Aarunya Nature Resort crowned Signature Mountain Resort Regional Winner in Asia

Since its inception in 2018, Aarunya Nature Resort & Spa, which overlooks the Knuckles Mountain Range and sits on seven acres of mixed plantations, spice and tea gardens, has been glowing in the limelight with multiple awards under its belt. 

Recently during the lockdowns, the resort was humbled to be officially crowned the Signature Mountain Resort Regional Winner in Asia by Galatian Signature Hotel Awards, its third international award in one year. 

Handpicked from among 38,000 nominations including 16,830 hotels in 198 countries and awarded by international Recognition and Marketing authority Galatian Signature Hotels. “We were pleasantly surprised to be notified of this award win when the entire world’s travel industry was on lockdown,” says Architect, Founder and Director Nath Rankothge. 

This recognition expands Aarunya’s wall of fame along with the award for ‘Luxury Mountain Hotel Global Winner’ in the 2019 World Luxury Hotel Awards, and ‘2019 Award for Excellence In Luxury Accommodation – Sri Lanka’ in the third annual Global Luxury Hotel & Spa Awards hosted by LUXLife UK. The only hotel in Sri Lanka to be awarded alongside 30 other properties including premium global brands, Aarunya is grateful for being recognised and in doing so strengthening Sri Lanka as a luxury getaway location. 

Aarunya was also recently nominated in the 27th Annual World Travel Awards, for Sri Lanka’s Leading Boutique Hotel 2020, with voting currently open. The World Travel Awards is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of industry excellence, renowned as the most prestigious and comprehensive in the global travel industry. 

During the lockdown period Aarunya’s team was also busy launching new initiatives aimed at capitalising on the expected growth in demand for premium wellness, nature oriented, and organic offerings. The resort is expanding its spa to include a Luxury Ayurveda facility offering indigenous medicinal treatments with an in-house Ayurveda doctor, completing a greenhouse project, and gearing up the Estate Plantation Division to expand the property’s harvest including fruits, vegetables, and spices such as clove, cardamom, vanilla, and cinnamon, with a long term export oriented focus.

Aarunya recently completed its new Sky Suites including Sky Habitat and Sky Tented Villas, offering exceptional luxury with temperature controlled plunge pools, private sun decks, improved mini bar offerings and the ultimate mountain backdrops for that perfect Instagram picture. 

The resort has reopened post-lockdown, hosting guests while launching its ‘Breathe Free’ policy featuring exclusive Health and Safety Guidelines and Preventative Protocols for the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in line with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization’s guidelines. 

With strict hygiene measures taken to ensure guest safety from arrival to departure, digitised processes, contactless operations, online menus, social distancing measures, and well trained staff, the hotel has left no stone unturned to ensure guests enjoy the very best of Aarunya with health and safety a top priority. They have also launched a number of exciting deals and offers in conjunction with flexible cancellation options. “Aarunya’s location is perfect for social distancing and isolation. Our private villas with uninterrupted mountain views, fresh mountain air, unique fauna and flora all combine to make the ideal setting for a perfect hideaway, getaway, wellness retreat, or even working holiday,” says Nath.

He further noted: “The pandemic has been tough on all business sectors, however we are confident that Sri Lankan tourism will experience a healthy recovery. Post-COVID, the luxury boutique hospitality, lifestyle and wellness market will be well positioned for growth due to the discerning traveller’s search for unique, safe and premium experiences. We want to inspire people to stay and invest in this incredible island, to truly experience and fall in love with what we have to offer, so that they won’t feel like leaving.