ORIENT HOTEL BANDARAWELA
Foremost specialists in Adventure and Eco tours
‘Destination’ is the most significant word in the travel business. As Sri Lanka is a popular destination for travellers from around the world, Bandarawela is one of the widely held destinations for holiday makers in Sri Lanka. With zero arrivals in foreign travel sector due to Covid 19 pandemic, most of the hotels and resorts turned to domestic market to keep their home fire burning. As the global tourism hit the lowest ever, most of the popular destination points fetch different approaches to attract the domestic travellers. Many Sri Lankan travellers visit Bandarawela for just relaxation and to enjoy the mild weather, but the changing face of destination marketing now turned Bandarawela as one of the best adventure and ecotourism based destinations in the Uva Province.
Set about 3800 feet above sea level, surrounded by high mountain ranges, forests, steep peaks, scenic waterfalls and archaeological sites with rich farmland and tea plantation, Bandarawela a centrally located town with a Colonial touch.
Orient Hotel in Bandarawela is the flag-ship hotel of the city, which is situated in this salubrious setting close to the centre of the town, now promotes number of popular world class excursions, tours and treks to various parts of Uva Province, which holds an undisputed number one status for its natural beauty and loads of adventurous activities.
Orient Hotel being the foremost specialists in Eco, Adventure and agro based Tourism in the Uva Province, offers world famous Uda (Upper) Diyaluma
Water Park, Lipton Seat, Poonagala, Ampitikanda and Nayabedda trek and d Rawana trail with professional service. ‘Orient Hotel is geared to provide true professional services, so that leisure or adventure retreat could the start t out from the luxurious of the hotel and to the outdoor activates’ said Rewatha Hettiaratchy, the Director General Manager of the property.
‘We are experts in Adventure Tours, Agro Tourism, Trekking, Bird watching, Camping, wild life park tours, Cycling and Mountain biking, Mountain and Rock climbing and Nature Tours etc’ he added.
Changing the face of tourism in Uva, Orient Hotel plays a major role in promoting package travels involved in adventure and nature activities.
‘Uda (Upper) Diyaluma Water Park is the newest attraction and we are at full service for travellers, who like to visit there with three kilometre trek after almost 30 kms run in a four wheel drive. It is a full day excursion and if any adventure lover wants to camp out on the top of the water basin, it is possible with us. Only prior arrangements is necessary for overnight stays’ Rewatha added,
Lipton's Seat in Dambet Dambetenna Estate off Haputale, Pilkin Pilkington Point at Poonagala P and St St. Catherine' Seat in Nayabedda are top view points to see the Southern plains from the central hills. Lipton Seat, with the elevation o of about 5700 feet, is the only po point in Sri Lanka from where you can view six Districts.
Bo Bogoda Bridge off Hali Ela, Buduru Buduruwagala ancient monuments in it Tanamalwila, Dowa Rock temple, Adisham monastery, Bambarakanda, Diyaluma, Dunhinda and Rawana waterfalls are other popular places for ‘day excursions’. These places can be reached within one to two hours of drive and really an adventurous experience.
Horton Plains (thro’ Ohiya and Non-perriyal Estate in Upper Belihul Oya), Yala Wild Life Sanctuary, Uda Walawe Park, Tea Plantation in Nuwara Eliya and other area, Camping at picturesque locations, Gem Mines, Sri Lanka's aborigines- the Veddhas at Mahiyangana, Mountain Biking, Trekking and Walking, Tangamale and Kumana Bird Sanctuary, Lahugala Elephant Sanctuary, the beaches of Arugam Bay are some of the long journey excursions. These places are mainly three to four hours drive far from Bandarawela and require an overnight stay out.
‘We have carefully selected few camping sites in Horton Plains, Namunukula Range, Boralanda, Uda Walawe, Bundala, Yala, Dambana, Diyaluma and in Adam’s Peak. We provide camping tents, sleeping mattresses, sheets, pillows, torches, soap and toilet facilities, food and beverages, backup services and security too’ he explained. Orient Hotel boasts of having 50 deluxe rooms including three suites, ‘Rama Seetha’, ‘Paradise’ and ‘Orient’, equipped with all facilities including private Jacuzzis.
Television, mini bar, IDD telephone, tea/ coffee making facility and running hot /cold water are the other amenities available. Karaoke Lounge bar, beer garden, fitness centre, conference facilities, laundry, 24-hour room service and games like billiards and snooker enhance the facilities added to the hotels recreation list.
Orient Hotel is the pioneer naturebased Hotel in the region to promote mountaineering, trekking, camping, and other outdoor excursions for the holidaymakers Orient is owned and managed by entrepreneur Rohan Perera, the Chairman of Orient Group of Companies.