Ramada Resort, Kalutara, Sri Lanka

Nestled along Sri Lanka's southern coastal belt, the Ramada Resort in Kalutara extends a warm invitation to experience true Sri Lankan hospitality. Set within a five and a half acre beachfront garden of white sandy beaches and tropical sunshine, the resort has built its reputation around the kind of unhurried, well-appointed beach holiday that the island does so well.

The resort sits approximately 41 kilometres — about one hour — from Colombo city, and around 71 kilometres — roughly two hours — from the International Airport, making it a convenient retreat for both arriving travellers and those journeying down from the capital.

Accommodation

The resort offers 94 tastefully decorated rooms, including cabanas for guests seeking greater privacy. Of these, 58 rooms can also be configured as triple rooms. Every bathroom comes fitted with both a shower and bathtub, a hair dryer, and a full range of custom-made Ramada Resort toiletries. Rooms are equipped with energy-efficient air conditioning, televisions carrying satellite and local channels, a comprehensive mini bar, and a battery-operated digital safe that guests can programme with their own code. The hotel provides 24-hour room and porter services, and all rooms are wheelchair accessible.

Dining and Bars

The resort's culinary philosophy rests on what it calls Third Dimension Cooking — a threefold foundation of taste, presentation and health. The main air-conditioned restaurant serves buffet meals across breakfast, lunch and dinner. Adjacent to the main lounge, the Coffee Shop offers à la carte menus alongside a comprehensive wine list. A softly lit fine dining restaurant provides a more intimate setting, well suited to a romantic dinner. Two bars — the Bluesz Bar and the Pool Bar — cater to guests throughout the day, and a Saturday barbeque theme night adds a lively weekly ritual to the calendar.

Sports and Recreation

The recreational facilities are extensive. A lagoon-style swimming pool forms the centrepiece, complemented by water polo, water volleyball, beach volleyball, and football. Tennis courts with floodlighting are available (charges apply), as are table tennis, cycling, a gymnasium, and billiards (charges apply). Evening entertainment includes a disco and nightclub, karaoke, a calypso band, live bands, cultural shows, and magic shows.

Services and Facilities

Day-to-day conveniences include internet facilities, a business centre, a 24-hour front desk, a children's play area, babysitting services, concierge services, free baggage handling, a beauty salon, free parking, laundry facilities, a shopping arcade, doctor on call, sun beds, valet parking, and Ayurveda therapy — the latter available at an extra charge. Airport pick-up and drop-off can also be arranged at an additional cost.

Nearby Excursions

Just 15 minutes from the resort stands the Sacred Kalutara Temple, where guests can observe the daily routines of Sri Lankan Buddhists. Kalutara is also well known for its colourful basket industry, and visitors can watch local weavers working with palm fronds. Other notable places of interest in the wider region include the Richmond Castle, the Sinharaja Forest, and the Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery. For those with more time, the cooler highlands of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya are within reach, and the hotel can arrange boat rides for guests wishing to explore the local waterways.