The welcome
Arriving at dawn, I’m grateful to be greeted at Colombo airport by a man with an Anantara van equipped with a neck pillow and eye mask, allowing me to sleep for most of the two-hour drive to Kalutara. We pull up to an unremarkable entrance, greeted by four traditional dancers who lead me down a corridor to a remarkable open-air reception hall that opens onto the water, with a high gabled ceiling from which colourful batik tapestries hang. My appointed “host” Chedi takes me to my room, where he asks for my passport, then leaves to check me in and order my breakfast.
The neighbourhood
On the west coast of Sri Lanka, south of Colombo, where the Kalu Ganga River meets the Indian Ocean, the resort sits on its own shoreline, surrounded by coconut palms and tropical gardens, with a boardwalk leading to its stand-alone spa and restaurants. The sights and sounds from the village across the water provide some colour, with locals fishing and burning fires along the riverbank and the call to prayer echoing in the distance. For day trips, Kalutara is within an hour’s drive of Colombo, Galle and Lunuganga, the garden estate of Geoffrey Bawa, the architect behind the hotel’s design.
The room
I’m in the one-of-a-kind One Bedroom Anantara Suite, on the corner of the property with decks on both sides that have two different water views, surrounded by trees full of exotic birds. With its own dining and living room area, dark wood floors and decorative panels throughout, it feels like a spacious residential apartment. The highlight is a Jacuzzi tub elevated on lit wooden stairs and surrounded by windows overlooking the water (you can draw the blinds for privacy). Amenities include a Bluetooth speaker, Nespresso maker, Reval tea and Thémaé toiletries.
The service
A bit inconsistent when I stay just after opening. It’s either over-the-top thoughtful, such as the restaurant staff who make my favourite passionfruit yogurt when it’s not at the buffet, or a little forgetful, like when my room service tray isn’t cleared away at turn-down.
The scene
The resort isn’t busy when I’m there in November, save for a few couples and an Asian tour group. But the intermittent rain makes it even more pleasurable to linger under Bawa’s A-frame design, particularly in the second-floor Upper Deck lounge with pool tables and comfy leather chairs, or on the shisha terrace down below.
The food
My favourite meal is the egg hoppers at Olu, washed down with fresh water from the king coconut, but for a more atmospheric night out, Spice Traders, in a sala on the river, pays tribute to Kalutara’s spice port by offering a mix of Chinese, Indian (rogan josh; 2,700 Sri Lankan rupees [Dh65]) and Thai (fresh lime seabass; 3,800 rupees [Dh92]). The Italian restaurant Acquolina isn’t open when I’m there (it is now) but I sample the chef’s perfectly cooked saffron risotto (2,600 rupees [Dh63]).
Loved
The Geoffrey Bawa Library, with a big daybed, his sketches on walls and shelves of books about Sri Lankan architecture.
Hated
Minor maintentance issues, such as water that takes awhile to heat up, a mildewy smell in the lift (which is fixed while I’m there) and a faulty reading light.
The verdict
A unique retreat and architectural gem.
The bottom line
The One Bedroom Anantara Suite costs from Dh2,725 a night including taxes and breakfast; standard rooms from Dh1,182 (kalutara.anantara.com).
This review was done at the invitation of the hotel.
mgannon@thenational.ae
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 258hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,550-4,000rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.1L/100km
Price: from Dh362,500
On sale: now
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
SRI LANKA SQUAD
Upul Tharanga (captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella
Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana
Chamara Kapugedara, Thisara Perera, Seekuge Prasanna
Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera
Vishwa Fernando, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay
FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
