Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort: Leads where it matters
Since the opening of Udawalawe National Park in June 1972, the surrounding area has earmarked as a popular travel destination for nature and wildlife lovers in the Sabaragamuwa province. Apart from Bundala, Minneriya and Yala, Udawalawe National Park and ‘Ath Athuru Sevena’ draw a major attraction because of the elephants.
But the region was lacking behind with the much required star class destination facilities. The Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort (GUSR) was opened in October 2012. It turned the table around for travellers to the region. Located close proximity to the Udawalawe Park, GUSR is the only star class resort in the area.
Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort was initially opened in October 2012 as a 57- room luxury resort. The much projected second phase of GUSR with 22 Grand Suites was opened in November 2014.
Located just 45 minutes away from Rajapaksa International Airport in Mattala and just 30 minutes from the Suriyawewa International Cricket Stadium, Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort Hotel is the first four star hotel in the area with 79 rooms including 22 new luxury villas, four suites, 24 deluxe and 29 superior rooms.
Each of the grand suites in the new wing consists of elevated bedrooms, a luxury living room and a bath with all the modern amenities.
‘With the addition of this new wing, GUSR has become one of the largest resorts in the Sabaragamuwa Province. We provided the accommodation for all international cricketers, when the matches were scheduled at the MR International Cricket Stadium in Suriyawewa’ said Chandana Pathma Kumara, the Director Operations and Finance of the property.
All 22 Grand Suites in the new wing are equipped with modern amenities such as led TV, IDD facilities, mini bar, hot and cold running water, tea/coffee making facilities, Wi Fi connection, safety lockers and the open Private Terrace.
The banquet facility itself is the largest in the Province. Six hundred pax can be accommodated at the two banquet halls.
The new wing is built in a separated jungle area with no disturbance to its guests.
Pix by Neil Siriweera.
‘This is strictly for guests who like to relax and we always keep this area out of bounds for outsiders’ Chandana said. The 57 rooms in the old wing are divided into three wings. Forest wing and Pool wing are naturally separated from the Stream wing by ‘Malabotu Ela’, a small stream off the Walawe River.
‘Stream wing consists of the main restaurant, banquet hall and bar areas, which is considered the more noisy area. The rooms and the pool are kept separately from the natural stream and kept without much noise to give visitors a relaxing environment’ Chandana explained.
For dining purposes, the Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort has a coffee shop named ‘Monara,’ the open air main restaurant with a capacity of hosting 250 pax, A/C dining area, and two bars – ‘Ath Gala’ and ‘Ali Mankada’.
A mini open air theatre is also in place for tourists seeking leisure along with a large open air theatre ‘Una Sevana’ designed in a similar pattern to the open air theatre ‘Wala’ of the Peradeniya University.
“GUSR also has a main kitchen catering to the restaurants, a satellite kitchen catering to the pool bar, and a banquet kitchen in the upper floor catering to the banquet hall,” he added.
The resort has been designed to conserve the environment with water and waste recycling and the construction work being done around the area is without felling a single tree. However, the resort boasts the latest technologies on the property with a state-of-the-art business centre, gymnasium, specially-designed swimming pool with adjoining bar, 200 pax conference hall, and 400 pax banquet hall and a mini-Cinema.
Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort (GUSR) is just half km away from the popular ‘Ath Athuru Sevana’ (Elephant transit camp), and a five minutes’ drive from the Uda Walawe National Park. Popular Maduwanwala Walawwa is just 40 minutes away from the Resort. Sankapala Viharaya is just 15 minutes away and Madunagala Hot water spring and Katuwana Dutch Fort are just 45 and 40 minutes away from the Resort, respectively. Yala, Kataragama, Situlpawwa, Kirinda and Kiri Vehera are over two hours’ drive from the Hotel.
Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort is located at No. 912, Thanamalwila Road, Udawalawe.Call 047 2232000,
047 2232004/5, 0777998181 or log on to www.grandudawalaweresort.com
