I chose Plantation Villa to take a break from New York City. I stayed there for the full three weeks on the Ayurveda package. Overall, I had a lovely experience and highly recommend it for anyone needing a break.
The villa is truly beautiful. It is surrounded by plush rubber trees, palm trees, bushes, fruits, and monkeys! This is a place to really relax. The rooms don’t have TV or other stimulants so get ready to read, meditate and just BE. The entire place is very tastefully decorated and the staff is extremely welcoming and sweet. I felt a connection to them even if I didn’t speak their language.
If you are going on the Ayurvedic package, you will be consulting with their in-house doctor: Nishan. Don’t be fooled by his shy demeanor and youthful appearance. He is extremely knowledgeable in his field. I felt very confident in his hands. I also got massages every day. They are different from the usual Western massages but they are truly rejuvenating.
The food was all vegan and nutritious. No milk, refined sugar, little to no eggs. I loved breakfast and lunch (so many curries). Dinner was OK. It was meant to be more light and bland. I wish they had more raw vegetables and fruit though.
We did yoga every morning and evening. They tend to rotate their teachers but I had the same one for the entire stay and was very grateful She was AMAZING. The last day they did bring a local to teach the class and it just wasn’t the same. If you are thinking of booking for the yoga, I would ask first what teacher will be on staff when you are there.
I hardly left the villa because my objective was to relax as much as possible but I did do two trips: Bentota and Udalawala National Park. The villa will organize the transportation and you pay when you leave (last day of your stay). There are a number of day trips to choose from.
I can’t really say I had any negative “moments”. I did notice some people were getting antsy after being there for a few days and where somewhat irritable (B, don’t kill my vibe). If you are someone that gets easily bored, needs constant stimulation, and want to feel you are in a 5-star hotel then this place is not for you. I also wish there was a bit more meditation. We did meditation after yoga for a few minutes but think we needed at least an hour a day. I know Ishara, the owner, was making some changes to the schedule so I think, moving forward, meditation will be a more integral part of the experience.