A culinary journey worth making

Premier boutique hotel Residence by Uga Escapes, which opened its doors in mid-March, has already made a name for itself as a must-visit high-end property among those seeking elegant and unforgettable dining experiences in the heart of the city.

Delivering a unique culinary experience via its eclectic a la carte menu featuring international cuisine, made all the more exclusive with its Sri Lankan ingredient infusions, Residence by Uga Escapes is not afraid to experiment, serving up combinations previously unheard of which pair perfectly on the plate and on the palate. Elevating the dining experience, the wine list and cellar boast an impressive selection of 175 labels from around the world.

Housed in an iconic Colombo mansion on Park Street transformed into a unique boutique hotel, the property is the fourth by Uga Escapes and demonstrates the Group’s commitment to the luxury tourism sector. The mansion was revamped with an investment of Rs. 200 million, enhancing suite features and incorporating a one-of-a-kind dining experience.

The property features many spaces – open or intimate – and guests are bound to find one that delights, be it under the shade of the Araliya tree in the courtyard, lounging by the pool, in the plush comfort of the expansive lobby area, in the chic yet informal restaurant, in the bar designed as an exclusive den which features an innovative menu, or in the elegantly-appointed private dining rooms.

Among the culinary offerings is the Residence High Tea experience, serving up classic afternoon tea treats alongside quintessentially Sri Lankan loose-leaf artisan tea. Residence also provides value-for-money options via its three-course Executive Lunch menu and soup plus sandwich offering. 

The Executive Lunch is served in a Japanese bento box and is a combination of appetisers, main course and desserts served simultaneously, beautifully stacked in a three-tiered wooden box and deconstructed in front of the guest in a single fluid movement. The soup plus sandwich offering provides a satisfying option for those who prefer not to tuck into a multi-course meal.

The Daily FT sat down with Residence by Uga Escapes General Manager Roshan Dylan, GM Sales Marcelline Paul and Interior Designer Ravishi Carim to talk about the property and its positioning, with an emphasis on its extraordinary culinary offering.

Following are excerpts:

By Marianne David

Q: It’s been around two months since Uga Escapes opened its fourth property and first in Colombo, Residence. How has it been received so far?

Roshan Dylan: We have had very positive feedback on this new venture, particularly on the F&B offering, which is a new dining concept to the market. The suites too at this early stage have had positive feedback, particularly from international tour operators and media. The interior design and the spacious suites, with each having their own courtyards and incredibly vast bathrooms, make Residence a unique product in the boutique market in Colombo.

The feedback on the Food and Beverage offerings at Residence has been nothing short of excellent amongst both tourists (foreign expats) and local Colombo residents. Many people have embraced the food concept of international cuisine with an emphasis on local ingredients and given us a lot of encouraging feedback.

 Q: How is the Group positioning Residence and what is the target market?

Marcelline Paul: We are positioning Residence in a few different segments of the market for its accommodation.

Corporate: Those who are looking at providing accommodation to their clients/associates who would normally stay in suites in 5-star hotels. Furthermore, when there is a large conference in Colombo at a 5-star hotel or exhibition centre where delegates might stay at the conference venue, we will be positioning Residence as a good accommodation option for the CEOs, MDs and owners who will want to stay at Residence for its exclusiveness, privacy and high level of service.

Leisure travellers: Clients who are on a round trip around Sri Lanka and are staying in boutique hotels throughout. There are only two other high-end boutique hotels in Colombo and with the growing market for high-end boutique hotels, we feel confident that we can sell our suites in Colombo.

Q: What are the main features and offerings at Residence?

Roshan Dylan: Besides the spacious suites and well-appointed public spaces, Residence boasts an impressive restaurant serving international high quality food and beverages in various dining settings, from a restaurant setting to private dining areas and outdoor seating besides the pool. The menus offer an extensive range from executive lunches and quick and easy combination plates for lunch to more formal multi-course dinners in private dining spaces. The wine list and cellar boast an impressive selection of 175 labels from around the world.

Q: Residence is extensively focusing on its dining concepts; could you outline the thinking behind the F&B offering?

Roshan Dylan: Uga has always been connected with the environment in which it operates with its back-to-nature approach, symbolised by the lotus on our logo. When thinking of a Colombo property this was a tough task and hence the philosophy is instilled in the cuisine. The cuisine at Residence is a proud Sri Lankan statement of elevating Sri Lankan ingredients into an international setting.

Dining, we believe, enriches your life and creates memorable experiences and we have emphasised this in all our properties. Sourcing local ingredients from their freshest and most natural environment and transforming them into something so special that it deserves a journey to the Residence is the fundamental thinking behind the cuisine at Residence.

 Q: Residence is providing a value-for-money option with its Executive Lunch menu and the soup plus sandwich offerings; could you tell us about that?

Roshan Dylan: Lunch can be a leisurely affair at the restaurant and an event; however, we also consider the market in which we operate, surrounded by major offices and businesses. Therefore, we offer quite a few options that are quick and easy but true to the Uga experience, they are well-presented. The Executive Lunch is an inspiration in a Japanese bento box – a combination of appetisers, main course and desserts are served simultaneously, beautifully stacked in a three-tiered wooden box and deconstructed in front of the guest. The presentation and the service of the box with attention placed on dismantling the box with a single fluid movement adds a touch of class. 

 Q: What about the High Tea experience?

Roshan Dylan: The High Tea at Residence is an assortment of savouries, sweets and freshly home-baked raisin and plain scones, served with Devonshire clotted cream and homemade passion fruit and pomello jam, complemented with 15 varieties of artisan teas handcrafted for Uga with its own blends of black tea and herbal. This is served in a three-tiered stand and is designed for a leisurely event.

 Q: The property also features a plush bar with an innovative menu. Could you tell us more about that?

Roshan Dylan: The Bar has an extensive selection of single malt whiskies and blended scotch whiskey. Our signature cocktails are ingredient-based and we feature seasonal fruits as our bases such as veralu, ugurassa and nelli. 

Q: The property was once an iconic Colombo mansion. Could you tell us about the changes made by Uga Escapes?

Ravishi Carim: We have made the rooms larger in order to create a living space for each suite. The bedroom space in each suite is easily accessible from the living area but also separated to give privacy. Each room has a small courtyard and the bathrooms are quite large. There is a separate dressing area in each suite, a grand chandelier at the centre of the living area which adds a colonial touch, large paintings that make each room look elegant and the separated bedroom has a floor to ceiling headboard to give a feel of class and elegance. 

The Residence Suite, which is much larger than the Park Suites, has its own walkway which is decorated with a large painting, a welcome console and fresh flowers. The living area is designed with luxurious silk upholstered sofas, a hand-woven carpet and a heavy timber low coffee table. Chandeliers and wall brackets are designed with a brushed brass effect, preserving the look and feel of the old mansion.

Dark kumbuk floors were introduced to bring richness and warmth. The Master Bedroom is designed to show luxury and comfort. The floor to ceiling headboard with sheer drapes falling on either side of the bed was added to keep to the theme. The old bathroom was extended and a separate dressing area was introduced with large fixed glass panels to afford views of the private garden. The roof of the extended part of the toilet and the dressing area was completed with glass to provide a view of the night sky and bring in daylight.

The Lounge is designed in an elegant printed fabric, which was entirely imported. The floor was redone with kumbuk. All old wooden doors are open but glass doors were added to bring light to the space. The Bar is designed in a way for guests to feel more cosy and comfortable. The interior of the Bar is different to the rest of the hotel as the interior walls have an exposed brick effect and the furniture is wood and leather upholstered. The illuminated Bar backdrop is designed to highlight the bottles.

The Restaurant has two private dining rooms and one open area with booth seating. The open area ceiling has dropdown light fittings to break away from the monotony of the ceiling and exposed timber batons were added as a feature. The illuminated booth seats highlight the wall above as well as the black and white pictures to create a cosy feel.

Q: What are the Group’s future plans for Residence? Any new experiences on the cards?

Marcelline Paul: Our key focus is to place our brand Uga Escapes and our portfolio of resorts in the international market. We work strategically with our international tour operators and PR companies on strategic positioning of the properties in our source markets.

We now have four properties in the country and our vision is to have more properties situated in key tourist zones in Sri Lanka to enable clients to have a total Uga Escapes journey in the country. We are well on our way to achieve this and in fact we will be opening a new luxury resort in Yala at the end of this year. The resort will consist of 15 keys and will be the most high-end product in Yala when it opens. With Yala being a top destination in the country, which is a must visit area due to the high density of leopards, we feel having a product in this area is a must for our Group.

Pix by Daminda Harsha Perera