Overview
Cocooned within a welcoming lush greenery just minutes from the Bandaranaike International Airpot, The Wallawwa is a charming boutique hotel ideally set for guests to rejuvenate after their long flight. It is also perfect located for sight seeing of the main attractions of Sri Lanka.
Belonging to a past village chief of Galle, this estate, which was once a family home. Comprising 5 acres of grounds it has now been converted to a luxurious holiday experience. Literally translated as “The Manor” or “The Bungalow”, The Wallawwa’s 17 rooms and suites are furnished and equipped to make sure your senses are pampered. The gift shop offers a variety of authentic Sri Lankan handcrafted souvenirs, cloths and accessories profits of which all go to the hotel’s chosen charity.
With lush tropical plantation, indoor ponds with lotus blooms, the grounds literally transport you from the hectic Bandaranaike International Airport in just 30 minutes. The ensuite bathrooms with rain showers and bath tubs, the private lounge areas within the suites, the cosy verandah, and the game room were sufficient to make us want to spend our whole holiday within the premises and indulge in a glorious vacation. The “Z” spa services blended with our schedule so as not to misscout.The kitchen, whilst providing delicious gourmet meals, also gave us the opportunity for a culinary adventure in the form of cooking lessons with home-grown local herbs and vegetables. They even maintain their own tuk-tuk which taxi’d usto nearby places.
Venturing out of the grounds, you will find the expanse of Sri Lanka’s beautiful pristine beaches, the deep blue Indian Ocean, many a historic church from the country’s colonial past, and the convenient highways connecting to the country’s capital, hill country and the cultural triangle. Adventurous experiences such as sea pole-fishing and whale & dolphin watching, cultural experiences like visiting historic churches and buddhist&hindu temples, nature treks with bird watching and animal safaris, are some of the attractions in the immediate vicinity. The Wallawwa, with only the best service as their goal, were willing to facilitate any tours to attractions further away in the country
Rooms
The Wallawwa boasts 17 beautiful comfortable rooms and suites distributed amongst 4 categories for their guests to choose from as per their party and requirements. Each suite and room comes with a 4 poster king sized bed, ensuite bathroom and the best of modern amenities ensuring a fulfilling stay. Wifi for internet access, TV’s with satellite channels, tea/coffee facilities, Air-conditioning as well as ceiling fans, hairdryers and safety deposit boxes are some of the common basic features offered to all guests no matter which room you choose. The rooms, painted in soothing colors contrast beautifully with bright colored artifacts and furniture.The cool terrazzo beneath our feet and the little bit of old glamour added through four post beds covered with netting, old fashioned telephones, and antique ornaments depicting the historic charm of Sri Lanka really gave us a feeling of stepping into yesteryear.
The MOUNTBATTEN Suite, the largest of their suites with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms as well as a tub and a living room with its own private plunge pool and private garden is the epitome of luxury. While suited for larger families and groups, the staff were kind enough to give us a glimpse of the comforts we would be missing by not opting for this suite for our stay. This suite gives privacy whilst giving the opportunity to indulge in the tropical natural environment within your own enclave.
We chose the FAMILY suite with 2 single beds in addition to the master bed, 2 bathrooms mainly due to getting our very own private verandah. We absolutely loved having our private space while still getting the best of all the place had to offer. The vibrant colors offsetting the light colored background and the terrazzo floor cooled the room making us forget the tropical climate outside. A blissful slumber awaited us after a day of activity and the cozy room just welcomed us into her arms.
The GARDEN suites give the option of twin beds if King size is not required and also comes with its private verandah.The WALLAWWA bedrooms accommodate a cozy couple in its spacious king sized beds.
Dining
All the meals were prepared with the finest of ingredients and it was amazing to find out that all the main herbs and vegetables are grown within the premises of The Wallawwa. We also had one of the most unique culinary experiences thanks to the chefs of The Wallawwa; a customized Sri Lankan cuisine demonstration. In this fun “cooking lesson” we learnt about the various spices and herb and vegetable combinationsand had a p[ersonal tour of the garden by the chef/garden.
We had our meals in the open verandah overlooking the gardens and we were told we could also opt for a personalized butler service in the privacy of our room or suite. With our plans for sight-seeing, early and late meals were on offer, as they are for late/early check-in’s and check-outs.
The local flavours and succulent meat and vegetable combinations left us wanting more. The talented chefs of The Wallawwa really knew how to please our palettes.
Things to do & local tips
The Wallawwa is situated in the Western strip of Sri Lanka, giving easy access from Galle in the South-West up to Mannar and the Talai-Mannar islands in the North-West. With close proximity to the convenient highways connecting the Bandaranaike International airport to Colombo, Kandy and the cultural triangle enclosing Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura, the middle of the country with its history and nature are only a few hours drive out.
Sea bathing and sun bathing aside, the Western sea is popular for its whale watching, dolphin watching, pole fishing, coral reefs, and sea creatures from the safety of glass bottom boats such as sting rays and jelly fish.
The history of Sri Lanka will unfold with visits to the ruins of palaces and statues, the buddhist and Hindu temples and the churches built through the ancient kingdoms and then the colonial rules.
A visit to the National Parks will give you the opportunity to sight our majestic elephants, deer, Sri Lankan sloth-bears and the elusive leopard as well as exotic birds and reptiles.
Some of the highlights recommended are:
Kalpitiya - dolphin and whale watching
Pinnawela - elephant orphanage
Wipattu - Natural preserved park popular for exotic animals and birds
Kandy - Sri DaladaMaligawa (Buddhist temple of the Lord Buddha’s Tooth Relic)
Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya and Dambulla - world heritage sights and historic landmarks
Negombo, Chillaw - pole fishing and pristine beaches
Hikkaduwa, Bentota - Coral Reefs and pristine beaches
Galle - Galle Fort and adjoining historic landmarks
Mannar, Talai-Mannar - Madhu Church, Keethiswaram Hindu temple, beaches with exotic sea creatures.0
Day trips or longer overnight stays can be arranged through the hotel where they will facilitate with reputed travel companies and give recommendations of hotels to stay till your return.
After adventuring around the country, a guest who starts at their trip from The Wallawwa will definitely return to indulge another day or two in some spa time, pool time and fresh delicious food, on their way back to the Airport.