A holiday to Sri Lanka is a commitment to exploration and adventure quite unlike anywhere else. Nicknamed the Teardrop of India, the Land of Smiles and plenty of other flattering names, the island nation welcomes tourists of every kind year on year. With such an enjoyably warm climate, distinctive cuisine and superb history to explore, it makes sense that travellers gravitate here for their holidays in growing numbers.
If you’re looking to become one of those lucky holidaymakers, the real question is how you choose to spend your Sri Lankan nights, and where you hang your hat between your days in the sun. Due to its long history and interaction with colonial empires of old, including those of Britain and Portugal, Sri Lanka mixes tradition and European chic to tremendous effect. That means that the hotels and places to stay have a kind of variety that may just surprise you.
The big question is, do you opt for an All Inclusive hotel or lean towards a Bed & Breakfast? We’ve weighed up the benefits of each, so stick with us as we help you form a choice that works for you.
All Inclusive accolades
We’ve got lots of love for All Inclusive hotels and resorts in Sri Lanka. The vision that most rapidly jumps to your mind when you imagine those kinds of places is likely a sleek white seaside resort whose open patios merge sweetly into the promising sand of a crisp white beach. If that kind of resort appeals to you, you’re going to be in luck, although there are alternatives open to you too.
For example, there are lots of boutique hotels that are conversions from historic buildings into swanky and enticing places to stay. In Ahungalle, a stay somewhere like Riu Sri Lanka promises a slick retro interior and beach access with a host of activities. Naturally, opting All Inclusive for this kind of luxury is a good way of getting the absolute most from your holiday spend, and you can feel relaxed knowing that one lump sum gets you all the food, drink and fun you need for a great stay.
If you’re keeping a tighter budget though, that’s also fine, and Sri Lanka’s a fantastic destination to really stretch your pounds to their greatest potential. A good example of that can be seen in Alankuda Beach – a cabana-style resort village of little colourful huts huddled around a pool, where live music and complimentary curries make for quite the feeling of community.
Ultimately, the advantage of an All Inclusive stay in Sri Lanka is that it secures all of your essentials and lets you know that you’re going to have a full tummy and a cosy bed every night, all without any further fretting about the travel budget. With such a wealth and variety of places to stay, you don’t have to feel as though you need to splurge out massively on an All Inclusive Sri Lankan stay.
Beloved Bed & Breakfasts
Sometimes, you want to go on holiday with an open mind, and you’ll find so much to see and do in Sri Lanka that a sense of spontaneity is always encouraged. Staying in a Bed & Breakfast style hotel, or even a family-run guesthouse along those lines, is a brilliant way to give you a good night of rest and a home-cooked beginning to your day, before setting you free to enjoy your break as you please.
Rustic family-run businesses make for the most down to earth Sri Lankan Bed & Breakfast experience. It lets you meet local families who put their heart and soul into making your stay an enjoyable one, as well as giving you the opportunity to feel like a treasured guest in a family home. That said, there are also more boutique accommodation options that still make excellent use of the Bed & Breakfast concept. Kandy House, close to its namesake town of Kandy, offers a Bed & Breakfast tucked in the hills and trees, complete with infinity pool, while somewhere like Casa Colombo in the island’s capital city offers individually designed rooms on the more artsy side of the equation.
Remember, when you’re heading for the family-run venues, the spirit of haggling is alive and well in Sri Lanka, so don’t be afraid to bargain your room rates. Nobody will be offended at the cheeky banter if you keep a grin wide for your hosts to see.
All in all, Sri Lanka is a welcoming destination that you’re likely to feel right at home in, with plenty of opportunities to take in all that Sri Lanka has to offer. An All Inclusive break keeps all your creature comforts tucked snug under one roof, while a Bed & Breakfast promises to be your home from home, feeding you ahead of days full of experience and exploration. Which way of staying in Sri Lanka speaks to you the most?
Which board basis would you choose?
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