Sri Lanka’s 8 best boutique bolt holes introduced by The Sri Lanka Collection

Thursday, 28 August 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Why House

With Sri Lanka’s high season just a few months away, The Sri Lanka Collection – a new UK-based representation and marketing company – reveals Sri Lanka’s eight best boutique boltholes. Located in prime tourist hotspots in stunning settings across Sri Lanka, these privately owned high-end hotels and villas are standouts for their exceptional service levels, distinctive style and engaging character. Located by the beach, in the city, amidst the hills and on the fringe of a national park, each hotel and villa absorbs the distinctive character of its idyllic destination. Sri Lanka’s richness is in its diversity and a round tour of the island – hopping between these fabulously situated boutique boltholes and exploring their unique localities – allows you to experience the very best of Sri Lanka. Chauffeur guides can easily be arranged for stays of just a few days to a few weeks ensuring you make the most of your Sri Lanka holiday.

Kahanda Kanda; inland Galle

Nine room boutique hotel, pure couples’ escapism. It is a romantic hilltop hotel for indulgent couples; home to an exquisite collection of individually designed suites amidst a 12-acre tea estate, with Koggala Lake views.

The Wallawwa, Negombo

17 rooms; it is not your usual airport hotel. For post- or pre-flight pampering, airport hotels don’t come any better than this historic garden-fringed sanctuary with excellent restaurant and oh-so-indulgent spa.

Casa Colombo, Colombo

12 suites; this is a retro-chic city retreat. Right in the heart of Sri Lanka’s up-and-coming capital city, this romantic Moorish mansion features custom-designed interiors, 24-hour butler service and a pink swimming pool.

Why House, inland Galle

Nine room boutique hotel; this is heaven for families. Just inland from Galle on Sri Lanka’s southwest coast lies this elegant country-style family-friendly hotel with huge swimming pool and lush 4-acre tropical garden.

Bougainvillea Retreat, Kandy

Eight bedroom boutique hotel; this is tranquility in the hills. An idyllic Tuscan-styled yoga-friendly villa amidst Sri Lanka’s cooler Tea Country that offers relaxed home-away-from-home hospitality in a glorious hill and lakeside setting.

Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safaris, Yala National Park

Eight ensuite tents; there is wilderness glamping. Tucked on the fringe of leopard-dense Yala National Park in the island’s southeast, this safari outfit offers game drives hosted by the island’s top leopard guru, Noel Rodrigo.

41 Lighthouse Street, Galle Fort

Three bedroom private villa; it is a luxurious Galle Fort villa. An indulgent, fully staffed villa located in Galle’s famous 17th century Dutch-era fort, a short walk from major landmarks and the town’s international test cricket ground.

23 Palms, Talpe Beach

Three bedroom private villa; this is an absolute beachfront. Close to Galle, beside a sand-swept beach, this blissful fully staffed villa with pool boasts dedicated events facilities and a 2-acre garden with 200 metres of pure ocean views. The Sri Lanka Collection, a new UK-based representation and marketing company, works on behalf of a distinguished collection of Sri Lankan boutique hotels, villas, safari camps and leading inbound tour operators. The company raises awareness of Sri Lanka’s outstanding boutique travel products and helps them to maximise their visibility in the UK. The Sri Lanka Collection is the first representation company of its kind to focus on the high-end client and on Sri Lanka alone, whilst also promoting leading destination management companies, Sri Lanka in Style and Red Dot Tours. The Sri Lanka Collection is a reliable and knowledgeable information source run by a small yet dedicated team with deep connections to Sri Lanka and many years’ experience in the travel industry. Through its dedicated office in the UK, the company can directly assist the press with their enquiries, share fact sheets and images of its Collection members, help with Sri Lanka story research and coordinate FAM trips to Sri Lanka. The time is ripe for a new representation company for Sri Lanka. Interest in Sri Lanka has never been higher. Since 2009, and the end of the civil war, tourist arrivals have leaped year-on-year. British tourists consistently, and by a large majority, are placed second (behind India) in statistics of tourist arrivals by countries across the world. In 2013, Sri Lanka welcomed more than 1.2 million tourists, – a jump of 26.7% since 2012. Arrivals from the UK alone increased by 20%, up from 114,000 to 137,000.