The family that owns the Dilmah Tea company has opened a new resort in Sri Lanka.
Cape Weligama becomes the second hotel venture for Resplendent Ceylon, which is owned by the Fernando family.
Set on a cliff-top site just south of the Galle Fort on Sri Lanka’s south coast, Cape Weligama is a 40-room luxury resort overlooking the Indian Ocean. The villas and suites, all of which offer ocean views, are set among almost five hectares of landscaped gardens and range in size from 130-300m².
Dining options at the resort include a cliff-edge Teppanyaki pavilion, an al fresco Sri Lankan restaurant and an ocean-facing dining area. Other resort facilities include a crescent shaped cliff-top infinity-edged pool, a fitness centre and a beachfront dive centre which offers whale-watching trips on a 10-passenger speedboat.
The resort was designed by famous Thai architect Lek Bunnag, whose former projects include the Four Seasons Langkawi, Pangkor Laut Resort and Ritz Carlton Reserve at Phulay Bay.
“Cape Weligama has turned out better than we ever expected,” said the resort’s owner, Malik Fernando. “The combination of an amazing headland site, Lek Bunnag’s striking design and unique service offerings we’ve learnt from 10 years of Tea Trails should make for a timeless property. We hope to set a new benchmark for luxury tourism in Sri Lanka by creating a world-class resort that caters to the new breed of traveller being attracted to our country.”
Cape Weligama joins the Fernando family’s existing resort, Ceylon Tea Trails, which opened 10 years ago in Sri Lanka’s central hills. And like the original property, the new resort will become a member of the Relais & Chateaux collection.
“Conceptualising Cape Weligama has been an amazing journey driven by a passion for crafting unforgettable experiences for our guests that maximise on this jewel of a location. We’re lucky to have nearly 10 years of Tea Trails under our belt and to take all these learnings to Cape Weligama to offer seamless service alongside unique local experiences,” said Dominique Nordman, CEO of Resplendent Ceylon.
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