On a visit to Jaffna this year, it was heartening to perceive the changes that had blessed Sri Lanka’s North, among them the boom in tourism with top-notch establishments catering to travelers having been established.
One such hotel was The Thinnai, an All Suite Boutique Hotel that celebrates the essence of the North with its apt slogan ‘Rest, Relax, Reunite’. A beautiful place with hospitable people, the hotel is very unlike any other of its kind. While any traveler is keen to experience the cuisine of a new destination, The Thinnai takes this to another level.
The hotel has its very own organic farm where a variety of vegetables and fruits are grown and used to prepare meals at the hotel and for the meals of the guests that visit the farm.
The Organic Farm ‘Thinnai Organic’ is an absolutely delightful place, calming the soul and cleansing the body and mind. Especially interesting is the Saantham Experience Center with its open kitchen that invites guests to be a part of the preparation of tasty dishes to be enjoyed by friends and family.
First, the guest chooses what dishes they wish to prepare and then, the freshest ingredients will be selected from the Thinnai Organic’s gardens. Returning, you will cut, mix, grill or cook, guided by the kitchen staff.
The food accumulates taste by the fact that you consume it in the open, in a setting of your choice. There are gazebos outside, or one can set up a table in the gardens and sit down to enjoy nature’s bounty, surrounded by the same.
And this is not the only way to do it. The Thinnai is quite ready to tailor make their guests’ culinary adventures with the specific dishes you want to prepare or even help you to couple it with other experiences on offer at the Thinnai Organic.
All in all, guests walk away with full hearts and bellies, and yes, the determination to return.