Peace and Tranquillity at Riverina Hotel Beruwela

by Nilma Dole

Making a lazy drive on Friday to seek some solace to refresh one’s mind after a gruelling week’s work, the Colombo to Bentota stretch is quite a feast for the eyes.

Racing off on the open beach front road heading Down South, the serenity overtakes you and relaxation sweeps you off your feet.

The destination is the gorgeous Riverina Hotel near the town of Beruwela located just adjoining their sister hotel Club Palm Garden in the same vicinity.

Upon arrival, Riverina Hotel staff attends to your every need and will refresh you with a fruity welcome drink whilst making sure that all your check-in details are in order and that you have no problems whatsoever.

Mr. Eksath Wijeratne, the resident manager enlightened the fact that Riverina Hotel was nearly booked this season with plenty of Sri Lankans living abroad coming to have a Down South holiday. He also mentioned that the Riverina Hotel beach has been the pilot project hotel of a new Beach Community Tourism project to reform the Beach Boys into Beach Operators to take you on a tour of the beautiful Beruwela beach.

When unlocking your room door you instinctively put the DO NOT DISTURB sign and unwind to secret pleasure in the privacy of your own space. Araliya flowers propped on your pillow makes you feel right at home and checking the spacious bathtub with soaps and bath washes make you want to lie down right at that moment itself.

The mini-bar is fully geared to tantalize your tastebuds and the liquor showcased makes you want to indulge in prestige.

Cable television can keep you occupied and you can listen to some easy music when you turn on your piped music on.

The hotel staff assists you with a smile on their faces and make sure you are comfortably tucked in and give you priority to serve you better.

After changing, have your meal at the Main Restaurant offers superb culinary delights that specialise in filling your tummy with yummy food. The Oriental, Sub-continental and European promotions always go alongside the everyday Sri Lankan promotions which cater to the foreign guests so that they can they can acquire a taste of paradise.

The Lounge Bar is decorated with the palm tree towers with coconuts hanging for the lights while the makeshift discotheque gives a good upbeat feeling when you enter the place.

The swimming pool is replete with a gigantic chess area and a well-stocked and well-managed pool bar which can ease your tired body from the heat. In the wake of the Winter Sun, you can walk safely to the beach without any hassle and the Beach Operators there can help you with a tour of the place.

Manjula the friendly and multi-lingual tour guide takes you on a wonderful tour of the river lined with mangrove trees and amazing brackish water makes the palms thrive in abundance.

There are around 60 species of mangroves in the world and 29 make Sri Lanka their home, in Beruwela you can see 9 different species if you journey through the waters of the river.

Feast your eyes to a dance by the comanan bird, flapping its wings to dry itself and the water monitor ‘kabaragoya’ whose eyes and tail can be seen from the water surface to catch its prey. The fascinating flora and fauna surrounding the river banks make it so tempting so run your fingers into the fertile brackish water.

Water skiing and banana boat rides are aplenty from any other the little water sports joints close to the hotel so that you can enjoy your holiday with maximum fun and excitement. The bay overlooks a scenic island that seems beautiful to land on while the long boat ride takes you under the road bridge to Bentota and far across to the edge of the bay.

The Ayurveda Village is also an amazing spa where one can unwind, relax and soothe their souls to help relax and discover a world of heaven and bliss.

At the end of your Riverina Hotel experience, you will be refreshed and uplifted with a new sense of peace and tranquillity!