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Saman Villas
Location within Sri Lanka
General information
Location	Aturuwella, Bentota, Sri Lanka
Coordinates	6°23′44″N 80°00′16″E / 6.395511°N 80.00455°E / 6.395511; 80.00455
Opening	25 December 1995
Owner	Jetwing Hotels
Management	Saman Villas Limited
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Geevaka De Soyza
Developer	Daya Ratnayake
Other information
Number of suites	27
Number of restaurants	1
Website
https://www.jetwinghotels.com/jetwingsamanvillas/#gref

Saman Villas is located in the fishing village of Aturuwella, near the south west coastal town of Bentota, Sri Lanka. Saman Villas opened its doors on Christmas Day in 1995. It is Sri Lanka's first boutique hotel.

Facilities

The hotel consists of 27 suites for guest accommodation set out in two-storey villas, some equipped with private pools, a restaurant, bar, sunset lounge, an infinity pool, library, snooker table, a jewellery shop, gym, sauna, hot tub, spa and boardroom facilities that can house up to 12 people.

History

Saman Villas was originally designed to be a 72-room, 4-star hotel. However, in the early 1990s the new concept of boutique hotels was slowly evolving and taking root in some Asian countries and islands in the Pacific Ocean. This led the developer, Daya Ratnayake (the owner of the Mermaid Hotel in Kalutara), after viewing examples in Koh Samui, Thailand and Bali, Indonesia, together with the appointed architect, Geevaka De Soyza, to develop the first boutique hotel in Sri Lanka. The property that was opened for business on 25 December 1995 was introduced to the local market on 13 February 1996. The hotel's name is derived from a native jasmine, saman pichcha, a fragrant flower used in floral offerings and garlands in Buddhist temples.

Awards

• 2007 Presidential Awards for Travel and Tourism - 'Best Boutique Hotel in Sri Lanka'
• 2008 Presidential Awards for Travel and Tourism - 'Best Boutique Hotel in Sri Lanka'
• 2009 Presidential Awards for Travel and Tourism - 'Best Boutique Hotel in Sri Lanka'
• 2010 Presidential Awards for Travel and Tourism - 'Best Boutique Hotel in Sri Lanka'

References

1. ^ Ratnayake, Daya. "Who Pioneered Boutique Hotels Sri Lanka- Saman Villas or Geoffrey Dobbs". The Island.
2. ^ "Saman Villas: Where luxury takes on a new meaning". The Sunday Times.
3. "First Boutique Hotel in Sri Lanka – Saman Villas". The Island. 25 January 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
4. "Saman Villas". Lonely Planet. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016.
5. ^ Corea, Sri Sangabo (3 September 2006). "Saman Villas ... a fairy tale come true". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
6. Karunananda, Inoka (December 2015). "Futures Lanka" (PDF). Bawa & Beyond. 13 - Issue 2. Enjoy Lanka Tours: 9. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
7. "Saman Villas : Best Boutique Hotel". The Sunday Times. 15 March 2009.
8. Fernando, Susitha (22 August 2010). "Saman Villas reopens to a Paradise". The Sunday Times.

• Hotels in Galle District
• Boutique hotels in Sri Lanka