Plantaion Villa – Kalutara - Tour Agencies in Sri Lanka - The Best Tour Operators

Plantation Villa is a specialist Ayurvedic Nature Retreat Centre in Sri Lanka. Planation villa offers you a wellbeing experience for the body and mind through ancient Vedic traditions of Yoga, Ayurveda and Meditation. It is an oasis of calm and peacefulness in a rural village in Sri Lanka. Eco-friendly wellbeing retreat provides a homely environment where you are served with love and care. Rooms are equipped with modern requirements, Ayurvedic treatments and medicines are administered in its most authentic form and food provided is tailored to complement the treatments. All food served is fresh and organic and majority of the food is cultivated in are gardens. All water used come from the four natural spring water wells in our land. The property is surrounded by tropical trees and wild birds with a paddy field, a working rubber plantation, an organic fruit, vegetable and spice garden and a budding mahogany and coconut plantation.

The retreat center is unique in every aspect, which makes this hotel one of the best homely Ayurveda retreats in Sri Lanka introducing you to our rich culture, traditions, Ayurveda, mindfulness practices of meditation and yoga, our community and nature. Enjoy healing and relaxing in the breathtakingly beautiful landscape and mingle with the villages and staff unspoilt by modern trends. At Plantation Villa, it is important that you leave us feeling healthy, relaxed and rejuvenated. Being a smaller center allows us the opportunity to be flexible. Their expert team of doctors, therapists, teachers and cooks and the staff team will take every effort to ensure your experience is a memorable one. The natural surroundings of this Villa provides the fresh air and the relaxing backdrop essential for the treatments. Plantaion villa aim to provide each of you with a relaxing and rejuvenating ayurveda experience for your body, mind and soul and to you to take a journey into your own self and rediscover a relaxed, rejuvenated and renewed version of yourself

Rooms

Plantation Villa was once a colonial bungalow with 30 acres of rubber, coconut, cinnamon and black pepper. Today, as a Wellness Sanctuary the villa retains a sense of authentic charm across all its rooms, suites, quiet alcoves, communal and meditation spaces. Surrounded by lush rainforest, the plantation is also a home to many rare bird species, butterflies, tropical flora and fauna, all existing in harmony with us.

The Villa is a colonial home, approximately 150yrs old. It was the house of the village chief – and it now converted to consists of a living room, dinning hall, veranda, open living area and bedrooms. The property consists of the main Villa and two Lodges, each about 2 minutes walking distance from each other. The Lodge-1 is the original house of the first occupier of this colonial treasure. With time, their son built a bigger home to house his expanding family. This is now the main Villa.

The Villa consists of 8 rooms (2 Suite Rooms and 6 Deluxe Rooms), the Dining Hall, Lounge, Verandahs and Spa. The Lodge 1 and 2 consists of 9 Standard rooms and open Verandahs. The Villa and the Lodge were renovated in 2016 and is decorated to contemporary colonial style in keeping with the age of the property and to meet our guest comforts and modern needs.

SPACES

OUR GUEST ROOMS

All our rooms have private ensuite facilities. Our guest rooms categories are as follows:

Standard Rooms – All of our standard rooms are in the Lodges and they all open in to a relaxing open verandah overlooking the garden. The rooms and bathrooms are completed beautifully to include modern guest requirements. The rooms have fans but they are not air-conditioned.

Deluxe Rooms – All of our deluxe rooms are in the Villa and they also all open in to open verandahs overlooking the gardens. The rooms and bathrooms are completed beautifully to include modern guest requirements. Unlike the standard rooms, Deluxe rooms are air conditioned.

Suite Rooms – We have two Suite Rooms which are in the Villa and they open in to a beautiful front verandah within the main Villa. The rooms and bathrooms are large and spacious and our completed to luxury standards. The Suite Room bathrooms have both a Shower and a Bath. Both Suite Rooms are air conditioned.

ROOM AMENITIES:
– Telephone
– Ceiling Fan
– Allergy Free Pillows & Mattresses
– Cotton Linen
– Free Wi-fi
– Air Conditioning (only in Deluxe and Suite Rooms)
– Safety Deposit Box

BATHROOM AMENITIES:
– Bathroom Linen
– Hot Water
– Hair Dryer (on request)
– Complimentary Toiletries
– Shower Cubicle
– Bathtub (Suites Only)

We are a family friendly boutique hotel and as such will try to accommodate any special guest requests if at all possible.

Wellness

AYURVEDA

The ancient medical science of ayurveda, which is experiencing a renaissance at present, is perhaps the most sophisticated and comprehensive approach to health care the world has known. Ayurveda places great emphasis on prevention and encourages the maintenance of health through close attention to balance in one’s life, right thinking, diet and lifestyle. This balance is believed to lead to happiness and health, and to help prevent illness.

The term “Ayurveda” combines the Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda (science or knowledge). Thus, Ayurveda means “the science of life.” Ayurveda concepts have to do with universal interconnectedness, the body’s constitution (prakriti), and life forces (doshas). Ayurvedic medicine holds that:
·       All things in the universe (both living and non-living) are joined together
·       Every human being contains elements that can be found in the universe
·       Health will be good if one’s mind and body are in harmony, and one’s interaction with other beings and the universe is natural and wholesome
·       Disease arises when a person is out of harmony with the universe. Disruptions can be physical, emotional, spiritual, or a combination of these.

Prakriti is a person’s unique combination of physical and psychological characteristics and the way the body functions to maintain health. It is influenced by such factors as digestion and how the body deals with waste products. The prakriti is believed to be unchanged over a person’s lifetime. Important characteristics of the prakriti are three life forces or energies called doshas, which control the activities of the body. A person’s chances of developing certain types of diseases are thought to be related to the way doshas are balanced, the state of the physical body, and mental or lifestyle factors.

THE DOSHAS

Ayurveda identifies three basic types of energy or functional principles that are present in everyone and everything: vata, pitta and kapha. Vata is the energy of movement, pitta is the energy of digestion or metabolism and kapha, the energy of lubrication and structure. All people have the qualities of vata, pitta and kapha, but one is usually primary, one secondary and the third is usually least prominent. The cause of disease in Ayurveda is viewed as a lack of proper cellular function due to an excess or deficiency of vata, pitta or kapha. Disease can also be caused by the presence of toxins.

Vata is the subtle energy associated with movement composed of Space and Air. It governs breathing, blinking, muscle and tissue movement, pulsation of the heart, and all movements in the cytoplasm and cell membranes. In balance, vata promotes creativity and flexibility. Out of balance, vata produces fear and anxiety.

Pitta expresses as the body’s metabolic system made up of Fire and Water. It governs digestion, absorption, assimilation, nutrition, metabolism and body temperature. In balance, pitta promotes understanding and intelligence. Out of balance, pitta arouses anger, hatred and jealousy.

Kapha is the energy that forms the body’s structure — bones, muscles, tendons — and provides the “glue” that holds the cells together, formed from Earth and Water. Kapha supplies the water for all bodily parts and systems. It lubricates joints, moisturizes the skin, and maintains immunity. In balance, kapha is expressed as love, calmness and forgiveness. Out of balance, it leads to attachment, greed and envy.

AYURVEDA AS A COMPLEMENTARY SYSTEM OF HEALING

Western allopathic medicine currently tends to focus on symptomatology and disease, and primarily uses drugs and surgery to rid the body of pathogens or diseased tissue. Many lives have been saved by this approach. However, drugs, because of their toxicity, often weaken the body. Ayurveda does not focus on disease. Rather, it maintains that all life must be supported by energy in balance. When there is minimal stress and the flow of energy within a person is balanced, the body’s natural defence systems will be strong and can more easily defend against disease.

In many instances Ayurveda can substitute Western allopathic medicine. There are also instances when the disease process and acute conditions can best be treated with drugs or surgery and Ayurveda can be used in conjunction with Western medicine to make a person stronger and less likely to be afflicted with disease and/or to rebuild the body after being treated with drugs or surgery.

Palliative and cleansing measures, when appropriate, can be used to help eliminate an imbalance along with suggestions for eliminating or managing the causes of the imbalance. Recommendations may include the implementation of lifestyle changes; starting and maintaining a suggested diet; and the use of herbs. In some cases, participating in a cleansing program, Panchakarma, is suggested to help the body rid itself of accumulated toxins to gain more benefit from the various suggested measures of treatment.

AYURVEDA AT PLANTATION VILLA

If you want to embark on the Full Ayurveda program, you will be first consulted by our doctor who will assess the balances of your doshas and through consultation, develop a treatment plan for you. Your treatment plan will include Ayurvedic Treatments to detox and cleanse the body, and herbal medicines to refuel the body to help gain its balance and you will be required to relax and reconnect with yourself through the practice of yoga and mindfulness. During your stay our doctors will have social discussions about Ayurveda and its science. We also have a number of books in our library for your use during your stay. A number of these books relate to Ayurveda and Buddhist principles of mindfulness. You are also encouraged to spend time in our gardens amongst nature, walk in the village and join in our nature preservation and community development activities. We are one of the best and most Authentic Ayurvedic Resorts in Sri Lanka. Our doctors and therapists have over experience of working with a wide range of patients both foreign and local. Our treatments range include all Ayurvedic treatments from basic massages, shirodhara to full panchakarma. A 21 day stay is recommended if you want to undergo full Panchakarma treatments. If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us

YOGA & MEDITATION

Ancient practices of yoga and meditation are a key component to embracing a more mindful lifestyle. Coupled along with healing natural treatments and medicines, yoga and meditation allow the body to restore, improve and develop a harmony of mind, body and spirit. We cannot fully benefit from the physical treatments alone, and this is where yoga and meditation practice plays such an important role in truly overcoming our own personal shortfalls, physical imperfections, disabilities or ailments.

Yoga was initially developed so the meditative yogis could develop their physical body to enable them to sit for long hours in meditation. Yoga is about creating balance in the body through developing both strength and flexibility. This is done through the performance of poses or postures, each of which has specific physical benefits. The poses can be done quickly in succession, creating heat in the body through movement or more slowly to increase stamina and perfect the alignment of the pose. The poses are a constant, but the approach to them varies depending on the yoga tradition practiced.

At Plantation Villa, we work with a number of fully qualified and experienced teachers to guide your daily yoga lesson. We have expert teachers from the Western countries like Europe and the US and also teachers from India and Sri Lanka. Our teachers will be visiting us and will each be resident with us for 3-6 months along with some short term visiting teachers running specialist retreats. It does not matter whether you are a complete beginner or if you are an experienced practitioner. If you have practiced yoga before, specially in the west, you will find that the method of teaching by the Indian and Sri Lankan teachers are rather different. It is more towards the authentic form of meditative yoga. Please inform the teacher at the beginning of the class of your level and any ailments you may have such as joint aches etc. Feel free to discuss with our teacher on your likes/dislikes and any other yoga related queries you may have. Whatever your motivation, whether it is to improve your downward dog or just to get a little fitter or even slimmer, our wonderful teachers will be available and work with you during your stay with us.

We will provide two yoga classes daily – one in the morning and another in the evening. The morning class will be a little energetic and the evening class will be slower. We will also have daily mid morning guided meditation classes to help you develop your mindfulness practice.

Additionally our teachers will be conducting evening discussions on Yoga and Meditation philosophy so you gain a deeper understanding into the practice. The mindfulness principles on which yoga and meditation are based on, provides the foundation for a happy, healthy life.

WEIGHT LOSS

If you’re carrying many extra pounds, you face a higher-than-average risk of a whopping 50 different health problems! These health conditions include some of the leading causes of death—heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and certain cancers—as well as less common ailments such as gout and gallstones. Perhaps even more compelling is the strong link between excess weight and depression, because this can have a profound, negative impact on your daily life. But people also gain weight because they’re depressed, and they become depressed because they’re overweight! Furthermore, modern day stress and processed food is a big cause of weight gain. At times, loosing weight seems a tireless task!

At Plantation Villa, we tackle weight loss in a number of ways:

Ayurvedic Medicines:
In Ayurvedic theory, if your body constitution (dosha) is in balance, then you will be at your optimum weight – your optimum weight will differ by your predominant dosha. Our medicines will help balance your dosha and this will trigger a weight loss.

Ayurvedic Treatments:
Ayurveda therapies designed for weight loss will be administered daily. These are quite powerful to aid weight loss. Some of the abhyanga therapies will help loosen deposited fat which can be burned during daily fitness activities.

Fitness Workouts:
We have an expert fitness instructor who will be visiting the Villa three times a week to run fitness classes for guests on the Weight Loss Package. He will also give a work out plan for you to follow daily during your stay.

Mindfulness Practices:
Yoga and meditation teachings and practices will accelerate your weight loss and also help you maintain it when you have left us.

Meals:
Our meals are nutritionally balanced and are fresh and organic with no or minimal use of oil, sugar and gluten. It will help promote weight loss and you can learn how fresh wholesome food can also be very tasty!

Dining

Our ‘Farm to Plate Policy’ ensures that the majority of the food that is served to you comes directly from the plantations own rice paddy field, organic vegetable, fruit spice and herb garden.

Free from the artificial preservatives, colourings and pesticides, all meals on site are home made from healthy, fresh ingredients. Anything that is not picked straight from our own organic gardens is sourced locally and ethically so that quality of the food is not compromised.

Our doctor has reviewed our menus and ensured they are nutritionally balanced. Our meals are mainly vegetarian and gluten and sugar free. Once or twice a week we serve eggs and curd (dairy) as many of our western guests seems to struggle to maintain a vegetarian diet long term. Guests are invited to join in on harvesting activities during seasons or learn about their favourite dishes through Ayurvedic healthy cookery demonstrations and go picking the ingredients from the ground. The complete experience encourages a more hands on approach to wellness and promotes changes to unhealthy lifestyle choices and habits for good.

Activities

ACTIVITIES – THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE HOTEL GROUNDS

- Ayurvedic Treatments
- Cooking lessons
- Yoga lessons
- Meditation lessons
- Swimming
- Bird watching
- Board games
- Cycles for hire
- Books for reading
- Discussions with the resident doctor or instructor
- Guided walks in the Plantation
- Walks in the village

You can also join us in the following activities:

Watching Rice being harvested (during season)
Picking seasonal fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices from our organic estate
Watching Rubber tapping in our estate
Planting trees that are at risk of extinction
Join in our community activities or projects

TRIPS AND TOURS

If you have not come on a package that includes day trips, we can arrange day trips to local places of interest. These can be organised according to your schedule and request, so you can still see some wonderful places further a field, during your time with us. Most of our trips are either to rather unique cultural or historic sights or charity/conservation based projects. See below for a list of day trips that are popular amongst our guests:

Sinharajah Natural Rain Forest – the last remaining rain forest in Sri Lanka which is lush and green and hike through this will be an amazing experience.

Whale & Dolphin Watching in Mirissa – We work with a company working with whale conservation in Sri Lanka. It is an early morning start but totally worth the experience.

Udawalawe National Park (to see Elephants) – we recommend this trip over the trip to Pinnawella Elephant Orphanage, where we have heard mixed reviews about how the animals are treated. This is an opportunity to see elephants in their own natural habitat. Holding the largest population of elephants in sri Lanka, you are almost guaranteed to see elephants here.

Kandy Town and Temple of the Tooth – The last kingdom of Sri Lanka still rich in art and culture. Kandy also has the Temple of the Tooth where Buddhas tooth is kept and is one of the most venerated sights in Sri Lanka. Apart from its religious significance, it is also a must see sight to understand the richness of Sri Lankan art and culture.

Local turtle hatchery: a turtle conservation project to help save turtles from extinction. You can see and learn about turtles and can have the opportunity to release baby turtles to the sea!

Beach: Picnic at some of Sri Lanka’s most beautiful beaches

Kalutara Bhodiya: One of the most famous temples in Sri Lanka with a Pagoda with architectural value and a Bo Tree over 2000yrs old

Galle: A visit to one of the most vibrant cities in Sri Lanka where the influences of colonial time is prevalent with some world heritage sites

WarakagodaTemple: An ancient cave temple with a natural forest displaying some amazing Sri Lankan art on the rock

Richmond Castle: Left over from the British Empire depicting the influences of European Architecture