Hotel Insider: Architectural gem amid a tropical, river setting in Sri Lanka

The One Bedroom Anantara Suite living area at Anantara Kalutara Resort, Sri Lanka. Courtesy Anantara Kalutara Resort

The swimming pool at Anantara Kalutara Resort, Sri Lanka. Courtesy Anantara Kalutara Resort

Anantara Kalutara Resort, Sri Lanka. Courtesy Anantara Kalutara Resort

The One Bedroom Anantara Suite bathroom at Anantara Kalutara Resort, Sri Lanka. Courtesy Anantara Kalutara Resort

The concierge at Anantara Kalutara Resort, Sri Lanka. Courtesy Anantara Kalutara Resort

The welcome

Arriving at dawn, I’m grateful to be greeted at Colombo airport by a man with an Anantara van equipped with a neck pillow and eye mask, allowing me to sleep for most of the two-hour drive to Kalutara. We pull up to an unremarkable entrance, greeted by four traditional dancers who lead me down a corridor to a remarkable open-air reception hall that opens onto the water, with a high gabled ceiling from which colourful batik tapestries hang. My appointed “host” Chedi takes me to my room, where he asks for my passport, then leaves to check me in and order my breakfast.

The neighbourhood

On the west coast of Sri Lanka, south of Colombo, where the Kalu Ganga River meets the Indian Ocean, the resort sits on its own shoreline, surrounded by coconut palms and tropical gardens, with a boardwalk leading to its stand-alone spa and restaurants. The sights and sounds from the village across the water provide some colour, with locals fishing and burning fires along the riverbank and the call to prayer echoing in the distance. For day trips, Kalutara is within an hour’s drive of Colombo, Galle and Lunuganga, the garden estate of Geoffrey Bawa, the architect behind the hotel’s design.

The room

I’m in the one-of-a-kind One Bedroom Anantara Suite, on the corner of the property with decks on both sides that have two different water views, surrounded by trees full of exotic birds. With its own dining and living room area, dark wood floors and decorative panels throughout, it feels like a spacious residential apartment. The highlight is a Jacuzzi tub elevated on lit wooden stairs and surrounded by windows overlooking the water (you can draw the blinds for privacy). Amenities include a Bluetooth speaker, Nespresso maker, Reval tea and Thémaé toiletries.

The service

A bit inconsistent when I stay just after opening. It’s either over-the-top thoughtful, such as the restaurant staff who make my favourite passionfruit yogurt when it’s not at the buffet, or a little forgetful, like when my room service tray isn’t cleared away at turn-down.

The scene

The resort isn’t busy when I’m there in November, save for a few couples and an Asian tour group. But the intermittent rain makes it even more pleasurable to linger under Bawa’s A-frame design, particularly in the second-floor Upper Deck lounge with pool tables and comfy leather chairs, or on the shisha terrace down below.

The food

My favourite meal is the egg hoppers at Olu, washed down with fresh water from the king coconut, but for a more atmospheric night out, Spice Traders, in a sala on the river, pays tribute to Kalutara’s spice port by offering a mix of Chinese, Indian (rogan josh; 2,700 Sri Lankan rupees [Dh65]) and Thai (fresh lime seabass; 3,800 rupees [Dh92]). The Italian restaurant Acquolina isn’t open when I’m there (it is now) but I sample the chef’s perfectly cooked saffron risotto (2,600 rupees [Dh63]).

Loved

The Geoffrey Bawa Library, with a big daybed, his sketches on walls and shelves of books about Sri Lankan architecture.

Hated

Minor maintentance issues, such as water that takes awhile to heat up, a mildewy smell in the lift (which is fixed while I’m there) and a faulty reading light.

The verdict

A unique retreat and architectural gem.

The bottom line

The One Bedroom Anantara Suite costs from Dh2,725 a night including taxes and breakfast; standard rooms from Dh1,182 (kalutara.anantara.com).

This review was done at the invitation of the hotel.