Wednesday Nov 27, 2024
Wednesday Nov 27, 2024
Friday, 20 July 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Sharmini Serasinghe
Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka is renowned for its hotchpotch of tourist hotels, boutique villas and guest houses with standards and quality ranging from cheap and rustic to the luxurious and ridiculously expensive.
Amidst this mélange, I walked past a beautifully maintained old manor house (wallawa) built in 1910. My penchant for all things old; houses, trees, etc., got the better of me and pure curiosity made me walk into the premises to compliment its owner.
Lo and behold; it was not a private residence but, a stunningly beautiful boutique hotel called, HikkaFnR Villa; a real gem amidst the rest!
Beyond its charming and unpretentious façade holds many pleasant and unexpected surprises. The interior of this 108 year old ‘Wallawa’ has been lovingly renovated with soft earthy colours, luxuriously yet tastefully appointed, and tropical light used to maximum effect, while retaining its old world welcoming charm; a splendid combination of its past grandeur and the splendour of the present.
It’s spacious and well-appointed deluxe bedrooms and suites with high wooden ceilings coupled with a splendid view of the ocean reflect, the rest of the villa, with a charm of their own.
Though the property is located between the main, Galle-Colombo road and the ocean, once within the villa, you are blissfully insulated from sounds of the constant stream of traffic. From the very first moment I came across HikkaFnR Villa, a few months back, it immediately occupied the first place on my bucket-list; I had to stay here and experience this awesome place firsthand and, that’s precisely what I’m doing while writing this piece.
I never regretted my decision; in fact, I have extended my stay as I can’t seem to get enough of this place. For me, it is simply perfect!
The staff here, headed by its General Manager, Chandika and the charming Restaurant Manager, Ranjith are warm, friendly and always ready to oblige with a smile on their faces, in typical Sri Lankan style hospitality, thus contributing to the homely ambiance of the Villa. Complementing it all is, Chef Gayan has a splendid repertoire of cuisines up his sleeve; he turns out the most delectable dishes from Asian to haute cuisine, with a personal touch.
The magnificent pool surrounded by a well-manicured garden, studded with coconut trees and overlooking the ocean, is a is a state-of-the-art celebration of what the owning Company of HikkaFnR Villa; Foster and Reed Ltd., does best and is acclaimed for, as an award winning leader specialising in manufacturing swimming pools and water related recreational solutions.
Last but not least, as a local tourist who prefers to avoid crowds of tourists, I discovered that the best time to visit places like Hikkaduwa is during the ‘Off Season’ as it also comes with the bonus of discounted rates charged by hotels.
