Luxury at Anantara Sri Lanka
gets local and gritty
BERJAYA AIR MAKES IT
FASTER TO GET TO REDANG
Travel time from Subang Airport in Kuala
Lumpur to pristine Redang Island in
Terengganu will be reduced once direct
charter air services are launched in July
by Berjaya Air, which is also looking to
launch services from Seletar Airport in
Singapore to Redang Island.
Accessibility to The Taaras Beach &
Spa Resort in Terengganu will improve,
and travelling time to Redang Island
reduced once charter air services are
launched direct from Subang to Redang
Island in July.
Berjaya operates The Taaras Beach &
Spa Resort in Terengganu.
Hanley Chew, CEO of Berjaya Hotels
& Resorts, said: “The ATR42-500 charter
operations will be operated by our sister
company, Berjaya Air. We’re looking at
six-day weekly operations from Subang
to Redang. Flight tickets will be sold
with all-inclusive resort packages, from
RM3,500 (US$906) onwards.”
He added: “We hope to also operate
charter services from Seletar Airport to
Redang Island in the near future, thus
providing direct air accessibility for
guests travelling from Singapore.”
Currently, guests must fly to Kuala
Terengganu, the administrative capital,
and take a ferry service or travel by
private speed boat to Redang Island.
The 190-room resort underwent
refurbishments last year. Its list of
activities has also been expanded. One
of the investments, for example, was the
purchase of 10 glass-bottomed boats
for kayaking. Another new activity is
swimming with turtles.
Chew explained: “The turtles are
wild, yet friendly, and may choose to
swim near humans. Those who enjoy
snorkelling will definitely catch sight of
them. Redang is a protected marine life
island and is home to three species of
turtles – Olive Ridley, Hawksbill and the
green turtle.
“The sea around the resort is really
clear, even better than in Seychelles.
There is so much natural beauty around
the island. We wish to promote The
Taaras as a world-class hotel, and we
have spent a couple of million Ringgit on
upgrading the physical product.”
The group also manages The Chateau
Spa & Organic Wellness Resort which
sits majestically on Berjaya Hills amid
a lush tropical rainforest. It is looking
at expanding its market segment to
include destination weddings and C-level
meetings. The resort will be temporarily
closed from June 1 until September
30 for refurbishments, and to enable
the construction of a new glass hall to
hold wedding ceremonies for up to 300
people.
Chew said: “We hope to get a share
of the Indian and Indonesian destination
weddings segment, as well as small
C-Level meetings of below 50 people
from domestic and regional markets.
“Organic and wellness seekers are a
small market, and are not commercially
viable on its own. Hence, we need to look
at new business opportunities.”
– S Puvaneswary
Minor Hotels’ two Anantara properties in Sri Lanka
have brought in experienced gurus – local folks with
an exceptional skill or knowledge – to deliver unique
experiences to well-heeled guests.
At Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort, a
naturalist conducts walking tours around the property’s
own rice padi fields and introduces guests to native
butterflies and dragonflies.
At Anantara Kalutara Resort on Sri Lanka’s southern
coast, a fishing guru takes guests out on the lagoon for
a traditional Sri Lankan net fishing experience, as well
as midnight crabbing on the shore with only a stick and
flashlight.
Giles Selves, area general manager with Minor
Hotels, who takes care of both properties, said providing
these opportunities are crucial now as “luxury travel
has become more experiential than ever before” and
well-travelled guests are drawn to “sensory and unique
experiences” especially those that give them bragging
rights.
“Valuable experiences are all about stimulating
senses and drawing emotions. That’s what we are trying
to create here,” he remarked, adding that for many
of his guests who are “big city folks”, the local, gritty
experiences are unusual and charming.
Selves added that the Anantara brand’s signature
Dining by Design is another way of satiating guests’
hunger for unique experiences.
“Dining by Design is all about customising unique
dining experiences in amazing places. Here at Anantara
Kalutara Resort, we have beach and lagoon options,
while at Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort we offer
clifftop options. Guests can also dine exclusively in their
villa while watching the sun set,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Anantara Kalutara Resort is leveraging
its heritage building – the last project of renowned
architect Geoffrey Bawa and one that was completed
by his protégé Channa Daswatte – to draw architecture
fans. It has developed a package with Diethelm Travel
that allows travellers to do a tour of Bawa’s architectural
work in Kalutara that ends at the resort.
Selves shared that he has plans to “bring in classes
and conversations around Bawa’s work eventually”, to
be held at the resort. – Karen Yue
TTG Asia luxury | May 2018 61