in tourist arrivals in the first eight months of the year.

“There is a downturn in tourism, but we have withstood it better than the others,” Shafeek Wahab, Head of Branding for Cinnamon and Chaaya Hotels and Resorts told Lanka Business Report, a weekly business show.

In June 2006, Habarana Village as it was known before was re-branded as Chaaya Village, making it the flagship for the brand.
For many, the four hour journey to Habrana is unbearable after the 12 hour flight from Europe or other far away destinations but the beauty and the serene atmosphere of the hotel leave many awed.

“I think it’s really nice, it’s slightly different from what I’m used to and it’s very peaceful and quite,” said Len Collins, a guest from Abu Dhabi.

Sri Lanka has seen a slump in tourist arrivals since the middle of last year, but even with low guest arrivals the management of John Keells, went ahead with the re-branding.

With five resorts in the Maldives and twelve hotels in Sri Lanka the management was keen on using a different strategy to attract guests during volatile times. It is different from the standard beach resort that most tourists expect.

“The advantage we have here is we can cast our marketing net over a wider category,” says Wahab.

Under the re-branding process the hotel was given a new look with mud coloured walls and lines of trees along the long foot paths spreading over the 14-acre property.
Many who visit the hotel look forward to a very tranquil and serene environment, while experiencing some thing memorable. This includes a growing number of local tourists whose patronage helps hotels ride out the downturn in foreign visitors.

The hotel offers various activities ranging from elephant rides and bird watching to climbing Sigiriya, an ancient rock fortress.

One of the unique experiences that guests enjoy is the cuisine from the nearby village.

“Most of the foreigners like the Sri Lankan food and we actually go to the extent of giving them local food,” says Roland, who went on to add that lake fish is one of the favorites among the guests.

With the re-branding the hotel also developed as a training ground for the brand and also for the hotel chain.

Currently, 70 percent of the two hundred odd staff working at the hotel is from the locality, which enables the hotel to extend financial support to the villagers in and around the hotel.

“The ability to attract, recruit, retain and develop staff is not only in Colombo,” Wahab said.

Chaaya Village Habarana was one of the winners of the gold awards for its eco project at this year’s Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) awards.

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There is nothing more rejuvenating than a vacation and that too composed of cheap travel modalities. That means no cruise or casino; just cheap hotels and fun activities and eating and playing around.