Amaara Forest Hotel Sigiriya and beyond
View(s):It is not hard to spot the great ‘pink lotus’ at the 109th milepost in the town of Sigiriya. The signboards lead to the entrance of a sprawling resort-like hotel in the heart of this historical city. And after about 175 kms of driving (from Colombo) the welcome at the Amaara Forest Hotel is warm and refreshing.
Having heard so much about this hotel from other guests and all the great reviews on TripAdvisor, it was a long wait to find all about it.
Sprawled across 25 acres of forestland, the Amaara Forest is aptly named. Thick jungle borders the outer periphery while the main hotel grounds have been replanted with over 1500 plants that will grow to be big trees in a couple of years.
Amaara Forest Hotel, the second resort in the Amaara Hotels portfolio, has been in operation for seven months now. Spread over eleven acres, it comprises 44 very generously proportioned luxury rooms with all en-suite amenities. While some of the rooms overlook the pool and forest beyond, the others are amidst the shrubs and trees giving visitors an authentic experience of living amongst nature.
The reception is a vast open-floor area that gives me the first impression of this property- clean-cut and classy. Perfectly manicured lawns spread out until it meets the forest. Purple water lilies and pink lotus in a large man-made lake adds colour to this picture perfect garden. Forty-four twin chalets (vertical) are situated around this garden, discreetly hidden behind tall trees. Gravel pathways lead to the chalets.
Out of 44 rooms, 24 are king size double bedded spacious rooms and the rest are twin bedded large rooms equipped with all modern conveniences including a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, DVD player, tea coffee making facilities and free WiFi.
The private balcony overlooks the sprawling gardens, replete with indigenous trees that offer ample shade from the scorching sun. It’s a great place to settle down to read a book or just daydream. Or you can just loll in the pool.
The Amaara Forest Hotel is conveniently and closely located near many of Sri Lanka’s famed sites. ‘Ruins of Ritigala’ is one of the greatest assets close by to the hotel. The ruins span across 59 acres of the Ritigala Mountain. After a moderately easy climb up stone steps the reservoir named Banda Pokuna can be found. This ancient man-made reservoir is a feat of engineering with a bund of polygonal plan completing a circumference of 366 metres. The construction of the reservoir is credited to King Pandukabhaya (437 -367 BC) and is supposed to have served as a ritual bathing purpose for visitors before entering the monastery.
Further up are stone structures, bridges and raised platforms that were once courtyards, an Ayurveda hospital and libraries.
However, I am perplexed at the lack of descriptive signboards anywhere around to inform the many tourists who visit these beautiful sacred grounds. Maybe this is something the Archaeological Department can look into.
The hotel offers meals of ‘any sort, at any time, at the convenience of the guest. The main open air restaurant is called ‘Kaya’, offers yet another great view of the surrounding landscape. It offers a great selection of wholesome and tasty both Eastern and Western cuisine. A four-course a la carte menu offers plenty to choose from. The meal was filling and by the time I finish, it is time to head off the Kaudulla National Park, which is just 40 minutes away.
This hotel has its own safari jeep and driver Nandasiri is ready to battle the crowds at the entrance. Today there are approximately 300 jeeps jostling to get ahead. Finally we make it and along with the ‘jeep sightings’, we see herds of elephants grazing gently by the lakes in this vast park.
The Amaara Spa is the perfect ending to a busy day.
The Amaara Forest Hotel is built on an elephant forest between the Minneriya and Sigiriya National Parks, approximately five kms away from the historical Sigiriya Rock Fortress and Pidurangala.
Apart from the national parks, excursions to Sigiriya and Dambulla, Pidurangala rock climbing, village trails and trekking are popular with the guests to the hotel.
As the hotel located in the centre of the Cultural Triangle, travel to Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kandy or even to Trinco is possible within two to three hours.
There is a network of cycling and walking paths which can be used by those who wish to explore the property which is teeming with birdlife. Both adults and children’s bikes are available for those who wish to cycle around and explore further. A naturalist is also available to help identify the numerous birdlife that can be found in the property. The Sigiri Oya which runs as the boundary of the property has the clearest of water for natural baths.
