Jetwing Beach is a beachfront hotel on Ethukala, the long stretch of sand just north of Negombo town, run by Sri Lanka's family-owned Jetwing group. It has 75 Deluxe Rooms and 3 Suites, two pools, a spa and a run of restaurants and bars along the shore — and because it sits only a short drive from Bandaranaike International Airport, it works equally well as a proper beach stay or as a comfortable first or last night on the island.

Where exactly is the hotel?

Jetwing Beach is on Porutota Road in Ethukala, the hotel strip on the northern side of Negombo, with the beach directly in front of it. Negombo town, with its lagoon, fish market and churches, is a few kilometres south, and Colombo is further down the coast beyond the Muthurajawela wetlands.

How do I get from Colombo Airport to the hotel?

Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) is only around 15 kilometres away, and the drive is usually a quarter of an hour to half an hour depending on traffic — one of the shortest airport runs to any beach hotel in Sri Lanka. That makes a pre-booked private transfer the easy option after a long-haul flight: the car is waiting as you come through arrivals, and you can be on the beach within the hour. It works just as well in reverse for an early departure. Book the Colombo (CMB) Airport transfer to Jetwing Beach.

What are the rooms and suites like?

There are 75 Deluxe Rooms of about 66 square metres, each with a king-size bed, and 3 Suites of about 122 square metres that come with butler service. The rooms look out towards the ocean from private balconies or terraces, and are furnished in warm timber and cream, with ochre accents, a sitting area and a large bathroom with a bathtub.

Where can I eat and drink?

The Sands is the open-air beachfront restaurant overlooking the Indian Ocean, serving Sri Lankan and international dishes with a particular leaning towards seafood. Black Coral, set by the ocean, is the fine-dining restaurant for local and international cuisine. The Terrace Bar pours cocktails, wines and spirits, and The Deck is a beachside café for drinks and lighter bites through the day. For a special occasion the hotel also arranges signature dinners — a barbecue on the beach, or a private table on the sand by torchlight.

What is there to do at the hotel?

There are two swimming pools, including a long pool that runs through the palms towards the beach, and the sand itself is right there for walking at sunset. The spa offers Ayurvedic treatments alongside body treatments, facials and massages, and a conference hall handles meetings and events.

What is there to see in Negombo?

Negombo is a fishing town with a long Catholic history — it is often called "Little Rome" for the number of its churches, of which St Mary's, with its painted ceiling, is the best known. The early-morning fish market is worth getting up for, as boats land their catch and fish is laid out to dry on the sand. Boat trips run on Negombo Lagoon and along the old canal that heads south towards Colombo, and the Muthurajawela wetland, south of the lagoon, is good for birdlife.