Highlights
- Colonial plantation villa
- 2 swimming pools
- Ayurvedic massage room
- Boat safaris nearby
Start planning your tailor-made trip by calling one of our specialists on 855 686 7694
EnquireThe Villa Bentota is a chic and elegant seaside retreat set in two acres of picturesque gardens. Once a colonial era plantation villa, it now belongs to the Paradise property portfolio. In 2009, the villa underwent a significant refurbishment that transformed it into the beachside boutique hotel it is today. A new swimming pool was added, rooms were modernized and an entire new wing was constructed, though care was taken to ensure it blended in well with the original building. The property is located in the town of Bentota, which lies on Sri Lanka’s southwest coast and is about an hour and a half from Colombo, the country’s capital.
The accommodation comprises 15 rooms and suites, all offering a range of convenient amenities, such as air conditioning, comfortable Egyptian cotton bedding and a mosquito net. Each room is unique in design, layout and style. There’s a room just for solo travelers, as well as a two-bedroom suite for families or large groups of friends. Most of the rooms and suites offer views of either the property’s gardens or the sea, and some of the suites even have their own plunge pool.
The property has two swimming pools set amongst the lush landscaped gardens, as well as a shop and gallery selling a variety of arts and crafts, homeware and pieces of contemporary Sri Lankan art. There’s also an Ayurvedic massage room. Food is generally served at The Villa Cafe, though you can choose to dine in your room or by one of the pools if you so wish. One of the more unique aspects of this hotel is the railway line that runs between the gardens and the beach. Some guests find it adds an extra level of charm to the property, while others may find it somewhat intrusive. Near the hotel there are lots of activities to enjoy, from water sports and visiting a turtle hatchery, to shopping in the Bentota town centre or going on a boat safari to see mangroves, ruined temples and of course, plenty of local wildlife.
Children are welcome, although parents should be aware that the hotel doesn’t offer any specific facilities for children, such as childcare or play facilities. Since there’s an in-use railway line running through the resort, parents are advised to keep an eye on their children at all times. Most of the property’s rooms can fit an extra bed or a baby cot, and larger families may want to consider the Mohotti Suite, as it has two bedrooms.
Thank you, Lisa! Our trip was wonderful even with the weather disruption. We loved seeing so many different parts of the country, meeting people and experiencing the culture. The desert was surely a highlight for our boys and the creativity and artisanship of everything from food to crafts were a highlight for me. A special shout out to our guide and driver, they became a special part of our trip and we will forever be grateful for meeting them and learning from them. I cannot believe we had to wait three years for this adventure but it was certainly worth the wait! Thanks for all your help building the itinerary, modifying it and troubleshooting during our stay. Leslie B
Leslie B
reviewing Luxury Desert Holiday
on 01 March 2023
Hi Lisa and everyone at Tourdust,
We've had a wonderful time on our holiday and wanted to pass our appreciation to you. Everything has been expertly planned and executed, allowing us to enjoy the holiday to its fullest. Special appreciation to Muhammed, Ibrahim, and Omar, our Atlas guide, cook, and muleteer, who couldn't have done more for us and were just generally wonderful and hardworking. Riad Hanane is a perfect base in Marrakech to complement the trekking as it's ina less touristy area of the medina, which we appreciated. The staff and accomodation was superb.Thank you again for a trip to remember!
Bob, May, Grace, and Lucas
Robert B
reviewing Marrakech & Mountains Family Trek
on 20 February 2023
Hello Lisa. We came back from our trip two weeks ago now so I am sending this email much later than I wanted to. Nevertheless, what I wanted to say was thank you very much for helping us organise an amazing trip. Our days in Mafia Island to celebrate my 50th birthday were exactly what I wanted them to be: a fantastic time with the family doing activities that we all love and enjoy in a relaxing, unusual, beautiful place full of sun, surrounded by water, wildlife and friendly people. We swam with whale sharks, did a lot of snorkeling, had two picnics on a beautiful sand bank, watched the sunset over the sea, did a bird watching excursion and tried scuba diving.
All merit to you because Pole Pole in Mafia Island was your recommendation. I never heard of Mafia Island before and didn't consider Tanzania to start with. It was an amazing place to stay: friendly, relaxed, beautiful, comfortable, with great food and fantastic service. Thanks not only for finding the place but also for your patience as we prepared the trip and I explored options and decided what I wanted. All went incredibly well (places, transfers, flights) and we had a very memorable time together that we will all remember forever - as we still do the safari trip to South Africa you organised for us 5 years ago.
I cannot wait to plan another trip! I am already thinking about where and when. Hopefully no pandemic will get in the way this time. And I will come to you as my favourite travel agent.
I copy in this message the Tourdust office because I want them to know how good you are and how much I appreciated the different trips you organised for us (including the trip to India for my parents that was cancelled due to Covid). I cannot thank you enough :o)
Kind regards, Carol
Carolina O
reviewing Relaxed Bush & Beach Family Holiday in Tanzania
on 25 November 2022