By Dimithri Wijesinghe
Dream Garden Resort Restaurant and Bar is located on the beach between two world-famous surf points, Whisky Point and Pottuvil Point.
The resort was designed and is led by a European couple, Italian Frankie and Swiss Christa, who lives on the property with their lovely eight-year-old daughter Stella.
While it is located in the Dry Zone, as its name suggests, it is a tropical oasis, complete with a carefully landscaped, colourful, and well-kept garden; Christa shared that it was a “dream garden” they wouldn’t have had if they lived in Switzerland.
We stayed at Dream Garden Resort Restaurant and Bar over the weekend during our trip to the East. For a property that was highly affected due to the lockdown during the pandemic, things have really begun to pick up. The owners shared that this was primarily due to the attitudes of the locals, and that they are currently dependent on residents and locals to keep them afloat.
About the property itself the duo shared that it opened in December 2016 and their primary motivation was to do something different, as they’ve found that in these areas you can really achieve something with little investment.
The duo, having travelled quite a bit, chose to settle in Asia. They said they were looking for the right plot of land, the right environment, and also the right people, and so decided Sri Lanka had the perfect combination. “People are important because in the end, we depend on people for everything,” they said.
The property contains a surprising number of rooms, ideal for either small or large groups. In addition, it also houses two extremely spacious villas that can accommodate four to six persons and are complete with fully furnished kitchens.
Dream Garden Resort Restaurant and Bar also has a charming outdoor pool surrounded by a mass of greenery providing natural shade and cool breeze that is almost alien in the Pottuvil area.
A real highlight at the property is definitely their rather spacious restaurant, of which we got to know about from the locals in the area; they sang high praise for the owners’ hospitality and food, particularly their Italian cuisine, more specifically their pizzas. Most people we spoke to at Whisky Point shared sentiments along the lines of: “The restaurant is very famous around here. They also have local food and their pizza is the best.” People especially love the convenience and value addition of all restaurant guests being given access to the pool.
Both Christa and Frankie said they are very flexible when it comes to what guests prefer when coming to the restaurant, with people coming in for meals and others to drink and enjoy swimming. The duo shared: “You can come at any time. If you want to have your lunch at three o’ clock, it is okay for us. The younger people party all night here and wake up in the middle of the day and want some breakfast, and we have decided to accommodate any kind of meal anytime.”
The restaurant also features authentic Italian coffee, with it gaining fast popularity in the area. The Dream Garden Restaurant also has a liquor license, which allows them to serve a wide array of spirits. It is the perfect space for gatherings of around 40-45 guests.
Now that curfew has been lifted and they’ve spent some time in the new normal, the duo shared that honestly, the lockdown was quite pleasant for them, stating: “If we were in Italy, in my house, I would be stuck inside with my daughter, but here while there were no people, no customers, but I had my swimming pool, my garden, and we had food stock because we were preparing for the season.”
They said that right now, they have guests who have been cooped up for three months in Kandy, Ella, and Colombo frequenting their property, and that locals and residents too, who would have otherwise gone on holiday, have now decided to just spend their break at Dream Garden Resort Restaurant and Bar instead.
We asked both Christa and Frankie if they had any concerns with regard to the airport opening up and foreigners being allowed into the island, as some other business owners had expressed to us that they were weary of people coming in before everything was fully under control. They shared that while those concerns are legitimate, they personally believe that so far, Sri Lanka has proven to be more than competent in containing the spread of the virus and is at present one of the safest places to be.
Our stay at Dream Garden Resort Restaurant and Bar was one of the most welcoming stays we have ever experienced. The couple has really cracked the code on hospitality as they have set up the perfect symbiotic system where they give back to the community by employing locals, purchasing local produce, and contributing to the environment in Pottuvil. With live music every Thursday and being in extremely close vicinity to famous surf points in Arugam Bay, the place is ideal for anyone looking for a unique relaxing getaway.
Tel: +94(0)63 205 0754 (reception), +94(0)63 205 0753 (office)
Email: info@dreamgardensrilanka.com
Address: Whisky Point, Urani, Pottuvil, Sri Lanka
Facebook: Dream Garden Sri Lanka
Instagram: @SriLanka_DreamGarden
