Kite Hotel: Right on the spot in kite paradise
Kite hotel: I have been kiting since the early 2000's. When I started it was still something of a fringe sport. Kiting is still an extreme sport, but back then it was considerably more extreme than it is now. There was considerable skill involved in getting a kite to relaunch once you crashed it in the water. This meant a lot of time swimming around in deep water, frantically trying to get your kite back up into the air. That was certainly not to everyone's taste.
Also, in the early days of kitesurfing, kites had very little in the way of safety systems. This, combined with the fact that most early kiters either worked out how to kite by themselves or were taught by a friend, led to a lot of accidents.
But now the bad old days of kiting are past. In the mid 2000's kitesurfing began to change. Safety systems became safe and kites easy to relaunch.
Along with this change in kiting technology came a surge in popularity for the sport. This in turn led to a huge increase in demand for properly structured kite lessons from qualified, certified instructors. And of course, where possible, budding kiters wanted to learn in exotic locations which offered reliable wind.
Kite schools began to pop up all around the globe and kiters needed somewhere to lay their weary heads after a day on the water. And so saw the birth of the kite hotel.
The birth of the kite hotel:
The kitesurfing hospitality industry is still in its infancy. It is growing fast.
Many of these hotels already existed and over the years gradually find themselves playing host to more and more kiters. Others are built specifically to cater for people looking to learn to kite or those kiting addicts who, having mastered the basics, now travel the world from spot to spot, ever striving to improve their skills beneath a kite.
kite school owners and other entrepreneurs, seeing the increased demand for accommodation at windy spots, have begun to open kite hotels, resorts and guest houses.
I first came to Elements Beach and Nature Resort, Sri Lanka in May 2014. Prior to that I had never heard Sri Lanka mentioned as a kitesurfing destination. Imagine my delight when I arrived at Elements to find a kite hotel located right on the spot in one of the best kitesurfing locations in Asia. Happiness is a beautiful hotel, on a stunning beach blessed with pumping wind!
Click here to read more about our fantastic kiting location.
LIKE IT? PIN IT!
