Exquisite interiors, impeccable service and delicious food are the trademarks of Cape Weligama, the glossy south-coast sibling of Ceylon Tea Trails. The resort covers 12 undulating acres of lofty, photo-worthy headland just outside the fishing village of Weligama, with stone paths leading down to the sands below (there are electric buggies to transport you about). The various rooms and villas are classically stylish and wow you with their spaciousness, elegant custom-made furnishings and slick mod cons; some come with private pools too. And whether you’re relaxing on your terrace, dining in one of the four restaurants and bars or swimming in elegant infinity pools, you can be sure of a stunning view.
The flagship cape-top Moon Pool hugs the headland and seamlessly merges with the Indian Ocean. Sea-facing wining and dining outlets include an open-air pavilion, a super Beach Club down on the Cove, a lounge-bar and a cliff-edge chef's table restaurant, yet meals ‘at home’ are very much encouraged too. The Sanctuary Spa will indulge you with Sri Lankan spice scrubs and tea-infused essential oil massages. A calm and exclusive ambiance pervades throughout, and relaxation comes easily.
Highs
- High-spec rooms and villas with freestanding tubs, steam showers, verandas and an exceptional amount of space
- Panoramic ocean and sunset views, and direct access to its own sandy Cove Beach (which is virtually private)
- One of only a few Sri Lankan hotels to meet the standards of Relais & Chateaux
- The crescent-shaped Moon Pool is beautiful by day and brilliantly luminescent at night
- Supremely romantic but good for families, too (Forest School, interconnecting rooms, a kid-friendly pool)
Lows
- The cheaper accommodation sits within multi-rooms villas and is less private than other options
- The views are better from some villas than others – not all have ocean views – so it's worth checking when you book
- You’ll have to pay a supplement (and book ahead) to dine at Tableau
- The Moon Pool is for adults only
- We have not yet visited in person following the latest additions and refurbs; it all looks terrific though!
Best time to go
The best time to visit Weligama is between December and April, when it's mainly dry on the south and west coasts. The calm seas and good visibility also make this time of year ideal for whale-watching. May and June are usually wet; July and August are pleasant but the Indian Ocean is rough. September and October can be sunny, but heavy rain, humidity and high seas are typical (especially during November).
Our top tips
Pack some binoculars for keeping a close eye on breaching blue whales out to sea. Even if you don’t get lucky whale-spotting from your sunbed, the chances of seeing one on the resort's signature whale-watching boat trips are excellent.
The resort makes a blissful coastal retreat after a stay at sister property Ceylon Tea Trails, set in Sri Lanka's beautiful hill country. Air taxis operate between the two.
The resort makes a blissful coastal retreat after a stay at sister property Ceylon Tea Trails, set in Sri Lanka's beautiful hill country. Air taxis operate between the two.
- Luxury Resort
- 39 villas and suites
- Restaurants + bar (open daily)
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Outdoor Pool
- Spa
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Concierge Service
- Bicycles Available
- Board games and books
Rooms
The impeccably presented rooms and villas are named after seafaring explorers, writers and navigators linked to Sri Lanka. With printed soft furnishings, coloured walls and bold timber bedheads, they are unmistakeably contemporary, yet their fine rattan panelling calls to mind the past, as do books, prints and maps representing their namesakes. All have furnished verandas, and bathrooms boast steam showers and freestanding tubs.
Four 2-storey villas encircle the kid-friendly Cove Pool, housing Master Suites and Junior Suites. These are the entry-level options, but they're still huge and all can connect as Two Bedroom Family Suites to sleep families of up to 6 in comfort. The larger freestanding villas are clustered around eight stone-walled wattas (gardens) sharing semi-private 15m pools. We loved our Premier Villa for its big bathroom and outside space, while Grand Villas get (partial) sea views in addition. The Cape Residence, each with 2 bedrooms and an outdoor verandah, are the resort's flashiest digs, and comprise an upper storey Pool Pavilion, which has its own infinity pool with ocean views, and a ground floor Prestige Villa, connected by an internal staircase.
Features include:
- Air conditioning
- Bathrobes
- Coffee / tea making
- Cots available
- Fan
- Hairdryer
- In-room treatments available
- Minibar
- Safe box
- Toiletries
- TV
- WiFi
Eating
The resort has four distinct dining experiences. The stepped terrace of indigo-hued Ocean Terrace offers gorgeous views of Weligama’s meandering coastline and serves international fusion cuisine, including day-fresh fish and seafood. Standing even closer to the cliff edge is scarlet-hued Tableau, an intimate chef's table restaurant. The Surf Bar honours Ceylon’s renowned tea heritage with its Ceylon High Tea experience; expect mouthwatering pastries accompanied by delicate savouries. You'll likely spend much of the day down at buzzy Cove Beach Club, which features cocktails and international bistro-style dishes.
We lunched at Ocean Terrace, starting with an artfully presented seafood terrine followed by marlin with puy lentil salad and then poached pears. In-room dining is encouraged, too, and private BBQs can be arranged. The veranda of our villa was amply equipped for meals, and it was here that we enjoyed an indulgent afternoon cream tea – you get a complimentary cream tea for booking through i-escape (excl 20 Dec-10 Jan).
Features include:
- Bar
- Kids' meals
- Restaurant
- Room service
Activities
- Marvel at the views relaxing by one of the pools
- Enjoy a massage using tea-based essential oils or a spice scrub or a herbal steam treatment at the Sanctuary Spa
- Head to Cove Beach for swimming and all-day dining; at dusk the fire pits at the Beach Club are lit
- Go on a sunset cruises, or try whale- and dolphin-watching (in season)
- Weligama’s wide sandy bay is one of the south coast’s best places to surf
- The resort is within striking distance of many southern Sri Lankan sights, including magical Galle Fort, Matara’s less well-known pair of Dutch forts, Dondra’s slim white lighthouse and Mirissa’s picture-postcard harbour
- Volunteer at the nearby MJF Centre, which holds educational sessions and creative workshops for children from local fishing villages. Classes range from maths, to singing and dancing. Afterwards, head to a fish market and finish off the day back at the hotel with a private cooking lesson
- Day trips to the leopard-filled national parks of Uda Walawe and Yala can also be arranged, and guides and private vehicles are on hand
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Birdwatching
- Boat trips
- Cooking classes
- Cycling
- Historical sites
- Private guided tours
- Safaris
- Shopping / markets
- Surfing
- Swimming
- Traditional cultures
- Well being
- Whale watching
- Wildlife
Kids
Children of all ages are welcome. There’s plenty of space for kids to let off steam, and the area around the 20m Cove Pool is very family-orientated, and close to the Beach Club. The Forest School kids club offers imaginative device-free play from storytelling to gardening; scheduled activities are complimentary. Kids under 2 stay for free.
Best for:
Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)
Family friendly accommodation:
All rooms and villas (except the Pool Pavilion) can accommodate baby cots and extra beds. Most suitable for families are Junior Suites and the Cape Residence (comprised of a Prestige Villa below and a Pool Pavilion above together), which have 2 double beds each. The Two Bedroom Family Suites are made up of a connecting Master Suite and Junior Suite, forming a large, private space for up to 6.
Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms
Babysitting:
Babysitters can be booked for a small fee
Creche/Kid's Club:
The complimentary Forest School has a lovely programme of nature-inspired activities from tree climbing to sand play, mud kitchens to butterfly gardens, and is open 9am-6pm daily, staffed with professional child-minders, and is just 50m from the restaurant and Cove pool. Up to a maximum of 15 kids aged between 6mo and 16yr are permitted at a time.
Children's meals:
All restaurants have a kids’ menu, and the in-room dining option also suits families particularly well. Meals, snacks and drinks can be served at any time of the day.
Kids Activities on site:
- Cove Beach
- Family-friendly shallow pool
- Swimming
- Cooking
- Board games
Kids Activities nearby:
- Two public beaches (one with a safe swimming reef) accessible by a cliff staircase or a 5-minute walk away
- Guided bike rides of the local area
- The opportunity to strike friendship with a pen pal through a cultural learning programme
- Boat trips to see whales and dolphins, exclusive 7-hr adventures can be arranged on their catamaran
- Galle is 25 minutes away
Families Should Know:
The resort’s landscaping is multi-levelled with steep drop-offs and unfenced terraces. In many places there is only foliage to mark the edge of the headland. Electric buggies are available to get you from one end of the resort to the other easily. Note that the Moon Pool is adult only.
Distances:
- Airport: 2-2.5 hours (Colombo)
- Hospital: 15 minutes
- Shop: 15 minutes
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
The resort is located on its own headland on the outskirts of Weligama, a small fishing village on Sri Lanka's south coast. It's a 30-minute drive from Galle.
By Air:
Colombo’s Bandaranaike Airport (178km) is the island’s main international hub and is served by flights from Europe, the Middle East and elsewhere in Asia. It's a 2-2.5-hour drive from the airport to the resort and staff can arrange transfers. Alternatively, you can take the Air Taxi service to Koggala Lake (20 minutes' drive) and arrange a pick-up from there.
By Car:
It you want to hire a car and driver for your entire trip, enquire through our Tailormade Tour Operator. Otherwise, resort staff can arrange cars, drivers and tuk-tuks for day trips and local journeys.
Detailed directions will be provided when you confirm a booking through i-escape.
More on getting to Sri Lanka and getting around
Airports:
- Colombo Bandaranaike International 178.0 km CMB
Other:
- Beach 0.1 km
- Shops 3.0 km
- Restaurant 5.0 km