William Skeen in his novel Adam’s Peak has described how ‘most hospitably’ he was entertained at the Gileemale Walawwa of Laksha Mudiyanselage Punchi Bandara during an excursion, back in 1870.
Today, this splendid Sri Lankan manor house, which once hosted the famous English photographer, William Skeen for breakfast, offers that great hospitality inherent to the DNA of their lineage to travel aficionados around the world through a hospitality experience that is hard to match.
The mansion dates back to the times of King Rajasinghe I, also known as Seethawaka Rajasinghe who ruled the country from 1581 to 1592. The legend has it that the King bestowed a youth by the name of Appu from Pagoda, Kotte the gift of the village known today as Gileemale after he successfully accomplished an open challenge to climb the Kunudiya Rock. The King also permitted Appu to bring his relatives and friends to Gileemale and thus he changed his surname to Bandara. He was also granted permission by the King to build a mansion in the area which went onto become the Gileemale Walawwa today. Opposite to the walawwa, you find the old roadway leading to Adam’s Peak known as Raja Mawatha. For generations, the Gileemale family has served as the hospitality partners for king’s men.
According to folklore, the mansion has been designed taking the flight of a bluebird as an omen. Although the ancient walawwa dilapidated; the present one was built around 150 years ago with a second floor inducted in 1911.
The more recent refurbishment had given this ancestral walawwa the ambience of an upmarket holiday home at a very minimalistic finish. Consists of two luxury suites on the upper floor, four standard bedrooms downstairs, Yoga and Relaxing Lounge in the open interior courtyard, a reading room, museum of antiques and plenty of relaxing areas decorated with archeological monuments and paintings, the property has been designed to evoke a sense of place for the guests.
The mansion also connects its visitors with a myriad of travel experiences steeped in the history and culture of the Sabaragamuwa Province as the famous Adam’s Peak, the historic Saman Devalaya, the Rankoth Viharaya known for its stone inscription, Bopath Ella and Udawalawa.
A stunning piece of colonial architecture draped in 25 acres of lush greenery, and nestled in Ratnapura in close proximity to the Sri Pada mountain range, the Gileemale Retreat has been refurbished to cleverly combine the old classic charm with modern luxury.
Apart from business travelers, the retreat provides an ideal getaway for holiday seekers as writers, agri tourists, stress relievers, artists and adventure enthusiasts as well as for lovers of nature, history and heritage alike.
