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| Sunday, 7 December 2003 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Travel & tourism Belihuloya's 'Water Garden' by BEVERLEY JANSZ The latest addition to Lanka's Hotel Industry, is the Water Garden, a star-class hotel in Belihuloya. Water Garden is located in the heart of Belihuloya, a rural community situated in the middle of the low-country hills of Sri Lanka. Belihuloya has a history dating back to the time of the Sinhala kings. Water Garden's location, about 160km. from Colombo provides a superb environment for guests looking to 'get away' and relax in a romantic setting, surrounded by nature's beauty.
The hotel has six well-appointed guest rooms with all modern facilities, including A/C, hot/cold water, telephone with IDD facilities, piped music, and 24-hour room service. A special feature of the rooms at Water Garden is that guests hear the soothing sound of the cascading waters of a branch of Belihuloya which flows alongside, gurgling away between hills. The added scenic beauty to the hotel is the lush paddy field virtually in the garden of the hotel. Water Garden's proud owner, young hotelier, Nishan Rajindranath Ganewatte followed in the footsteps of his father, G.D. Karunasena, a veteran hotelier with over 40 years experience, the present proprietor of the Balangoda Resthouse. Nishan began his hotel career as a management trainee at the Ramada Renaissance Hotel (now Trans Asia). After following an extensive course in Food and Beverage at Hotel Sheraton in Southern California, and later in Singapore at the Asian Food Demonstration Program, Nishan embarked on the Water Garden project on his ancestral property at Belihuloya hardly dreaming that the hotel would soon become the most popular stop-over for tourists travelling to Nuwara Eliya and to Bandarawela on the Badulla road. The fine architecture of the hotel is the hard work of Chairman, Water Garden, Nishan Ganewatte and his wife Manorie. The beautifully landscaped garden of the hotel, is another attraction to visitors. The main restaurant, provides guests a scenic view of paddy fields, and misty mountains, while dining offers delicious Western, Eastern, Chinese, and an A la carte menu prepared by experienced chefs. The spicy Sri Lankan rice and curry is very popular not only among Sri Lankans but also among foreign tourists. A special feature here is that the fresh rice from paddy fields in the vicinity owned by Ganewatte and his family are being served to guests. 'Our future plans are to add more deluxe rooms, and also a mini-swimming pool overlooking mountains and paddy fields which adorn Water Garden', Ganewatte said. Directors of Water Garden are Nishan Rajindrnath Ganewatte (Chairman/Managing Director), Manorie Ganewatte (Director), G.D. Karunasena (Director) and Elsie Karunasena (Director). ###### 'Saruketha' from junk yard to fascinating resort A former dump yard, just two km away from Kurunegala, on the Dambulla Road, has been converted to a 'Saruketha (flourishing field) by two versatile hoteliers, David Jamieson and Sanath Panditharatne who resigned from Neptune Hotel, Beruwala to venture into their own resort project. The marvellous transformation of the junk yard in itself demonstrates the hard work of Jamieson and Panditharatne. 'We were guided in this venture by Director Operations, Aitken Spence Hotels, U. C. Jayasinghe,' Jamieson said. Saruketha has two restaurants which could cater to over 150 guests and are patronised by tourists travelling to Dambulla, Sigiriya Polonnaruwa and other historic places. The restaurants offer delicious Western, Eastern and spicy Sri Lankan cuisine at moderate prices at breakfast, lunch and dinner time. Overlooking the scenic resort is the fascinating Aandagala mountain range and the lavish expanse of greenery the paddyfields occupy. The open air restaurant is very popular among foreign tourists who prefer to savour the delicious food with a soothing atmosphere. Saruketha also has a well stocked bar. "We emphasise mainly cleanliness," Director, Saruketha David Jamieson said. He said that the hotel has become popular for picnics and family outings. "We offer special discounted rates for Sri Lankans," Panditharatne said. The resort grows its own vegetables and fruits which go to make a garden fresh meal. |
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