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The Privilege Ayurveda Beach Resort is a small Ayurveda retreat in Wadduwa, set in an ancestral colonial-era mansion on a three-acre coconut estate that runs down to the beach. It opened on 27 September 2001, has just 12 rooms and takes no more than 20 resident guests at a time, and it caters exclusively to guests following an Ayurveda programme, with its own Ayurvedic doctors and therapists.
All 12 rooms are spread over three floors in a series of mirror-image buildings that line the garden on the way to the beach, each reached easily from the garden. Every room has:
The interiors pair clean whites with rich fabrics, wood and Italian tiles, with antique furniture in keeping with the colonial house. Because stays are built around an Ayurveda programme, the room is booked together with your treatments: tell us your dates, how many nights you plan (programmes start from about four nights) and whether you would like a room on a higher floor with a better sea view, and we will confirm it with the resort.
The resort stands at 260 Samanthara Road in Molligoda, Wadduwa, on the south-west coast about 35 kilometres south of Colombo. The palm-fringed garden leads onto Wadduwa Beach, so the ocean is right in front of the house. The nearest station is Wadduwa, about a kilometre away on the coastal line between Colombo and Galle, and the main Colombo to Galle road is close by.
Ayurveda is the reason guests come here. The resort's Ayurveda centre is run by resident Ayurvedic doctors with trained therapists, offering consultations, Ayurvedic massages and a wide range of Ayurveda and Panchakarma treatments using herbal oils, with yoga sessions in the mornings overlooking the sea. A typical programme includes doctor consultations, daily treatments, prescribed medicines, Ayurvedic meals and daily yoga and meditation. The restaurant sits on the upper level of the house with views of the ocean. Between treatments there is a large outdoor swimming pool, a children's pool, a gym and the three-acre garden, home to more than 20 species of birds.
Wadduwa is a quiet coastal town, and most days at the resort are spent between treatments, the pool and walks on the beach. Along the coast to the south are the Kalutara Bodhiya temple, the turtle hatchery at Kosgoda, Geoffrey Bawa's Lunuganga estate near Bentota and, further on, the historic city of Galle with its fort. Colombo is close enough for a day of shopping and sightseeing.
Bandaranaike International Airport is about 75 kilometres from the resort by road, and the drive around Colombo and down the coast usually takes one and a half to two hours, depending on traffic. The easiest way to arrive after a long flight is our private transfer from Colombo airport to The Privilege: a driver meets you in the arrivals hall and takes you straight to the resort, at a fixed price for the whole vehicle.
It suits travellers who want a genuine Ayurveda programme in a small, quiet house by the sea rather than a beach holiday with occasional spa visits, and who are happy to follow the doctors' guidance on meals and routine. Most guests stay a week or more to feel the benefit. For other options on this stretch of coast, see our places to stay in Wadduwa.
Absolutely loved my 10-day stay at this Ayurvedic retreat, what a deeply nourishing and healing experience. A heartfelt thank you to the incredible therapist, who gave me the most beautiful treatments and massages every single da…
Ratings and reviews provided by TripAdvisor for The Privilege.
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