Sri Lanka has long been known for its warm and welcoming people that make visitors comfortable everywhere. Over the past few years, a touch of luxury has been added to the comfort and welcome, with the emergence of numerous luxury hotel properties across the Emerald Island, from beachfront resorts to ecotourism spots and, of course, numerous city hotels, mainly in the capital Colombo.

On an invitation to a familiarisation trip by the flag carrier SriLankan Airlines, India Outbound sets out to explore the diverse hospitality offerings of this relatively tiny island nation. A blanket of greenery is the first sight that welcomes you to Colombo, ornamented by the nonchalant drizzle.

Modernity & greenery here coexist in a seamless mix

Generously sprinkled with bursts of flowers in an array of bright purples, plush pink, raging red, whites, burning orange to sublime yellow. Our transfer from the airport to the hotel was a refreshing prelude to the journey ahead, punctuated by these colourful encounters. Sri Lanka is distinguished by its greenery.

And yet Colombo has all the charm of any other cosmopolitan city, be it rows of colonial buildings and monuments or all-encompassing skyscrapers, modernity and greenery coexist in a seamless mix to present a great example of urban luxury.

Cinnamon Grand Colombo

• Total rooms: 246  Distance from airport: 29 km

Upon our arrival at Cinnamon Grand Colombo, the staff greeted us with gentle smiles and a warm Ayubowan, ushering in our first stay of the journey. Ayubowan is a popular way to greet guests, wishing them a long life.

Our first stop was the Cinnamon Grand Colombo, which is an urban escape hugged by a blanket of greenery

Even at the entrance, Cinnamon Grand Colombo, a luxury hotel in the heart of the capital city, exudes luxury. The pièce de résistance of this palatial entrance is a metallic sculpture that stands tall into the high glass ceiling. And accentuating the sunlit floor is a sublime gold undertone to highlight every bit of the luxury it denotes. During our stay, we had the privilege of witnessing a grand Sri Lankan wedding in all its pomp and glitters. Held at the hotel’s Atrium lobby, the elevated central pavilion was surrounded by towering rooms in all four corners, with four-storey high pendant lights, alabaster vases with fresh flowers, flowing water and a sleek design to round it all off with a romantic aura.

Before heading to the first activity in our itinerary, which promised to be a very relaxing one indeed so I was just counting the minutes, I dashed to my appointed room to get a quick view. Chic, with all the modern comforts, the windows overlooked a generous view of the poolside. But not lingering in the room for long, I headed straight out to the much-awaited first activity, experiencing the inhouse spa at Cinnamon Grand.

A sense of tranquility is almost tangible as you enter the Nija spa, dimly lit with gripping aroma of incense and essential oils. In a few moments, the adept hands of my appointed masseuse and the calming environment took away any signs of travelworn stress. Setting the perfect tone for a relaxing first day, I left the spa with a rejuvenated mind and a happy heart, which got happier after the next agenda on the itinerary, a lavish dose of Sri Lankan retail therapy!

Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo

• Total rooms: 346 Distance from airport: 28 km

The first one resembled a traditional bucket, and the other piece appeared to be an ancient kettle, I thought, while examining closely the intricate paintings at the Long Feng Restaurant at Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo.

The rather generous lunch spread at Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo was as delicious as it looked & presented a delicate balance between flavours

As scrumptious as the lunch spread looked, I felt unwilling to start the meal lest I should spoil the impeccable aesthetics with which the feast had been laid out. Long Feng serves up authentic Chinese cuisine, featuring a variety of flavourful dishes as well as customised requests. Our generous hosts had very thoughtfully curated an Indo-Chinese menu just in our honour. The spread was as delicious as it looked and presented a delicate balance between the flavours. All against a backdrop of the gorgeous Beira Lake, the hotel is well-quipped to handle a variety of functions, from interactive conferences to luxury weddings. Newly appointed GM of Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo, Nazoomi Azhar joined us for the lunch and showed us around the property, demonstrating why Sri Lanka is renowned for its hospitality.

Cinnamon Lodge Habarana

• Total rooms: 138 Distance from airport: 138 km

Simply to wish for anything in the midst of a dense forest and yet have it all and almost as soon as you asked for it. That definitely is one way to experience luxury befitting royalty.

Cinnamon Lodge Habarana is set amidst 27 acres of lush jungles

Our next hotel, the Cinnamon Lodge Habarana, made us realise this from the moment we entered its massive front gates that resembled straight out of the British era. Set amidst 27 acres of lush jungles, Cinnamon Lodge Habarana offers 138 rooms against a serene Habarana lakeside getaway. My lodge was well-appointed and spacious, about 27 sqm, with every essential modern amenity and elevating the experience with heartwarming hospitality. Anyone you speak to greets you with such warmth that you never resonate as a stranger in the land.

Trinco Blu by Cinnamon

• Total rooms: 81 Distance from the airport : 236 km

Crashing blue waves and a light sea breeze accompanied our sumptuous lunch at the Captain’s Deck Restaurant in Trinco Blu Cinnamon, another property of the Cinnamon Hotels, which is the largest hotel chain in the country.

When in Trinco Blu Cinnamon, whale-watching & snorkelling expeditions are popular experiences

As varied as its diversity of Sri Lankan and Continental delicacies were, the Crab curry in the restaurant is a must try. Skirting the sunny beachfront at Trincomalee, the resort is close to the Koneswaram Temple and the historic Trincomalee Fort, as well as being the gateway to some of the most stunning beaches in the country, such as Nilaveli and Uppuveli. When here, whale-watching and snorkelling expeditions are also popular experiences among nature lovers.

Cinnamon Bey Beruwala

• Total rooms: 199 Distance from airport: 110 km

Personalisation is bespoke luxury. During our visit to Cinnamon Bey Beruwala, while we were taken on a tour of the rooms in the hotel, I noticed that one of the rooms was being decked up with a sweet ‘Happy Anniversary’ written in flowers, coupled with a Champagne bottle, all seemingly enveloped by the roars of the waves crashing the coast.

At this beachfront resort with tastefully done chic interiors and ample green spaces, I particularly coveted the numerous paintings and artsy-hints that dotted the hotel. The nearby Ambalangoda Mask Museum is an authentic showcase of how Sri Lanka’s traditional art and culture scene brims with
uniqueness. The Brief Gardens, Ketchimale Mosque, Richmond Castle, Barberyn Lighthouse, Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery are some of the many popular destinations in proximity to this uber-luxurious resort.

Cinnamon Bentota Beach

• Total rooms: 155 Distance from airport: 107 km

Personally, I felt that more than a luxury hotel, Cinnamon Bentota Beach is the canvas of the noted Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. Bawa’s touch can be seen and felt practically everywhere in the hotel.

The most iconic of all Cinnamon properties & a marvel for architects & artists alike, Cinnamon Bentota Beach was designed by Bawa himself

Upon entering the resort, I am instantly captivated by the colourful batik work, something Sri Lanka is known for. This Geoffrey Bawa masterpiece features rare artworks by Bawa himself and his disciples, some originals while most restored or recreated through a melange of artistic collaborations. The brass peacock sculpture beyond the restaurant, the metal doors and hand-drawn panels, vibrant sunset-hued textile ceiling and open floor plans, all seem to have been set in place by Bawa himself. And live piano sessions, green spaces and locally made crafts and materials and Japanese styled minimalistic furniture, all add to its allure. Perhaps the most iconic of all Cinnamon property, and a marvel for architects and artists alike, the Cinnamon Bentota Beach packs a solid punch with its exclusivity.

Even nature seems to have lent its own artistic touch to the resort as this is where the Bentota river meets the palm-fringed sea, creating an otherworldly blend of romance, relaxation, culture and adventure.

Flying the SriLankan way

India is the biggest market for not only SriLankan Airlines but also the destination

Flying with SriLankan Airlines from New Delhi to Colombo, we were spoilt for choice with the lavish indulgences onboard its luxurious Business Class.

Beginning with a seamless priority check-in and security, along with access to its spacious lounges and a remarkably on time flight, our experience during the flight that lasted three and a half hours was extremely comfortable and luxurious. The very attentive and prompt cabin staff did everything possible to make the flight as close to perfection as possible.

Greeting us with an ‘Ayubowan’, the standard greeting in Sri Lanka and a warm smile, they gave us a refreshing welcome drink. As we sit, we almost sink to the extremely comfortable seats with lots of legroom and a good degree of recline, despite the fact that it was a narrowbody aircraft due to the short distance from Delhi to Colombo.

Soon after the take-off, the cabin staff reappeared, this time to hand us each a dining menu, that displayed an impressive selection of gourmet dishes. Ranging from authentic Sri Lankan cuisine to Chinese, Indian and Continental, and a good choice of vegetarian dishes, the dinner was as delicious as it promised to be. And to wash down the meals, the dinner was perfectly paired with an assortment of fine wines and other beverages.

On the return leg of the journey, we also got some time to explore the Serendib Lounge. The spacious lounge is situated in picturesque location, overlooking the Aircraft Parking Bay on the first floor of the departure hall. The lounge has a seating capacity of 80 persons and dining capacity of 20, rounded off with well-equipped amenities to even cater to business travellers.

For the flag carrier of Sri Lanka and a member of the Oneworld alliance, India is the biggest market for not only the airline but also the destination. It has 83 flights a week to nine cities across India, with multiple dailies to several of them, notably Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.

SriLankan Holidays, the leisure arm of the national carrier, has partnered with many leading hotels, tour operators and other tourism related organisations to provide travellers a wide selection of holiday opportunities with tailored allinclusive holiday packages.

Every bit of the trip within Sri Lanka was taken care of by Walkers Tours, a destination management company (DMC) that is part of Sri Lankan conglomerate John Keells Holdings. For the past 50 years, it has offered various tours across Sri Lanka including honeymoon, adventure and wildlife, MICE, wellness, golf tours among others. It was also recognised as Sri Lanka’s leading DMC by World Travel Awards 2023.