“Organic Sri Lankan cuisine prepared on cinnamon firewood stoves by the family cook,” proclaims the website describing the attractions of the Robin Hill bungalow.
It sounded irresistible, especially as Robin Hill is not actually in the hill country, but a few minutes’ drive from the southern coast road at Weligama. It’s easy to find by driving up the lane leading inland beside the Bay Inn Resthouse.
There’s a lot to do in the area, too. A short walk up the road reveals the 6th century rock carving of Kusta Raja, an ancient king. Yala is only two hours away by car and Galle Fort and its gentrification into trendiness can be reached by bus. Unawatuna with its bustling beach is even closer.
This is a town bungalow – a mini walauwa – cheek by jowl with the village road since it has no front garden. A gate opens from the road directly on to the house’s white-and-black tiled veranda at the entrance to this neo-gracious property.
Neo-gracious? That’s my word to define the ethos of Robin Hill. It was rather run down when Nuwan Illesinghe managed to buy it eight years ago. Since then he has worked hard to restore it to even beyond its former glory. However, in case the welter of wooden furniture and tall colonial columns get overpowering, he has added frivolous touches like busts sprouting plants. There is a television too, but it’s tactfully banished to the attic to conserve the ambience of grace.
 |
| Robin Hill courtyard |
 |
| Flavourful curries: Slow cooking on cinnamon firewood |
 |
| Colonial style: A top floor bedroom |
Robin Hill may suggest gracious living but it is so informal, guests are encouraged to do exactly what they want, as if they were in their own home.
They can even help out in the kitchen where the cook is happy to explain the secrets of a memorable curry. The kitchen is the heart and soul of Robin Hill and is 117 years old. Cooking is done on clay pots over cinnamon wood burning in an open hearth (there is no gas stove).
The cinnamon sticks, like the vegetables, come from the owner’s garden. Since he uses no chemical fertiliser or pesticides, only natural compost, his vegetables are genuinely organic.
Their pedigree and the expertise of the cook combine to make rice and curry prepared in the traditional, slow way, memorable for its exquisite flavour, each dish dashingly different. Vegetables and herbs, in the old days, would have come from the bungalow’s inner garden, now transformed into the central lawn of the courtyard.
This is the lung of the bungalow, drawing air in from the sky and – thanks to the bungalow’s layout designed before air-conditioning was invented - air flows naturally from one end to the other.
The entrance pavilion consists of several rooms including a formal dining room) with stairs going up to the rambling attic from the central hall.
It is lavishly decorated with fresh flowers and filled with period furniture and fun pieces like ginger jars. The main bedroom is on the right with its entrance from the courtyard.
The forest of columns around the courtyard creates cloisters and adds a touch of grandeur to the property. Running the length of the house, on the left, is a huge suite, consisting of two bedrooms and an attached outdoor shower/toilet.
The other wing is a two-floored private suite and houses what the owner, with a twinkle in his eye, calls the ballroom. The stone tile floor is original. At one end is a dining table; in the middle there are comfortable sofas and deep armchairs for lounging and at the other end, a staircase.
This leads to a huge bedroom stretching the entire length of the wing, enabling guests to live as the grandees of old must have done. There is another authentic touch: there is no bathroom. This must be the only luxury suite in Sri Lanka without an attached bathroom but, apparently, guests don’t mind going downstairs and using the one there.
With only three suites providing accommodation for six adults (with extra beds for children as long as they are older than 12), Robin Hill is often booked in its entirety by families and friends. Reservations need to be made well in advance as the owner likes to know about his guests’ requirements so he can prepare and cater especially for them. Robin Hill has no pretensions about being a boutique hotel; it is a simple, gracious place for people who want to enjoy traditional, wholesome, home-cooked Sri Lankan food in unpretentious, peaceful surroundings.
Unpretentious too are the room rates, just US$50 per person per day, local cuisine breakfast and dinner included.
Robin Hill, 39 Kandewattha, Weligama; tel: 0714 174174; www.robinhill.lk |
E-mail