30 September 2022 – Now that the UK Foreign Office (FCDO) has lifted its non-essential travel ban to Sri Lanka, there has never been a better or more vital time to travel to this Indian Ocean island. Tourism, which accounts for 11% of Sri Lanka GDP, will help the country recover, and Sri Lankan hospitality and unique experiences await those who wish to support the people of Sri Lanka and holiday in Sri Lanka in the coming months.
Here are five distinctive reasons to travel to Sri Lanka this winter:
- For Wildlife
Choose the right hotel in Sri Lanka, and you can be arms-reach from monkeys and swifts without leaving your room.
Designed by world renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa to blend in with nature, Heritance Kandalama is located on the Kandalama Lakefront and has 152 rooms, including a Royal Suite. As the eco-friendly hotel has been built to blend with its rock face surroundings, visitors with a love of wildlife can marvel at monkeys that climb the hotel’s balcony pillars, or the resident swifts, which nest in the upper reaches of corridors. Watch other wildlife from your balcony, such as Sambur and Barking deer, or encounter some of the 75 species of butterfly within the lush resort grounds and surrounding jungle, including five species endemic to Sri Lanka. Guests can also float in the hotel’s infinity pool while gazing across at the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A Panoramic Room at Heritance Kandalama starts from starts from $170 (approximately £160) per night in November 2022 on a room only basis. For more information, visit www.heritancehotels.com/kandalama/.
- For The Tea
Tea drinking is taken seriously in Sri Lanka, so British tea lovers can imbibe the celebrated Ceylon tea in most hotels and resorts… or even stay in a tea factory.
Situated in the mountainous tea picking plantations of Nuwara Eliya, the colonial-style Heritance Tea Factory is a converted tea factory and the world’s only hotel of its kind. The 50-roomed hotel offers stays and meals at the highest elevation in Sri Lanka. Guests can pick their own Ceylon tea and enjoy tea infused menus and tasting sessions. The hotel’s Misty Mountain Spa offers tea-themed rituals, as well as massage therapies and body treatments.
A Double Superior Room at Heritance Tea Factory starts from $200 (approximately £190) per night in November 2022 on a room only basis. For more information, visit www.heritancehotels.com/teafactory/.
- For Ayurvedic Treatments
Ayurveda is a holistic healthcare system that originated in India and is considered one of the oldest healing sciences.
Situated on the south coast of Sri Lanka, Heritance Ayurveda allows guests to relax, rejuvenate and detoxify with traditional, tailor-made ayurvedic treatment plans. Along with qualified resident doctors and treatment rooms, the hotel also includes a spacious yoga and meditation hall plus 64 rooms and a spacious restaurant that overlooks the swimming pool and gardens.
A Classic Room at Heritance Ayurveda starts from starts from $482 (approximately £455) per night in November 2022 full board. For more information visit www.heritancehotels.com/ayurveda/.
- For A Convenient Oceanside Retreat
Just 40 minutes away from Sri Lanka’s capital city of Colombo and 20 minutes away from Bandaranaike International Airport, the beach resort of Heritance Negombo is a contemporary haven on the south coast of the island that allows guests to stay beachside or visit Colombo for the National Museum and food markets without too much travel time. All 139 of the hotel’s rooms face the ocean and each includes a private balcony or terrace for relaxation. The hotel also has two restaurants and a poolside bar, plus a rooftop spa with six treatment rooms and ocean views.
A Superior Deluxe Room at Heritance Negombo starts from $250 (approximately £236) per night in November 2022 on a room only basis. For more information, visit www.heritancehotels.com/negombo.
- For Laidback Luxury
Located on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, Ahungalla has a tropical climate with high temperatures year round, which makes the beachfront properties there perfect for a winter break.
The luxurious 152-roomed beachfront resort of Heritance Ahungalla combines style and substance to deliver a sensational holiday experience. The five-star resort includes an infinity pool overlooking the Indian Ocean, plus the on-site Diviyan Spa, two restaurants, a coffee shop, four bars and a karaoke night club. The resort is famed for its ‘endless blues’ since the property has been designed to serenade guests with the blues of the pond, hotel pool, sea and the sky.
A Premium Deluxe Room at Heritance Ahungalla starts from $188 (approximately £178) per night in November 2022 on a room only basis. For more information, visit www.heritancehotels.com/ahungalla/.
For more information on Aitken Spence Hotels, visit www.aitkenspencehotels.com.
Check out Aitken Spence’s #SpenceSafe video to see the covid safety practices undertaken at Aitken Spence hotels, ready to welcome you.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Image Captions:
Image 1: Views of the resort and infinity pool at Heritance Kandalama – perfect for spotting wildlife
Image 2: Tea Tasting Ceremony at Heritance Tea Factory
Image 3: Ayurvedic treatment at Heritance Ayurveda
For high-resolution images, click here.
About Aitken Spence Hotels
Aitken Spence Hotels is part of the Sri Lankan blue-chip conglomerate Aitken Spence PLC and operates 20 hotels and resorts across Sri Lanka, Maldives, Oman, and India. The Company’s owned hotels are reflected under the Heritance, Adaaran and Turyaa brands, popular around the world for its exceptional service and undisputed product and curated lifestyle experiences. The Company’s Sri Lankan portfolio includes 10 resorts spread across the island, whilst the Maldives resorts totals to five, four in Oman and one in India.
Media Enquiries: Fiona Anderson, GEC PR | [email protected]