A new experience in Bentota :

The refurbished Surf Hotel

by Royston Ellis

I checked in to stay at The Surf Hotel in Bentota with a certain amount of trepidation. Opened in December 2010, it was formerly the Lihiniya Surf Hotel. I have known the property for over 30 years, watching with sadness its gradual decline from a premier beach resort to the worn-out package hotel it became.

It was a delight to discover that my apprehension at whether I would enjoy the experience of returning there, or not, was misplaced.

The hotel has benefitted from rejuvenation and has become an important part of the Galle Face Hotel Group of properties.

As a result, the comfortable, contemporary atmosphere of the hotel is evident from the moment guests arrive. The experience begins as the entrance gate swings open, from the side road running parallel to the Bentota railway station platform, into a courtyard.

The lobby lounge is huge, with floor to ceiling glass walls, and a glass panel in the high wooden ceiling, letting in light. The pillars supporting the roof are made from tree trunks. It is the social centre of the hotel, since drinks and snacks are served there at any time of the day, and it has an access by stairs down to the long restaurant.

Formalities completed, guests are guided to their rooms by a member of the front office staff. As the door opened into my room, I gasped with surprise. For a moment I thought I had somehow been transported to an upmarket resort room in the Maldives.

Through the wide glass doors onto a huge balcony, I could see the lawn, the beach and the surf lapping the golden sand.

But it was the brilliance of the room’s décor that I found stunning. The king-size bed draped in top quality white linen had a shawl of fashionable red and grey stripes laid across it, and two matching red cushions enhancing two plump pairs of pillows. This was complemented by a painting of abstract, but pleasing, design above the bed.

On the opposite wall there was a flat screen television that the staff member switched on with pride to show how it worked. I switched it off the moment he left the room so I could explore my new surroundings. To my delight there were sufficient sockets for my laptop and phone charger on a vanity desk below was a bold, wood framed mirror.

There were reading lamps hanging on either side of the bed, as well as plenty of ceiling spotlights. Moreover, the light switches were simple and easy to find, as was the air-condition control with variable temperature. I turned that off too and slid open the sliding doors to the balcony to let the breeze billow in.

This may be the time to visit the east coast beaches on the opposite side of Sri Lanka, but there was nothing unseasonal about Bentota beach. It stretches for miles as a broad swathe of sand and even at this time of the year is safe for swimming, albeit with caution. The beach at The Surf is particularly inviting where the well-manicured lawn segues beautifully to the golden sand, with no ugly wire netting or fence preventing guests from enjoying it.

Back in the room, I discovered the door to the bathroom which seems to be part of the wardrobe. There is a clothes closet on one side of it and, a welcome extra, a proper kettle, two bottles of complimentary mineral water and the complete ingredients for a do-it-yourself tea or coffee, and a minibar, on the other side.

The door splits in two, like opening another cupboard, and gives entry to a bathroom designed with the care and elegance of a top market property. Marbled glass blocks have been set into one wall, allowing natural light to flow in and brighten up the face mirror. The hand basin is contemporarily shallow, but totally practical.

The shower is tucked behind a glass screen. There are plenty of shampoos and gels in pots, and toothbrushes and toothpaste as complimentary amenities.

This superb accommodation is matched by the neat presentation of meals. While some are buffets, there is a simple a la carte menu that gives the chef a chance to display his talent. My pepper steak that evening, looked like a work of art, presented on a palette-shaped plate with modern cutlery. The wine list is excellent, and the cocktails perfectly made, and low in price too.

I dined on the restaurant’s verandah to the soothing sound of the surf, but for breakfast, indulged in room service, gazing out at the beach and sea. Lunch was a buffet of rice and curry with plenty of starters and also vegetarian choices.

Even though it is by the sea, The Surf has a swimming pool, edged with a timber deck, and a pleasant corner bar giving a view of the complete length of the hotel and the beach stretching into the distance. The Surf has all the attractions of major beach properties with, mercifully, room rates that are pitched lower than at similar establishments.