BENTOTA, Sri Lanka — Once home to the late Geoffrey Bawa, Sri Lanka’s most celebrated architect, the small coastal town of Bentota, 86 kilometers south of Colombo, is now one of the island’s top art and design destinations.
Climbing the entrance stairs at the Cinnamon Beach Bentota, a hotel designed by Bawa and opened in 1967 as part of a tourism development project, I realize immediately that this is no ordinary hotel building. The reception area is embellished by a striking ceiling containing more than 150 fabric panels showcasing Sri Lanka’s fauna and flora, including dancing peacocks and leopards resting on treetops.
