Sarah Kingdom relaxes at Aditya Rathgama in serene seclusion at the beach on Sri Lanka’s glorious south coast.
Weary from time on the road and so many new sights, sounds and smells as we explored the length and breadth of Sri Lanka, it was with some relief that we arrived at the stunning Aditya Rathgama, a boutique hotel on the unspoiled shores of Rathgama Beach.
Aditya Rathgama is a truly gorgeous boutique hotel, set in a shady, hammock-strewn garden, and with its very own stretch of deserted beach. There are 12 elegant suites here, each with a spacious bedroom and living area, and each opening up to either a private garden or a balcony with a plunge pool and views of the ocean. There are two, additional, spacious and private villas. Rathgama beach is perfect for long contemplative walks and the turquoise seas are good for swimming during the season, from December to April (the rest of the year the waves here can be too rough for swimming, though the hotel does employ a year-round lifeguard).
Known for its chic, contemporary design, Aditya Rathgama is understated, with elegant interiors featuring antiques and artwork from Sri Lanka and further afield. Giant, local, Ambalangoda puppets, traditionally used in rituals, performances, and festivals, stare down at you in the main staircase. Polished cement floors and tropical-hued upholstery accentuate the hotel’s light and airy open spaces and tropical surroundings. Multi-levelled communal areas flow into one another, opening onto the garden and a long communal swimming pool.
While the hotel is small and intimate, its rooms are amongst the largest and most lavishly appointed on the island. The emphasis here is on unrestrained luxury, personalized service and total privacy. With the rooms and suites each having their own generous living areas, there’s a pretty good chance you may only see other guests at mealtimes.
You can choose to dine in the main restaurant, in the garden, on the beach, or on your own private balcony, and the food is consistently good, with seafood being a particular strength. Breakfast is a multi-course menu of either Sri Lankan or western food, with the former including healthy kola kenda herbal porridge and fresh fruit.
The spa is worth a particular mention. With its focus on the ancient science of Ayurveda, the bringing together mind, body, and soul, Aditya’s spa is renowned as one of the best wellness retreats in Sri Lanka. Whether you’re a weary traveller or simply worn out from a fast-paced world, the treatments on offer here provide a complete holistic wellness experience, with a range of Ayurvedic treatments, massages, and therapies that focus on relaxation and rejuvenation – there are wellness packages on offer for anything from one-off treatments to one week Ayurvedic programmes.
Rathgama Beach
Sri Lanka’s southern coast is a paradise of golden sand beaches, set against emerald paddy fields, coconut groves and sleepy villages. Anyone who’s visited here before though, will know that this gorgeous coastline is also packed full of hotels, bamboo beach bars, curry shacks, and surf rental shops. There is, however, one little stretch that’s not as bustling as everywhere else and seems to have been largely undiscovered by surfers and sunbathers – Rathgama.
This small coastal town is home to a beautiful beach, where palm trees wave in the salty breeze and fishing shacks replace big resorts, and where the only thing ‘missing’ is the crowds. Unlike its much busier and well-known neighbour, Hikkaduwa, the unspoiled shores of Rathgama Beach are a hidden paradise, where you have the beach to yourself and local fishermen still ply their trade. Rathgama is a place where time slows down, inviting you to soak up the sun, the waves, and the magic of this tear-drop island’s southern charm.
In Hinduism, Aditya is the god of the sun, an appropriate name for a wonderful beach hotel. Aditya Rathgama is consistently listed as one of the Top 10 Luxury Hotels in Sri Lanka, one of the Top 25 Small Hotels in Sri Lanka, and has been named by TripAdvisor as one of the Top 25 Hotels in Sri Lanka for Service as well as one of the Top 25 Hotels in Sri Lanka for Romance – this is without doubt one of the finest beach boutique properties in Sri Lanka.
Tell Me More About Aditya Rathgama
Aditya Rathgama Resort, Colombo – Galle Main Road, Rathgama, Sri Lanka
T: +94 91 226 7708 or +94 91 226 7710 E: adityavilla@sltnet.lk
Rates: Prices start from £250 (US$300) per room, though there are regular special offers available including an Early Bird Offer (book 30 days in advance to get a 20% discount on a 4-night stay), a Romance Package (15% off on a 3-night stay) and Extended Stay Packages – offers are valid for stays until 20th December 2025.
