Sri Lanka

The hotel overlooks a huge ancient man-made lake and offers a delightful landscape for several kilometers around and Sigiriya Rock in the distance.

Heritance Kandalama has eight categories of rooms to choose from – to suit all tastes and requirements. The hotel is divided into two wings and depending on which wing you choose, the views are different. The Dambulla wing offers views of Sigiriya Rock, the lush jungle or Dambulla Rock, while the Sigiriya wing offers views of its namesake. We recommend choosing panoramic rooms or upgrading to one of the suite categories to get wide balconies and the best views in the hotel. Regardless of which room you stay in, the décor is in the same style: wooden furniture, textiles and soft furnishings in rich earth tones, as well as wood paneling. The interiors blend very harmoniously with the surrounding jungle nature, and you will immediately be able to relax in a homely environment.

The hotel has a wide range of dining options, with the all-day dining restaurant Kanchana serving international and western cuisine, and fine fusion dishes at Kaludiya Restaurant.
There is also the Kanchana Lounge and Bar, serving light snacks and cocktails, as well as the cozy Kachchan Café on the edge of the forest. Private dining can be arranged on site, such as picnics in the rice fields or candlelit dinners in the caves, to maximize your enjoyment of this incredible place.

The Heritance Kandalama has three impressive pools: the Kachchan Infinity Pool, which highlights the ingenuity of architect Geoffrey Bawa as the edge of the pool merges with the water of Lake Kandalama, giving the impression that you are on the lake itself. Kaludiya Pool, which means “black water” as the bottom of the pool is a dark stone in which you can swim. The roof garden and terraces throughout the hotel are also lovely features. There is an on-site spa where you can enjoy ancient Ayurvedic traditions and Swedish aromatherapy massages.

Situated in the center of the Cultural Triangle, this hotel is an ideal point to explore the ancient cities, palaces and temples of the surrounding area at a calm and relaxed pace.

Exquisite furnishings and amenities make it a dream vacation spot in Sri Lanka. Everything is special here. The guest rooms are superbly appointed. Luxurious fabrics and rich wooden fittings give them a touch of impeccable quality. The furnishings are tastefully and richly done.

Comfort is given equal attention, so a well-equipped bathroom (with rain shower) is at your disposal. All rooms have a balcony or terrace, and for a small daily supplement you can upgrade to a Deluxe room with an ocean view. As you would expect from a hotel of this quality, the facilities here are top notch. There are two wonderful large pools, a gym and Jacuzzi, and when it’s time to relax, head to the fantastic spa for some wellness treatments. You can also work out on the tennis courts or play a game of billiards in the hotel’s games room. There are three restaurants (and the hotel’s coffee shop) to choose from, as well as four bars.

The Heritance Ahungalla even has its own nightclub. In other words, it has everything you need. You can unpack, relax, unwind and enjoy the Sri Lankan lifestyle from the comfort of the beach. There is simply no other hotel like Heritance Ahungalla. Looking at the beach where the clear blue sky meets the clear blue sea, you will realize that this hotel and this place is truly special; it is simply your own little piece of paradise on earth.

With beautiful views from every room and a balcony from which to admire them, the Royal Palms Beach Hotel is a luxurious and stylish vacation destination. Set in a grove of trees by the ocean, it is in an ideal location.

Rooms are spacious, with rich natural wood finishes and attractive local features.

Luxury is at the heart of the Royal Palms Beach Hotel. Kalutara is perfect for vacationers: it has all the facilities to relax and see a lot of interesting things. And you’re sure to love the many wonderful amenities offered at the Royal Palms Beach Hotel and its sister hotel, the Tangerine Beach Hotel. There is, of course, a stunning swimming pool, a wellness center with Jacuzzi and easy access to a traditional Ayurveda wellness center.

The Royal Palms Beach Hotel boasts two excellent restaurants and bars. You’ll have plenty of fun with the opportunity to play tennis, squash and badminton. With beautiful views from every room and Sri Lanka’s sense of style, the five-star Royal Palms Beach Hotel is impressive in every sense.

One of top choices in Bentota is the Eden Spa Resort Hotel. The beach is just a 3 minute walk away. The hotel is located on the west coast of Sri Lanka, close to the golden sands of the Beruwela resort. It offers elegant rooms, an outdoor freshwater pool, an Ayurvedic center and 3 restaurants.

Eden Spa Resort Hotel is 96 km from Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport.

Garden of Eden Resort Spa Hotel’s main restaurant offers a variety of international dishes. The Temptations Restaurant offers a fine dining experience with wines from the hotel’s cellar. Guests will be served drinks at Captain’s Deck and can also enjoy live music.

The hotel offers a wide range of personalized services, including massage and spa treatments. Other facilities include pool tables, a beauty salon and a squash court.

The exotic hotel has 300 rooms and suites spread over 44,500 square meters of beautifully landscaped gardens. Located in the business center of Colombo, this urban resort is within walking distance of the vibrant city center and 34 km from the airport.

Enjoy a variety of recreational facilities including an outdoor pool, a tennis court and a sauna. This hotel also offers concierge services and babysitting/childcare services (surcharge).

Restaurants offer a variety of Indian cuisine. At the poolside bar, you can quench your thirst with your favorite drink. Buffet breakfasts are served daily from 7 am to 10:30 am for an additional fee.

The hotel offers amenities such as a 24-hour business center, express check-in and express check-out. Event facilities at this hotel include a conference center and meeting rooms.

This is one of the oldest hotels in Bentota and its design is very unusual. The hotel is built into a rocky promontory and wraps around it so that the rooms in one wing face south and those in the other wing face northwest. Built on several levels, the design is a little confusing at first – the lobby is not on the first floor but several floors above, and the pool is perched high above the beach, offering fabulous north-south panoramas.

By the main pool there is a separate children’s pool with shallow water and an area with 200-degree views of the coastline. More sun loungers are spread out on the grassy area below, next to the beach, which also has tennis courts. The gym is small but spacious.

There are 160 rooms and suites, and they’re well tucked away in the wings that curve around the hotel. Rooms are fairly large, though interiors vary between the more colorful standard rooms with white wooden furniture and the more expensive monochrome rooms. Each has a private terrace or balcony, some with ocean views, others with garden views.

The Palms is the hotel’s main all-day dining restaurant with multicultural cuisine. Located next to the pool, it offers tables indoors or on two stepped terraces outside. The buffet is favored here: Indian cuisine, Sri Lankan cuisine, fish and seafood, and a few Western dishes (like salads, pasta and lasagna).

This place feels quite extraordinary. Perched above a precipitous stretch of beach, the hotel borders Yala National Park, Sri Lanka’s premier nature reserve. Elephants appear on the beach at midnight and have been known to dip their trunks into the Cocoon pools, while flocks of langur monkeys move gracefully between the trees.

The lodge was overseen by Nomadic Resorts’ international design team, which developed Cocoon’s 28 caterpillar-like marquees (and eight Urchin). The restaurant and bar sit beneath a striking double-height bamboo pavilion whose irregularly shaped tiled roof reflects the surrounding boulder-strewn landscape. The vintage safari style is sumptuous – plush leather furniture, sleek brass fittings, teak floors, porthole windows and soft footed rugs. The focus is on wildlife, and a team of English-speaking naturalist guides enthusiastically run the safaris.

Cocoon’s 28 identical tents are immaculate and spacious, with an open-plan sleeping and living area under a high domed roof, and the toilet and shower are separate cabins with canvas walls. The upholstered four-poster bed, huge freestanding bathtub is handmade, and the sinks and fittings are made of copper. Most rooms are set around landscaped water features, and the four Cocoons, which face the beach, have large terraces with plunge pools.

The food at the hotel is very good. The menu offers international cuisine blended with local specialties and cooking techniques. You can try seafood and fish from Sri Lanka as well as such imported meat dishes.

This low-rise hotel on the south coast of Koggala sits between the busy main road and the ocean, but its rampart-like outer wall echoes the noise of passing buses as much as the crashing waves of the Indian Ocean. The hotel fronts a narrow beach, but you can only swim in a small area enclosed by stone blocks to the east of the hotel, behind which Sri Lanka’s famous fishermen sit on stilts. The beach is perfect for sunset walks, jogging or building sand castles. The hotel’s buttressed walls, double-height ceilings and thick columns were inspired by the 17th-century fortress at Galle, 15 km to the west, and emphasize the already enormous size of the building.

In 2019, the interiors have been updated to a classic-modern style. The hotel grounds are quite spacious: the lush patio is barely used, but there’s a yoga pavilion, and lounge chairs are spread out on the ocean front lawn. The friendly staff is a major plus for the hotel, and management is especially helpful and accommodating.

The fiber-optic-lit pool is one of the best in Sri Lanka. It includes a kid-friendly beach area, a children’s pool and a lower, shadier section parallel to the restaurant with foaming jets. The spa has four treatment rooms, a sauna and steam room, and a 24-hour gym.

The restaurants are designed to please not only your taste buds but also your eyes, as each restaurant offers stunning views of the Indian Ocean. Succulent seafood, delicious international cuisine, exotic local specialties and a fine selection of wines – you can taste it all!

This part of Sri Lanka’s coastline is off the famous tourist routes and is virtually untouched by tourism. It is a three-hour drive from Bandaranaike International Airport and a 30-minute drive from Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport with daily flights from Colombo. Guests tend to spend most of their time at the resort, but Yala Leopard National Park, just over an hour away, is worth a day trip.

Upon arrival, guests are greeted by a massive wooden entry pavilion with decorative peacocks and ocean views. Large open spaces with accents of teak wood, terra cotta tile and vegetation including palm trees and potted plants create the ambiance of a resort in nature. The resort’s landscaping, including suspended “bird nests” where guests can sit and watch the waves, paths to explore the grounds and a Rodney Wright-designed golf course, give it a distinctive flavor.

The staff here are very friendly and willing to accommodate all requests, but what is truly impressive is the sheer number of options. From trapeze flying to archery and a kids club that is unmatched, the activities here are endless. Guests can also play giant chess, cricket, take daily bike rides around the resort or work out in the world-class fitness center.

An 18-hole golf course, as well as an Ayurvedic spa and three outdoor pools, divided and designed for adults, children and families, are a definite advantage as swimming at the nearby beach is not recommended due to wild waves. With 274 rooms, including 20 suites, the resort feels huge. The modern rooms, each with its own balcony or terrace, vary among five categories named (in Sinhalese) after local animals, including elephant and turtle. All are decorated with rattan wicker-backed chairs, ornate Sri Lankan patterns on the walls, bamboo wood accents, comfy mattresses and flecks of turquoise to offset the neutral palette.

Bojunhala’s all-day dining restaurant serves Sri Lankan and international cuisine. With several kitchens, the chef prepares fresh dishes including the finest seafood from the south coast, specially selected for you. The restaurant is always open for casual, comfortable dining indoors or al fresco with breathtaking garden views.

The one and a half kilometer long beach on the west coast of Ahungalla is undoubtedly very beautiful, although you can only swim in the sea for a few months of the year (January to March). Turtles lay their eggs on nearby Kosgoda beach, and a visit to the turtle hatchery and a boat trip to the mouth of the Madhu Ganga River are popular local excursions.

It is a large resort hotel with around 500 rooms, as well as several restaurants and bars, three swimming pools, a stage and a nightclub. The staff are friendly and can often be seen encouraging guests to have a good time.
There are small gym and a spa with a complimentary hydrotherapy area. Every evening the hard-working animation team puts on live shows, which are usually over by 11pm. Drinks are available 24 hours a day – the nightclub is open until 2am and the lounge bar until 7am.

The hotel is just a short walk to all the city’s historic attractions (your personal butler will be happy to take you on a walking tour of the fort); trendy cafes, art galleries, boutiques and yoga studios are also nearby. The beautiful cricket pitch, which hosted England matches for many years, is a short walk from the hotel and can be seen from some of the top-floor bedrooms.

Today, it’s Aman’s elegant city hotels that generate the most buzz, but Amangalla is the ultimate expression of what the brand does best: transforming historic structures into incredibly chic hotels.
The hotel was built in the early 1700s and was first a rather large garrison for Dutch soldiers before becoming the New Oriental Hotel, which was a resting place for world-traveling passengers for over 100 years. 20 years ago it finally opened as the Aman Hotel. References to the past are present in all public areas and are immediately apparent thanks to the original tiled floor on the veranda.

Once inside, you’ll find yourself in the Great Hall (also known as the Zaal) with its wooden floors, heavy Dutch chests, curved rattan chairs and huge cream-colored floral displays. A steep staircase leads to the upper apartments, and next to the small library is a mini-museum dedicated to the building’s history. And don’t forget to make your way to the large, lush garden in the backyard, where there’s a lovely jade-tiled pool.

Overall, the hotel gives the impression of a perfectly serene and elegant time capsule; no wonder it was recently listed as one of the “World’s 50 Best Hotels”. The Great Hall Restaurant serves excellent Sri Lankan cuisine, and the chefs are happy to adjust the spice levels according to diners’ preferences.

Despite all this beauty, the sea here is quite rough and suitable only for brave swimmers. Tangalle is about 8 km to the east. Local attractions include Mulkirigala rock temple, Rekawa turtle beach and craft villages.

Amanwella’s linear design is a true triumph of tropical minimalism. Conceived by Kerry Hill Architects, it draws inspiration from the work of the late modernist architect Geoffrey Bawa. And even the gardens prominently feature fragrant white frangipani trees, a tribute to his favorite tree. Working with the natural terrain, the resort stays true to Aman’s philosophy of barefoot luxury and simplicity. The restaurant and bar, with its revolving windows, looks directly out over the ocean and the three bays and sits above a sprawling 45-meter pool, while freestanding suites made of locally sourced stone and wood peek discreetly out from beneath an abundance of coconut palms on the opposite hillside.

Butlers look after guests on the property as well as during excursions to local attractions. The main pool stretches an impressive 47 meters and there are two spa suites, but no gym. Just behind the bar is a beautifully decorated library with books and games. The suites are spacious and laconic with dark wood furniture and decorated in taupe tones.

Sri Lanka is renowned for its cuisine, and Amanwella celebrates its diversity with a full menu of authentic dishes complemented by Asian and Mediterranean classics. Three restaurants are open to guests and non-residents alike, and unique culinary experiences are available in the surrounding villages and countryside near Tangalle.

As you make your way to your chosen bungalow, located in the picturesque Bogawantalawa Valley in the island’s Hill Country, you can’t help but get the feeling that you have entered some unique place. This is the place for guests looking for tranquility, and perhaps for those who also want a bit of adventure: scenic walks, hikes and mountain bike trails are available right on the doorstep.

The five tea planter bungalows date back to 1888 and are individually designed. You’ll immerse yourself in a world of tea that is present in everything from the gourmet food to the in-room spa treatments. Each bungalow has its own character, combining period style with modern luxuries such as infinity pools. Service is top notch, it starts from the moment the butler brings your morning cup of tea to your room. Each bungalow has a butler and a chef to take care of all your needs,. Complimentary bicycles are provided and each stay includes a tour of a local tea factory where you can learn how Dilmah tea is grown, harvested and prepared for sale around the world.

Each bungalow has its own private dining room and lounge bar, where a succession of gourmet meals prepared with seasonal local produce are served throughout the day. The chef will consult with you each morning about meal options for the day, based on what you like .

The hotel offers hiking on tea trails, white water rafting and leopard watching, as well as day trips to attractions such as Sri Lanka’s highest city, Nuwara Eliya, a two-hour drive away.

The style is essentially relaxed, modern and uncluttered, though the elaborate bungalow, emerging from a central chimney with a double-sided fireplace, feels pleasantly comfortable and cozy thanks to shelving units stocked with books, linen fabrics and attractive furnishings.

One of the staff has a knack for spotting leopards at night and will invite guests to try their luck. As usual in Sri Lanka, the atmosphere is informal and you can dine indoors or in the garden, which has a 10-meter landscaped pool and lounge area.

A la carte, continental or full English/Irish breakfast is available. Camellia Hills has a restaurant serving international cuisine. Guests can ask for vegetarian, lactose-free and vegan dishes to be prepared.

Many of the rooms are huge villas, grouped in twos or threes in separate enclosed gardens with emerald lawns and 15-meter pools. Thus, you hardly see other guests at the resort except in the restaurant or by the pool.

The 60-meter crescent-shaped pool for children over 12 years old offers the most spectacular views on the coast. Below is an equipped gym and a simple bar, opening onto a terrace where paths lead to magical spots overlooking the ocean. There’s also a separate family pool, a spa villa and a water sports center offering cycling, surfing, whale watching and diving.

The main restaurant is located at the top of the headland. It is a great place for breakfast at sunrise. The menu features Sri Lankan specialties and modern Pan-Asian dishes – like spiced lamb and cinnamon smoke-roasted tuna. Also try the Chef’s Table, an interactive experience where chefs prepare a tasting menu right before your eyes.

Chena Huts are a unique blend of domed palm-fringed residences inspired by the tall huts of farmers who keep watch over wildlife at night. These stylish huts, which create a modern safari atmosphere, are elevated above ground and connected by boardwalks to allow nature to move through. The communal areas, designed around a lily pond that is home to quacking frogs, overlook the ocean. The huts have private pools as well as a large shaded jungle pool and spa.

The a la carte breakfast menu is designed to be both healthy (porridge, fresh fruit and granola) and indulgent (Sri Lankan-style curried milk rice, poached eggs with homemade gravlax). Lunch and dinner are fine dining (and barbecue) with European-style appetizers and desserts. Sri Lankan rice and curries are also on the menu.

Service is fast, and the nautical-themed restaurant includes a deck overlooking the sea and a cozy interior. Have a beer or wine at the bar while enjoying the sea breeze or admiring the Great Bass Lighthouse, 24 km offshore.

Whether you’re looking for cultural and nature excursions or the opportunity to explore the local region at your leisure, you’ll find it all here. And for those days when you want to get away from it all, the tranquil Anantara Spa offers Ayurvedic and holistic treatments, as well as plenty of secluded places to relax. You can even stroll to the nearby small beach, where there are cozy beach restaurants.

The ambience here reflects that of the entire resort – the 152 rooms and villas feature native Sri Lankan designs as well as locally made furniture and art. Each Premier and Deluxe room has a terrace or balcony overlooking the gardens and, for an additional charge, the beach and ocean. For true indulgence there is a selection of villas which are very popular, each with a private terrace with pool.

All pool villas are ideal for a couple or small family vacation, but we recommend choosing the ocean view villas.

The three restaurants and two bars are joined by excellent private dining options, which range from paired meals with wine in the wine cellar to farm-to-table dining in the garden with organic produce. On-site staff can lead walking tours of the surrounding area, showcasing more than 280 plants and endemic animals such as monkeys, varanas and turtles.

A la carte lunch is served by the pool with club sandwiches and pizza. There are three options for dinner, including Il Mare, an ideal cliff-top spot to enjoy sunset drinks and Italian pasta. Veeralu prepares modern Asian cuisine and Sri Lankan teppanyaki (advance reservations are recommended), and Journeys offers a different themed buffet daily.