Anantara Kalutara Contemporary luxury meets Lankan hospitality

6 December 2023 09:18 am Views - 306

 

The property was originally designed by the late Geoffrey Bawa and is surrounded by tropical gardens, coconut palms and the shoreline. Blending effortlessly with the island’s tropical beauty and rich culture, the resort fuses natural luxury with colonial and Sri Lankan artistry.

• Room rates for Anantara Kalutara rage from Rs 55,000/- upwards for FBD. 

 Kaluthara lagoon and bay area is traditionally a popular for tourism and recognised as one of ‘the best beach destinations’ for the past four decades. The stretch of golden sandy beach boasts of having a few of the popular star class resorts in the area. Anantara Kalutara Resort and Avani Kalutara are two of the top resorts in the peninsula offering endless aqua based adventure, vibrant entertainment and dining experiences to its guests throughout the year.

Located in the ‘golden stretch of Kalutara Peninsula’, ‘Anantara Kalutara Resort’ is just a 45-minute drive from Colombo. It is always a great option for a quick escape, with plenty of sun, sea, sand and adventure to go around along with the modern luxury touch for those who are interested in a spectacular vacation without the hassle of unnecessary long journeys. 
Having started just six years ago in late 2016 as the Minor Group’s second hotel venture in Sri Lanka, ‘Anantara Kalutara Resort’ is the place where contemporary luxury meets Sri Lankan hospitality. 

The property was originally designed by the late Geoffrey Bawa and is surrounded by tropical gardens, coconut palms and the shoreline. Blending effortlessly with the island’s tropical beauty and rich culture, the resort fuses natural luxury with colonial and Sri Lankan artistry. The main building has a Dutch colonial style, with a soaring gable roof. The reception’s free-flowing space ushers in the coastal breeze and overlooks the lagoon.
The property offers 141 keys including five suites, nine private villas with two bedrooms and plunge pool. The five suites are set apart by an elegant lounge, with the one bedroom Presidential Suite boasting a private plunge pool and sundeck. The one and two bedroom villas feature an enclosed garden terrace offering seclusion whilst swimming in the private pool, sunbathing on the deck and dining al fresco. For holidays with family and friends, some of the one bedroom Garden Pool Villas feature interconnecting gardens. 

‘Anantara Kalutara is one of the best designed resorts in the South Western coastal belt of Sri Lanka. During my 30 plus year hospitality tenure, I have to state that this is the best hospitality venture I have worked with, when it comes to ‘service, customer relations and cuisine factor’ said Keith Tomkies, the General Manager of Anantara Kalutara and Avani. Keith Tomkies who joined as GM Anantara/ Avani just a few weeks ago, is a veteran in the hospitality trade. Hailing from Scotland, Keith Tomkies has 30 plus years of experience in the industry.
The resort has a choice of three restaurants. ‘Spice Traders’ invites travellers to choose from Asian fusion food such as Thai, Indian and Chinese cuisines. The all day dining restaurant ‘Olu’ offers international classics and spicy Sri Lankan specialties, whilst refined Italian tastes can be found at ‘Acquolina’. 
‘Good food supplements a memorable vacation. Our team of speciality and experienced Sri Lankan, Indian, Italian and Chinese chefs and F& B Team are always ready to serve guests with the finest of international fusion cuisine to delight their taste-buds. The team of creative chefs stimulates the visitors’ culinary senses with top quality food, with a strong emphasis on Sri Lankan cuisine at the Olu Restaurant. We will be having our new Thai Chef straight from Bangkok to enhance the wide range of culinary experience at the Resort’ GM Keith added.

An intimate dining experience on the beach, by the lagoon or in a tree-house and Italian fine dining or Asian fusion are some of the popular cuisine amongst Sri Lankan honeymooners. 

The resort’s Anantara Spa, which is one of the largest spa facilities in Sri Lanka, offers 10 treatment rooms with holistic Ayurvedic therapies, Asian and Western spa treatments. A range of leisure facilities is available for guests to enjoy, whether for romance or quality family time. The Watersports Centre offers a range of activities including jet skiing, water skiing and banana rides. There are two swimming pools – the lagoon-side pool with its Jacuzzi jets and children’s section ideal for families and the ocean view pool offering a tranquil escape for adults. 
The resort offers three meeting rooms and a 500-seat banquet facility at the grand ballroom. The perfect setting for conferences and events, the ballroom can accommodate 450 to 500 guests for reception. 
‘Designed for maximum flexibility, the pillar-free ballroom can be divided into two equal soundproof spaces, both equipped with state-of-the-art mood lighting and audio-visual systems’ Keith said.

Being located within close proximity to the Kalutara, guests can make a visit to the Kalutara Bhodiya and the city centres- Kaluthara and Panadura, Kande Viharaya in Beruwala. Other places of interest include the Richmond Castle, the fishing harbour and water sports at Bentota, Madu Ganga River Safari, Geoffrey Bawa Estate in Lunuganga, Brief Garden in Dedduwa, diving and snorkelling in Hikka, Galle Dutch Fort, Kosgoda Turtle Hatcheries and experiencing the pulling of traditional ‘Ma del’.
 

Festive season at Anantara Kalutara
An unparalleled host of festive celebrations and getaways await you with Minor Hotels Sri Lanka, home to the luxurious Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort, the enchanting Anantara Kalutara Resort, and the vibrant Avani Kalutara Resort. 
Embark on a delightfully sophisticated journey this season with Anantara Kalutara Resort. Guests can indulge in a festive dinner surrounded by family. Opt-in for an intimate candle-lit dinner on Christmas Eve with a better half or waltz into the New Year to the sound of OiC, a popular Sri Lankan band and behold the magnificent fireworks painting the tranquil lagoon with splendour. Be a part of our 7-day count-down to Christmas where each day takes you on a nostalgic or immersive festive experience. From Christmas movie nights by the lawn, festive mixology lessons to poolside Yuletide quiz nights, the team is geared up to keep the resort buzzing with joyous activities.
Pix courtesy Anantara