Eraeliya Villas & Gardens, Weligama, Sri Lanka
Imagine lush tropical gardens with flowers, monkeys and the sound of birds. Imagine an infinity pool with views over the Indian Ocean. Imagine a luxury hotel with direct access to the beach. Imagine air conditioned rooms in colonial style with selected artworks. Imagine all of this and you are at Eraeliya Villas & Gardens, a luxury boutique hotel in the beach town of Weligama, on the south coast of Sri Lanka. The hotel has a total of nine luxurious en suite bedrooms spread over five unique buildings, of which nearly all have ocean views.
Villa Eraeliya started when Nyrui fell in love with this piece of land, which she called Eraeliya, Sinhalese for “the light of the sun”. This light of the sun trancedes everywhere around here - the ocean's surface, the glossy leaves in the garden and the smiles of the locals. Eraeliya began as a single house with a hundred years of history - Villa Walauwa. The reconstruction was very carefully completed in order to preserve the spirit of the building, its tranquility, coolness and silence. Almost everything here remains as it was, including the elements of colonial architecture, the arrangement of rooms, the enormous old trees around it. After this, the beach house Muhudu Bella, Villa Bawana, Garden House Nelum and the Loft House were added. Now the entire space counts with six unique villas; all built and curated with love and care, and decorated with unique pieces.
I had the privilege of staying here in February this year, and it was such a treat. I woke up to the sound of the ocean and just had to open the door to be able to check out the surf right in front of me. I stayed at the Muhuda Bella beach villa, which has a very special Fibonacci shaped bathroom. The villa is suited for two people and also has a private wooden terrace with views over the ocean at Jungle Beach. I loved the interior with a lot of wooden elements and local art pieces. The people at Eraeliya were all so friendly and accommodating and they made my stay all the more special. I can also highly recommend trying the food (especially the Sri Lankan curry), because it is just simply divine and well balanced. All meals, including breakfast, can be enjoyed at the main villa or on the terrace of your room. One morning I had avocado toast with eggs and the other day I had lemon pancakes, both of which come with a fruit platter, juice and coffee or tea.
During my stay I enjoyed surfing in front of the hotel (of course!). All I had to do was just walk straight onto the beach and paddle out. Starting a surf session has never been this easy and pleasant! The water is also an excellent place for snorkeling as there are some rocks and when I went there was a big turtle and numerous fishes, big and small. I don’t need much more to be a happy girl! Obviously there was more, such as the beautiful infinity pool with views over the ocean, the relaxed atmosphere of the hotel and the Ayurvedic massage I enjoyed by the house masseuse.
For Eraeliya Villas & Gardens sustainability is an important part of their operations and they have put several initiatives in place to make sure they do their part in preserving Sri Lanka´s nature:
no plastics are used.
drinking water is provided (it is filtered water provided in water bottles) and can be requested at any time.
option to opt out of daily cleaning
organic, locally sourced food.
separation and recycling of waste.
water is heated using solar panels.
use of a modern treatment plant where all grey water is treated with advanced technologies by using bacterias and this is re-used in the gardens.
the venue is self sufficient when it comes to water (there is a deep well)
natural fertilizers used in the gardens.
flowers and plants used as decorations in rooms.
all staff meals are bought from local women in the village, giving them a source of income.
Eraeliya Villas & Gardens is truly a little piece of paradise and I wouldn’t have to think twice if I would be invited to stay there again! I also can’t stress enough how friendly all staff members were in making my stay one to remember and in making me feel like so very much at home.
Location: 299 Walliwala, Weligama, Sri Lanka