2018 Mar 30
It’s well-known across the world that Sri Lanka is an incredible holiday destination, with innumerable hotels and places to vacation. But apart from the usual luxury hotels, Sri Lanka now has something new to offer, a luxury hotel that imitates nature. Although we haven’t yet had the opportunity to visit this stunning creation, here’s a quick look at what appears to be a promising and popular destination.
From Resplendent Ceylon’s renowned Tea Trails and Cape Weligama comes their latest creation, featuring a seamless integration between nature and luxury living. The Wild Coast Tented Lodge can be found South of Sri Lanka, nestled in a remote location near Yala National Park and the coastline overlooking the Indian Ocean and is the first of its kind!
The eco-friendly safari-style camp is a unique design that boasts spectacular five-star treatment and sustainable living- all the while offering personal encounters with the surrounding wildlife. Embracing and emphasizing the land’s natural beauty, these organic structures blend seamlessly into the landscape to form a unique and inspiring architectural wonder.
Designed by Nomadic Resorts, with the Dutch interiors firm- Bo Reudler Studio, the site for the resort initially impressed the team spurring them to create a visionary design that would minimize any intrusion into the surroundings. The Lodge’s main buildings (Dining Pavilion and open bar) are made up of a latticed interior of bamboo while the outer roof is covered in teak shingles that mirror the boulders scattered around the resort. Some of the challenges experienced by the team stemmed from curious, wondering animals such as elephants that stole their sugar and emptied their water tank! This of course bodes well for the tourists that want an up close and personal experience with Sri Lanka’s beautiful wildlife.
The luxury getaway also features the innovative Cocoon Suites – 28 prefabricated spacious tents inspired by the form of a caterpillar that include intimate settings of a plunge pool, magical touches of bedding and draping and an en-suite bathroom complete with copper bath tubs. Each of these tented villas have cantilevered decks that contribute to the entire safari experience and are strategically placed around 5 large, clay lined ponds so as to form a leopard’s paw print in homage to the area’s most famous resident.
Placing heavy emphasis on sustainability, the Lodge was created with mostly locally sourced materials to be able to reflect on the cultural and geographical background of the site. Local crafts such as the reclaimed teak shingles, mud bricks and wood working were used for their durability but also for their ability to age beautifully with time to give the resort a rustic and magical feel that plays with the resident’s senses.
Nomadic Resorts has worked across the Netherlands, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and South Africa to create sustainable resorts believing that designs should serve as a “bridge to connect nature, culture and people.” It’s safe to say they have gone above and beyond in their latest project featuring their captivating and innovative designs that will no doubt pave the way for future projects and innovative minds.
The Wild Coast Tented Lodge is proof that luxury and contemporary lifestyles can arise while keeping touch with our local allure. This is a step in the right direction to sustainability and a much needed style and ideology Sri Lanka needs to adopt if we want to preserve our cultural and environmental beauty.
