Hotel Bentota lies suavely on the beach on the sunset side of Sri Lanka. It's a real James Bond set piece, all modern and angular, with the staff rushing to bring you icy cold towels and put a drink in your hand when you arrive. But instead of handsome secret agents and Grace Jones or Thumper, its peopled with sagging pensioners and aging German baby boomers with beards.

Hotel Serendib is designed by Geoffrey Bawa, Sri Lanka's most famous architect, recently deceased. We took a three wheeler (still a thrill, like a bumper car ride with an edge) to visit the estate of his late brother, Captain Bevis Bawa, at Brief Garden. Serendib, for those who don't know, is a very old (Arab trading days I think?) name for Sri Lanka, and is of course the root of the word serendipity; there are so many unexpected pleasures here, so its apt, but I wonder what the word for unexpected hassle is, as that would fit at times, too.

Here was one of our beautiful Bentota evening views from our balcony at the Hotel Serendib.