Joe's Resort Bentota is a small boutique beach hotel at Induruwa, about 1 km south of Bentota, standing on the sand with a beachfront pool and sea-view rooms. Set in the fishing village the hotel calls the Turtle Village of Induruwa, it was formerly known as the Royal Beach Resort and keeps a distinctly Sri Lankan style of architecture, with white arcaded verandahs facing a garden of coconut palms and the Indian Ocean beyond.
Rooms come in two categories, and the names below are the ones you will see when you book.
Both categories take up to three adults, or two adults with up to two children. Every room has free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, a minibar, tea and coffee making facilities, a hair dryer, a safety locker, bathrobes and slippers.
The ocean-front restaurant serves Asian and Western dishes cooked by the hotel's own chefs from fresh ingredients, many sourced locally, with vegetarian, gluten-free and vegan choices and lighter options for children. Tables in the arcaded dining room look out over the pool and garden towards the sea.
The beach in front of the hotel is the main attraction. Induruwa Beach is protected by an offshore reef, which makes it one of the safer stretches for swimming on this coast, and it is quieter than the beaches immediately to the north and south. You can swim in the sea or in the beachfront pool, and the resort offers quad-bike rides along the 4-kilometre stretch of sand. Free Wi-Fi and parking are available.
Induruwa itself is a small fishing village with a local market and a row of shops, and a railway station in the middle of the village. A short drive north, Bentota is the centre for water sports such as jet skiing, windsurfing, diving and snorkelling, and the Bentota River and lake are good for a quieter boat trip and birdwatching. Other beaches close by include Bentota Beach, Ventura Beach and Moragalla Beach. Just to the south, the Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project runs a hatchery where rescued eggs are hatched and the young turtles released into the sea. Inland, Brief Garden, the landscaped garden of Bevis Bawa, and his brother Geoffrey Bawa's Lunuganga make a good half-day, and Galle Fort, the UNESCO-listed Portuguese and Dutch fortress town, is an easy day trip down the coast.
Induruwa is about 107 kilometres from Colombo and is reached by the Southern Expressway; from Bandaranaike International Airport, north of Colombo, the resort is about 90 kilometres away in a straight line, so allow extra time to get around the city. The simplest way to arrive is a private transfer from Colombo airport to Joe's Resort Bentota, which takes you to the door. The coastal railway also stops at Induruwa.
It suits couples and families who want a relaxed, small hotel directly on a quiet beach, with a pool and easy access to Bentota's water sports and the sights of the south-west coast, rather than a large resort. For more choice in the area see our places to stay in Bentota.
Bookable activities, tours, and tickets within a 25 km radius.
from LKR 73,500
from LKR 58,500
from LKR 39,000
from LKR 30,000
from LKR 60,000
from LKR 11,250
from LKR 90,000
from LKR 16,500
Pre-book a private vehicle for arrival, departure, or onward travel.
