Looking for a vacation along the Southern Coast with friends, family or both, and need space and flexibility in your accommodation?

Our choice for last weekend was a villa that blended relaxation and adventure, located at the first resort in Sri Lanka. ‘Bentota’ is a year round water sports destination like no other, with access to some very good water sports options by virtue of its location on the Indian Ocean as well as on the Bentota River just where its estuary meets the sea.

 “Villa Red”, gives you a fun and comfortable break, two hours away from Colombo and seconds form the beach. It is well placed for a great number of water adventure activities and has lovely views overlooking the majestic Bentota River.

The simple yet classy interior with hints of antique furnishing, adds a great deal of homely vibes dressed with flashes of the famous cultural revolutions, boxing memorabilia and ‘The Beatles’.

The villa was wrapped with large framed images of Mohammed Ali along with the owner’s personal boxing memorabilia, black and white photographs of John Lennon and The Beatles, tales of the journey taken towards freedom by the former Soviet Nation and the Vietnam displays some intriguing art from the country’s struggle during the revolution. The interior has been kept simple and classy from start to finish.

The villa has four bedrooms and a spacious master bedroom separated from the rest of the place. The master suite is furnished with antique furniture, a king-size four poster bed and has its own living area and access to a private deck.

It is also equipped with a large flat screen TV and DVD player, and has a very spacious bathroom with his and hers washroom areas.

In addition, the place has a large living room with a flat screen TV with cable connection, a home theatre system, a large collection of DVDs and an antique radio placed by the seating area. There is also a lounge area, complete with a collection of books.

The dining area is an extension of the living room and opens out into the garden, with a swimming pool and decking onto the river.  The villa’s own garage offers ample parking space for three vehicles.

Dining at the Villa

The villa has an onsite chef to make your stay convenient and hassle-free. You can choose from an array of local and international dishes from the menu or simply bring your own provisions and have the kitchen team put together your meals.

You could choose to dine at the central dining area or on the pier overlooking the glistening river.

If you are to make your pick off the menu, I’ve got a few suggestions.

The hotel‘s strength lies in its Sri Lankan dishes. A flavourful ‘Rice & Curry’ for lunch, Plain and Egg Hoppers for breakfast and a luscious Caramel were my picks. The Baked fish with Thai Dressing we tried could’ve been better with perhaps with a more ‘authentic’ Thai dressing.   

Here’s a few more dishes you could try out.

MUST TRYS

Villa Red Salad

Grilled Chicken served with vegetables

Seafood Platter

Chocolate Mousse

Fruit Salad

Watersports

The biggest strength of the villa is its location.

Water sports don’t stop in the town of Bentota even when the southern seas are churned up by the monsoon from April to November each year. Although the sea was rough and was not recommended for swimming, the calm waters of the Bentota river offer the ideal setting for myriad activities ranging from canoeing to jet-skiing, wind-surfing, and more. They could also arrange eco-friendly boat rides up the river, exploring the tangled water­ways of the river, mangroves swamps and marine life.

You could try out any watersport with a 20% discount, if you’re a guest at the villa.

I hopped on my first Jet Ski ride (with some assistance) and I’m definitely trying that again sometime.

Verdict

The villa will guarantee privacy, comfort and relaxation for a group of up to 10 persons.

How to book

T: 94 773 200 020

E: [email protected]

W: http://www.villaredsrilanka.com/index.php

Text by Keshiya Leitch