With Indian outbound travel to Sri Lanka steadily diversifying beyond traditional leisure circuits, Union Resorts and Spas, Sri Lanka, is strengthening its focus on boutique luxury, experiential stays, and destination celebrations. In conversation with TTJ, Ashwin R Joseph Subramaniam, Director, Sales and Marketing, Union Resorts and Spas share how design-driven hospitality and deeper trade engagement are shaping the group’s India roadmap.
Operating a curated portfolio of design-centric properties, Union Resorts and Spas currently manages three hotels across Sri Lanka: the beachfront The Blue Water Hotel in Wadduwa, the villa-based Water Garden Sigiriya, and the hill-country retreat Glenross Living in the Kalutara district. A fourth boutique property is currently under development in Kandy, further strengthening the group’s architecture-driven hospitality footprint.
Architecture and Experiential Brand Identity
Across the properties, Union Resorts and Spas continues to position itself around an intimate scale, strong design narratives, and immersive guest experiences. While The Blue Water Hotel remains the largest property within the portfolio, the boutique Water Garden and Glenross reflect evolving traveller demand for exclusivity, nature-inspired stays, and personalised service, particularly among high-value international and Indian travellers.
Ashwin explained that architecture forms the foundation of the brand’s long-term positioning strategy. “Our journey began nearly 25 years ago with Blue Water, the final resort project of legendary architect Geoffrey Bawa. As traveller expectations shifted towards more personalised and experiential stays, we expanded into boutique hospitality with Water Garden, designed by Bawa’s protégé Channa Daswatte, followed by Glenross Living by architect Palinda Kannangara. Our focus is to bring architectural storytelling back into tourism while positioning Union Resorts in the upmarket experiential space.”
Ashwin noted that the upcoming Kandy project will continue this philosophy, reinforcing the group’s approach of integrating strong design identity with destination-driven experiences. The vision is to bring architectural storytelling back into tourism, much like the colonial era when Dutch and British influences shaped Sri Lanka’s hospitality character.
The India Momentum
Ashwin highlighted that with India emerging as one of the leading source markets for Sri Lanka tourism, the market remains a top priority for Union Resorts and Spas. He informed that 2025 marked a shift in demand patterns for The Blue Water Hotel, “The Indian market has performed very strongly for us, especially in the destination wedding segment. Earlier, we were largely focused on ground tours, FIT, and MICE. Now weddings are becoming a major driver. We are also adapting to detailed requirements, including allowing families to bring their own Maharaj chefs, ensuring that Indian guests feel comfortable and fully catered to during their celebrations.”
With 140 rooms accommodating around 280 guests, multiple banquet venues, and expansive outdoor lawns, The Blue Water Hotel is increasingly being positioned for large-format events and celebrations.
Ashwin further shared that their boutique properties are witnessing a different but equally strong trend. “At Water Garden and Glenross Living, we are seeing increasing demand for private celebrations and full-property buyouts. Smaller groups prefer exclusive experiences where they can customise everything, which fits perfectly with our boutique concept,” he added.
Tier-Two Outreach and Trade Relationships
Strengthening travel trade partnerships remains central to sustaining growth from India. Ashwin emphasised that the group is shifting towards deeper, relationship-driven engagement. “Over the past six months, we have focused heavily on direct meetings with travel partners instead of only participating in trade fairs. I am personally meeting with four to five agents a day across different cities, sharing detailed product insights while also promoting Sri Lanka as a destination. These interactions help build stronger confidence in product offerings.”
Ashwin also highlighted the rising importance of emerging outbound markets. He said, “There is significant potential from tier-two and tier-three cities such as Rajkot and Surat, where we are seeing affluent travellers looking for premium boutique experiences. One of our objectives is to change the perception that Sri Lanka does not have high-quality boutique hotel options.”
Beyond accommodation, the group is also strengthening experiential offerings. Through a partnership with the Isha Foundation, Union Resorts has introduced classical yoga programmes, bringing certified yoga instructors to conduct structured wellness programmes.
Looking ahead, expansion remains focused within Sri Lanka, with the Kandy boutique property expected to open by the end of the year. Ashwin asserted that the broader objective is to attract higher-yield travellers while strengthening boutique positioning across key source markets, particularly India.
