Cinnamon Bentota Beach Resort – Signature Selection: Eclectic blend of luxury, superior service and art enriching soul

By Uma Chandrasiri

Cinnamon Bentota Beach Resort – Signature Selection repositions itself as the group’s foremost Signature Selection hotel, their finest, luxuriously indulgent designer selection of hotels and resorts, with a vision of benchmarking it with the leading luxury properties of the island. The revamping has seamlessly blended heights of comfort and bespoke experiences with tradition, within a multicultural backdrop of stunning architecture.

“Cinnamon Bentota Beach Resort – Signature Selection, along with Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, will be the pathfinders for the Cinnamon brand,” said Cinnamon Bentota Beach Resort – Signature Selection General Manager and Sri Lanka Resorts Area Vice President Johan Aschan in an exclusive interview with Daily FT.

“Bentota Beach has historically been the leading hotel in Bentota since its opening in March 1970, as iconic Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa’s first ever beach resort. The hotel underwent an immense refurbishment in 2019 when Channa Daswatte’s vision brought about a complete demolition of the previous structure to build it back up following the original plans, at an investment of $ 27 million. We have elevated the hotel from a 4-star hotel to a 5-star luxury property” he added. The 155 rooms and 16 themed suites of the hotel lie sprawled across verdant gardens of 16 acres.

Aschan will spearhead a luxury service delivery which will be essential to back up the stunning property that breathes elegance and art, with the aim of attracting the high-net-worth customers. “We have made all the areas of this beautiful property come alive and we also understand that it is not enough to have visual beauty, we also need highly professional, anticipatory service that extends to every guest. We have upgraded all the amenities in the suites to ensure that our guests are completely pampered. A personal butler will be at hand for the Bawa and Hiru suites and on demand for the rest of the suites,” he added.

The team at Cinnamon Bentota Beach Resort – Signature Selection have not left a stone unturned in terms of catering to every requirement of a discerning guest. From luxurious rooms with every amenity to innovative and the most scrumptious of food that not just satisfies but leaves an aftertaste that is pure joy, to spaces where art soothes and helps you escape, to a myriad of opportunities to immerse yourself in from adrenaline inducing water sports to soft, romantic dining by the Benthara river, ayurveda spa treatments, a state-of-the-art gym and a kids entertainment and play area, this hotel truly delivers exceptional service.

Cinnamon Bentota Beach Resort – Signature Selection welcomes its guests with the blowing of our traditional conch shell which symbolises the beginning of a significant, celebratory event which a stay at this magnificent hotel truly is. A flight of steps takes you through a dark portico into a lighted reception area, an incredibly clever design element as the reception literally steals your breath with its staggering masterpiece of a ceiling adorned with re-created colourful batiks by late artist Ena de Silva. Reeling with the pleasurable jolt this artwork provides, guests walk into the elegant lobby bar and lounge area to enjoy a selection of welcome beverages and snacks while once again being mesmerised by beauty and art with a colourful ceiling and walls adorned with paintings of Ismath Rahim, the only living student of Geoffrey Bawa.

Rahim’s original work done by “samara” and felt pens have recently been reconstructed using acrylics. A prominent feature of the lounge is the brass sculpture of a peacock by Laki Senanayake that stands guard, which was protected by a steel box when the original property was razed prior to refurbishment.

In terms of dining, the hotel caters to a variety of tastes with its Asian and Sri Lankan restaurant Zest, Italian Ottimo, Sea Meets Spice, a quintessential beach restaurant serving flavours of the ocean where the management has gone into minute details such as paving the floor area with sand from the beach, Fuze lobby bar, Drench pool bar and the newly introduced café Comeda where guests can enjoy art created by their in-house artist while they indulge in barista prepared coffees and snacks.

“We aim to give our guests an immersive experience in gastronomical delights,” says the hotels’ Executive Chef Sanjeewa Jayasinghe who has upgraded all the menus in line with the repositioning. “We give priority to local produce to create our signature dishes and introduce hidden ingredients such as seaweed and sea plants to elevate texture and taste. We have introduced a wellness menu as well, to align with the hotel’s in-house yoga and meditation programs,” he adds. “The dining experience here does not disappoint, on the contrary, it just infuses you with a sense of joy that a blend of incredibly flavourful food, good wine and a soothing ambience can bring you. The foodie that is me was in a state of bliss.”

The team had the pleasure of speaking with two very special individuals during the stay (an exclusive hosting by the hotel) at this beautiful hotel. One was their curator of arts and culture, Sanduni de Fonseka, a vivacious young lady whose passion for her craft is evident when she explains about the hotels’ array of art, sculptures and their CSR projects where local artisans are encouraged to sell their creations within the hotel premises. Yet another invaluable personal asset that the hotel has is their naturalist, Lahiru Sandaruwan. This walking encyclopedia on all things related to nature, organises excursions to Geoffrey and Bevis Bawa’s residences, Sinharaja rain forest and whale watching excursions to Mirissa. He is also a trained beekeeper (a first of its kind for the group) and has initiated a bee keeping project on the hotel grounds. He plans to initiate a novel experience where guests clad in PPE kids will be able to interact with the tiny insects and watch them go about their busy business.

The privilege was also given to speak with Cinnamon Bentota Beach Resort – Signature Selection Garden Manager Lahiru Tennakoon who is instrumental in converting an area where garbage was collected to a wonderful space they call “The Bloom House” which is a little haven of peace and greenery where the hotel organises high tea or a romantic dinner for couples overlooking the gently lapping river. Lahiru also goes against traditional belief and has orchids flourishing in colourful abandon here despite the sea breeze. Lahiru and his team have a garden space of 11 acres to create their magic with, out of a total property area of 16 acres. “During Bawa’s era, gardens were one of the most important aspects of a property and my plan is to bring that belief back,” he adds, “and I’m certain he will achieve this.”

Cinnamon Bentota Beach Resort – Signature Selection is truly a masterpiece in experiences that create magical memories, a masterpiece in design and art and a masterpiece in service excellence. With their General Manager who brings in a wealth of experience and positive energy to the progression of the hotel and his passionate team who backs him up, the resort is tipped to be in the forefront of Sri Lanka tourism for years to come.