I love Sri Lanka. And since I’ve been to the Maldives each of the past 5 years, it’s been easy to visit, as the capital Colombo is less than 500 miles away. There is no such thing as bad Sri Lankan food and I even go out of my way to stop for Sri Lankan when flying out of New York JFK.
I was back in Colombo earlier this year, and I’d go back in a heartbeat but want to spend more time outside the capital than I have so far.
One of my readers will get the chance before I will because I’m giving away a stay at MAYA Sri Lanka.
In fact I’m giving away 5 nights in a suite at the property including:
- Sri Lankan dinner for 2
- Massages for 2
- Cooking class for 2
The hotel is a 3 hour drive from Colombo, or a 35 minute air taxi from there. It’s a true boutique and exclusive property with just 5 suites. Here’s the Luxury Travel Diary review of the hotel.
The property seems to get perfect reviews and has received a ‘Certificate of Excellence’ from TripAdvisor.
Pro tip: MAYA Sri Lanka is a Mr. and Mrs. Smith boutique hotel and is just up the road from Amanwella. Lovers of luxury travel know what that means. Grab a taxi super cheap and spend an evening or two drinking cocktails around the pool at Amanwella.
This is a very special giveaway, thanks to my good friends at Luxury Travel Diary. Regular readers know them as a high-end travel blog with great reviews. They’re based in the UK and run travel auctions with real bargains.
As I’ve said before, folks who already know about these auctions don’t like this added attention, because there don’t seem to be enough bidders for many of their best offerings relative to the value available. Some of their items go way too cheap.
- Here are their auctions. The auctions in Asia are super deals.
- Here are their auctions in North America for those who prefer to stay on this continent.
- And here are the auctions ending soon which are probably the best to check out right now – to get an idea of just how good a deal you’re likely to get.
Seriously, these deals about to end are insane
This prize is being given away by the hotel and Luxury Travel Diary, I’m just helping to highlight it and randomly select the winner.
To enter: leave a comment on this post with your favorite item up for auction at Luxury Travel Diary, or why you would choose to stay at Maya. You may enter two times if you wish and answer those two questions one time each in separate comments.
Contest deadline and drawing winner: Entries close Friday, June 24 at Noon eastern. I will draw winner with the assistance of random.org.
The fine print: Advance booking is required and it’s subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply. Winner will have one week to respond to email notifying of the prize, otherwise the prize will be forfeit and made available to another reader.
For avoidance of doubt, I have no affiliation with Luxury Travel Diary or Maya. I am not getting anything in exchange for running this giveaway other than an opportunity to share the place with readers.
The hotel is solely responsible for providing prize to winner. All decisions made in the course of running this giveaway are final and unappealable and your entry signifies your acceptance. The goal here is to make readers aware of a pretty cool auction opportunity, and to give away a stay. So please don’t make it hard on me for doing so!
The food pictures on Maya’s website have my mouth watering! I’d love to stay there!
I’d book the luxury travel diary stay in Koh Samui. I can’t seem to get enough Thai beaches!
Your favorite item up for auction at Luxury Travel Diary: 5 NIGHTS FOR UP TO 5 AT VILLA KORU, KOH SAMUI, THAILAND
Why you would choose to stay at Maya: for the seclusion (Set amidst a sea of rice paddies)
Auction that I would like is the travel insurance, you always need it
The MAYA Sri Lanka, looks amazing. Was in Sri Lanka in 2014 and would love to go back and travel/ see different areas of the country.
This would be a nice start/ finish to the trip
We have a trip in the works to Sri Lanka and Maldives for Q1 2017 and would like to travel around Sri Lanka for at least a week and explore inner parts of the island. MAYA sounds like a great place to stay to enjoy real Sri Lankan hospitality.
My favourite item is definitely the Return Luggage Transfer Anywhere in the world. That could be great value!
The resort looks very peaceful and quiet… A great way to recharge my batteries!
Favorite items up for auction:
7 Suite Nights In The Heart Of Sri Lanka, Close To Aman Resorts Amanwella
3 Nights At The Stunning Serene Pavilions Resort, Sri Lanka
My favorite auction item (next to the Maya Sri Lanka of course) would be 2 NIGHTS AT LIVIN MYKONOS LUXURY BOUTIQUE HOTEL, GREECE!
I would choose the Maya because it looks like an amazing, intimate, genuine boutique property with a personal touch, in a beautiful and fascinating country. And would love to win because my daughter is going to be in SL in a few weeks on a low budget and I’d love to surprise her with this as a birthday gift.
I would choose Maya because Mr and Mrs Smith is a great movie.
Hi Gary, my favorite item on auction (other than MAYA) is the Fascinating 2 Day Mekong Delta Tour For 2 In Vietnam
My boyfriend and I are planning our honeymoon to Sri Lanka and would love to stay at MAYA!!
I’d pick anything on a Thai beach
The Maya looks like a dream resort. What a fantastic experience 5 nights there would be! I have never been to Sri Lanka and would love the chance to go.
Thank you Gary for this opportunity!
A great auction item for us: 3 NIGHTS AT THE UNIQUE MAMA THRESL IN THE AUSTRIAN ALPS. Planning an Austrian trip soon, so this would be great!
We’ve always found small, intimate hotels to offer a much better way to get closer to the local culture and people while getting better accommodations than a local’s house might offer. Maya Boutique looks like a great hotel for that!
You’re a big fan of Sri Lankan food Gary, and I try to follow your advice 🙂
The “FASCINATING 2 DAY MEKONG DELTA TOUR FOR 2 IN VIETNAM” looks interesting.
I’d love to stay at the MAYA for some ultimate rest and relaxation.
The food at MAYA looks wonderful.
The 2 nights at the Grand Hyatt in Rio look inviting.
My favorite item up for auction at Luxury Travel Diary: 5 NIGHTS FOR UP TO 5 AT VILLA KORU, KOH SAMUI, THAILAND
I’d love to stay at Maya for the relaxing pool and the awesome food!
If I were lucky enough to stay at the MAYA, I would set my next mystery novel there! 🙂
The 2 NIGHTS AT THE FOUR SEASONS RESORT MARRAKECH looks so wonderful I bid on it! 🙂
The 2 NIGHTS AT THE FOUR SEASONS RESORT MARRAKECH looks so wonderful I bid on it!
Favourite auction are 2 Nights In A Beautiful Woodland Yurt In Cumbria
I’d stay at Maya for the yoga classes
While far from Colombo, the property looks amazing. Would love to actually get this and have my parents stay here for a nice vacation.
I’m being seriously tempted by this 2 Nights At Divani Apollon Palace, Athens, Greece listing.
My favourite auction item is 3 Nights At Hotel Ciasa Salares In The Dolomites, Italy.
I’d love to stay at the maya for the delicious food
Oh my goodness this prize would mean the world to me and my husband. We were married 20 years ago in the beautiful Sri Lanka and we have always wanted to return. The maya looks stunning as when we were married we couldn’t afford an expensive hotel along with the rest of the costs of the wedding. We got married in negombo on the beach and shortly afterwards we went for an elephant ride. It would mean so much to us to be Mr and Mrs Smith for a few days. We still have such fond and precious memories if we were to win I would arrange for a renewal of our wedding vows and so enjoy the massage that’s included as I work as a nurse for the nhs so relaxation is rare. I really like the look of the fascinating 2 day mekang delta tour for 2 in Vietnam on the auction site looks amazing!
Seems like a classy hideout in the middle of silky paddy fields, Even the picture give the earthy and the natural feel of the place….Thank you for the information..
My favorite item up for auction at Luxury Travel Diary: 5 NIGHTS FOR UP TO 5 AT VILLA KORU, KOH SAMUI, THAILAND
My favorite place up for auction at Luxury Travel Diary: 5 NIGHTS FOR UP TO 5 AT VILLA KORU, KOH SAMUI, THAILAND