Hotel Desire

Desire is an outstanding property which is situated near Aluthgama and only 10 minutes by bicycle to the beautiful golden sandy beach of Bentota.The garden has been recently extended to make a heavenly tropical garden complete with an elephant!! Furnishing is to an exceptional standard, with all rooms en-suite and benefiting from air conditioning and over head fans. mosquito nets provided for all (Website hidden by Airbnb) house has 3 floors,a large garage and imposing hall and on the second floor covered open eating area complete with its own bar. WI-FI facilities anywhere in the house or garden area. The pool is suitable for all the family . Guests can enjoy the garden area complete with a croquet lawn and cabanas to sit out in the cool! Garden is floodlit for BBQs or any social event (or sri lankan dancing on the lawn etc.) The property has a manager who will cater for your specific holiday requirements (travel to beaches,amenities and tours). There is also full time security and cleaning staff. Local transportation to beaches, shops, restaurants, supermarkets is free but any travel further than a 5 mile radius is chargeable. Aluthgama Dharga Town This is a thriving local village with many shops and market stalls. About 4 kms upriver from the tourist settlement is the Galapatha Vihara. This 12th century temple has few remains, but does include a carved gateway and a long inscription recording a gift of lands and slaves to the monastery on the site. Brief Garden The Brief Garden is just 1km from Mandalay. This was the home of the late landscape artist, Bevis Bawa. The sprawling house in the midst of this tranquil oasis is a veritable museum of art, containing Bawa's own works, and those of friends, such as George Keyt. Bawa created this enchanting garden on a hillside with wonderful views off Kalawila between (Phone number hidden by Airbnb) wa's private collection of paintings, sculptures photographs and furniture (many colonial antiques), provides an added incentive to visit the bird-filled 5 acre landscaped garden with cool, shady woodland paths, many nature specimen trees, exotic flowering plants and interesting water features, highly recommended. Aluthgama Market Monday is market day in Aluthgama, just 3km from the villa. Bustling with locals selling fresh fish, meat and vegetables, the produce is as colourful as the saris they wear. Kande Viharaya. This is a 12th century Buddhist temple, and is the tallest sitting Buddha statue in the world(48m / 160ft) which is situated at Aluthgama 1km away from the villa. Bespoke Tours Desire's Manager is a highly experienced tour guide and driver. We can work with you to produce a series of bespoke tours to meet your specific requirements. We routinely conduct tours to a range of impressive destinations. For example, Yala Game Reserve - where there are the highest concentration of leopard in the world; Nuwara Eliya - where you can stay in a colonial bungalow amongst the renowned tea plantations; Kandy - where you can visit the most significant Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka and the world-famous Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage; Sigiriya - a dramatic ancient fortress that is also a world heritage site; Dambulla Cave Temple - the most impressive cave temple in Sri Lanka. The above destinations can be booked in conjunction with a range of accommodation, from 5* boutique hotels to tourist hotels. All travel is conducted in our comfortable 9-seater, air conditioned minbus. Water Sports Water-sports centres are located all along the coast, where a variety of activities are available to suit all abilities and ages The calm river is perfect for water-skiing and windsurfing. Boat Trips A 3hr boat trip up the Bentota River is highly recommended, you will travel through the mangroves and have frequent sightings of crocodile, monitor lizards, brahimy kites, fruit bats and kingfishers. Kosgoda Turtle Farm Visit the local small turtle farms at Kosgoda. Join in the egg burial by night, admire the baby turtles by day and take a journey to the sea to release the young back into their natural environment. Mask Museum Mask Museum is primarily a workshop & showroom. Some of the exhibits tracing the tradition of mask dancing are interesting and informative. Antique shops often sell newly crafted items which have been "aged", as it is illegal to take out any article over 50 years old without a government permit. Galle The port of Galle, thought by some to be the Biblical city of Tarshish, splendidly illustrates the solidity of the Dutch presence in Sri Lanka. The 36-hectare (89 acre) Dutch Fort, built in (Phone number hidden by Airbnb) , has withstood the ravages of time. Its massive ramparts surround the promontory that forms the older part of Galle, and shelters within its walls sturdy Dutch houses, museums and churches. This area has a quiet, relaxed atmosphere that seems almost detached from the flow of history. The New Oriental Hotel, built for Dutch governors in (Phone number hidden by Airbnb) , is a colonial gem with a wonderfully atmospheric bar. Colombo Spend a day shopping and sightseeing in the bustling capital of Colombo. Colombo is a shopper's paradise, containing a number of department stores and local fashion outlets where you will find up-to the minute fashions at extremely discounted prices. desire is just 1km away from Aluthgama railway station and also from the Aluthgama Bus stop. the property also has a Tuk Tuk (threewheeler) for quick trips to the beach, vegetable market, etc. Chef can be arranged for very reasonable rates. Guest will have to pay for their food and drinks.