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Anantara Kalutara Resort
Kalutara, Sri Lanka · Anantara · Grand Luxury
Geoffrey Bawa was commissioned to design this resort on the Kalu Ganga estuary in 1995, but civil war halted construction and the 2004 tsunami obliterated what remained; the project lay dormant for fifteen years until Bawa's former student Channa Daswatte completed it as closely as possible to the original vision, opening in 2016, making it the last built expression of Sri Lanka's most influential architect, and the only luxury resort on the island with ocean and river frontage on both sides of the peninsula.
- 141 rooms
- Opened 2016
- Neighborhood: Kalutara 12000
- Rooms from 646 sq ft (60 m²)
- Architect: Geoffrey Bawa
About Anantara Kalutara Resort
- Bawa's original commission dates to 1995; the project survived civil war, the architect's death in 2003, and the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004 — a sequence of interruptions spanning more than two decades before the first guests arrived.
- Channa Daswatte, who completed the resort, modelled the hotel's library on his own personal study, making one room literally a copy of the architect's workspace rather than a generic hotel amenity.
- Anantara Kalutara claims to be the only luxury resort in Sri Lanka with 360-degree water frontage — the Indian Ocean on one side, the Kalu Ganga river lagoon on the other — a geography that Bawa designed around rather than despite.
- The resort houses the Geoffrey Bawa Library, which contains the architect's original drawings and furnishings he personally owned or designed — a working archive accessible to guests.
- Entry-level rooms start at 646 sq ft (60 m²).
History
Geoffrey Bawa's last completed project, on a peninsula where the Kalu Ganga river meets the Indian Ocean.
The setting
7 km from Richmond Castle.
Restaurants and bars
- Olu — Restaurant · International
- Spice Traders — Restaurant · Thai, Indian & Chinese
- Acquolina — Restaurant · Italian
- Upper Deck Sports Bar and Lounge — Café · Beverages and afternoon tea
- Shisha Garden — Restaurant
Experiences
- Spice Spoons cooking class — Visit local farms and markets, then a step-by-step cooking class with a local arrack cocktail and lunch on your creations.
- Sundown ceremony — Daily Kalu Yaka (Black Devil) traditional dance on the pool deck at sundown.
- Saturday fruit market — Every Saturday at 4.00 pm, organic local fruits brought by boat along the Kalu Ganga River are sampled by the swimming pool.
- Fishing Guru experience — Learn local angling on a traditional wooden oruwa boat on the Kalu Ganga River; the prize catch is cooked by the chefs.
- Glider adventure tower — Activity tower offering zip-lining, abseiling and rock climbing on the resort grounds.
- Arts and crafts — Local artisans demonstrate wood carving, painting and reed weaving at breakfast and sell their work as souvenirs.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Private pool
- Fitness center
- Kids' club
- Yoga
- Private beach
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- Sri Lanka's Leading Beach Resort 2025 (World Travel Awards) (2025)
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