Sri Lanka Tourism Blog

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)

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.”