Browns Hotels and Resorts bring luxury and style

By Harshana Sellahewa

Browns Hotels and Resorts is a subsidiary of The Browns Group, one of the largest conglomerates in Sri Lanka. 

With operations in diverse industrial sectors around the nation, the group has a history 137 years and revels in the trust placed in them by generations of Sri Lankans.
Today, the Browns Group remains as part of the LOLC Group of Companies, to present to the world a range of exquisitely fashioned resorts and spas located in a variety of divine settings around the country.

Paradise Resort and Spa

The Paradise Resort and Spa, situated in the ancient city of Dambulla, is a luxurious resort surrounded in canopies of lush forestry. The resort offers utmost luxury to all its guests whether it’s dining above the trees, relaxing by the pool or in the comfort of your villa.

Portraying a lavish fusion of local heritage and cosy four-star Italian comforts, deep inside the nation’s cultural triangle, The Paradise Resort and Spa is the ideal destination for those seeking an experience mixed with enlightenment and pleasure.

The resort is in very close proximity to world heritage sites, letting you discover some of the greatest ancient architectural brilliance at the Dambulla Cave Temple, Sigiriya Fortress and many more locations that would take your breath away. Visit the Dambulla Cave Temples, the dark rocky refuge of King Valagamba, or the surrounding cultural attractions and then relax in the solace of snug Italian chalets, tightly tucked in between green canopies and lush forestry. The Paradise Resort and Spa Resort Manager Shehan Gregory provides some insight on the hotel. “The Paradise Resort and Spa is a four-star hotel based in Dambulla, owned by the Browns Hotels and Resorts. The main priority we strive to achieve is to give our guests an unforgettable exquisite experience during their stay with us. We give preference to the nature that surrounds the hotel, and this is what we use to market ourselves towards the local and foreign tourists. The current number of staff is 105, of which 80 percent is from the Dambulla area itself. The unique design of this hotel, the lavish Italian architecture, and the fact that most of the furniture is mainly from Italy and other parts of Europe, is what makes this place stand out from other hotels in the area.”

The hotel houses 67 luxurious chalets, with three varieties to chose from; Deluxe- 17 chalets, Duplex- 40 chalets, and Garden Suite- 10 chalets.

The hotel provides a wide array of fun-filled activities that are guaranteed to make you want to come back for more. The hotel accommodates a large, single-carpet swimming pool giving you assurance of enjoying a relaxing dip in the pool with a slip-free surface, and a pool bar to compliment your time with a refreshing beverage or cocktail on a warm sunny day. The hotel also provides a state-of-the-art fitness centre with all the equipment you’d want to use to burn some calories after an authentic meal at the buffet, or after a personal delight from the rich and mouth-watering a la carte selection. A highlight of the resort is its Ayurvedic Wellness Centre and Thai Spa. This is the place to go if you want to feel what unwinding and relaxing really feels like. Consisting of masseurs with immense expertise, the magic of the lustful aroma from the ayurvedic medicinal oils and pleasure of the experienced moves of the masseur go hand in hand to compliment each other and give you the relief you’ve awaited all your life.

Some of the highlighted excursions that the hotel masters in conveying are fishing - for a sensational experience of quietness and peacefulness, bicycle riding - if you want to get some fresh air while getting your fitness maxed, bird watching - to satisfy the inner you with nature’s majestic airborne creatures, and even bullock cart riding - if you fancy the old-fashioned mode of transport to appreciate the prestigious value of nature on a much more eco-friendly scale.

Whether you want to come with your family, friends, or that special person, The Paradise Resort and Spa will live up to standard, being the ideal natural getaway location to provide you with nothing but promising comfort and lush extravagance.

Calm Resort and Spa

The Calm Resort and Spa, in Pasikuda, is a luxurious thrilling destination set in one of the calmest shores in the world. Feast your eyes on the calm waters that reflect the azure sky and feel the chills of the excitingly seductive shores. Submerged in the waves that gently touch the serene coast, experience the perfect blend of entertainment and calm relaxation.

Take a stroll on one of the world’s longest stretches of shallow coastline, and take part in thrilling water sport events or visit a range of local attractions located mere hours away from the resort.

With world renowned shallow coastlines and mesmerising blue waters, Pasikuda has now become one of the most sought after exotic holiday destinations on our paradise island. The Calm Resort and Spa promises any weary traveller an unforgettable, tropical retreat.

The resort is rated four-stars under the Tourist Board clarification, and boasts of 70 elegantly designed contemporary rooms, consisting of; Deluxe- 31 rooms, Premium- 15 rooms, Garden Collection- 21 rooms and three high-end suites- namely; The Calm Suite- two suites, and Passi Bay Suite- one suite. 

Each room is decorated with hues of the breath taking ocean that can be found when a short stroll is taken down to the calm and shallow coastline.

The Calm Resort and Spa General Manager Susantha Bandara spoke to give some information on the resort. “The Calm Resort and Spa is a 70 room hotel in Pasikuda, and we have the second highest inventory in a hotel after Amaya. The Calm plays a special role in having the best part of the beach out of all the hotels, where you have a broad beach which is very safe to have a bath and take part in other recreational activities. The Calm Resort and Spa within a very short period of time has come a long way and we have been place number three on TripAdvisor and we have achieved Travellers Choice 2017 and Service Excellence 2015, 2016 and 2017, and that is because of the service of my team. Because I believe in the skills of local staff and I have recruited most of my staff from 
the locality. 

In 2017 we saw a growth in occupancy, and the hotel mostly gets European clientele, after European clientele we get locals, but now we are planning to bring in Chinese, because our highest tourism influx is from China. We are planning a mega event for Chinese New Year in February next year. I want to make this hotel the best hotel the area, not with facilities itself, but also with service. When we say ‘The Calm’, the name itself speaks for the quality of calmness offered by the resort, and we are excelled in our service.”

The Calm Resort and Spa also offers a wide array of recreational activities, just like its sister hotel The Paradise Resort and Spa.

 However, some excursions that The Calm offers are unique to the resort itself. Some such activities are; Diving and snorkelling - if you want to go beyond the crisp blue waters and explore the deep sea world and experience aquatic creatures with the naked eye, and boating and water sports - the fun and exciting adrenaline pumping excursions that you can participate in, if you dare.

The Calm Resort and Spa is truly a place to be, a place that your life deserves to be in and look at and feel, because an experience like this is not one you’d get to see every day. The Calm is truly filled with thrills.