The best hotels in Sri Lanka
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Sri Lanka has had a rough ride at times – but this teardrop island has gone from strength to strength and is now back riding high as a sublime sunny destination. It’s as dynamic as it is diverse with alluring beaches, serene hill country and ancient ruins. There are also splendid national parks teeming with elephants, leopards and umpteen birds. However, it’s not just about the places. There are the people, too, who are super hospitable, kind and friendly. The delicious spice-laden food, topped off by a cup of famous Ceylon tea, seals the deal.
When it comes to places to stay, there are myriad options. There are many heritage homes and hotels, often sporting a tropical modernist look spearheaded by star Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. But things are changing and the past few years have seen a handful of new hotels in Sri Lanka crop up, pushing the boundaries of hospitality and introducing another level of buzz to the country.
What is the best part of Sri Lanka to stay in?
Cosmopolitan capital Colombo is a quietly rising scene of stylish coffee shops, cool galleries and great shops. But you want to spend your time on the south coast, with its idyllic beaches, oceanfront café buzz and exceptionally warm weather. There are beautiful beachfront hotels but equally good are the properties, a short tuk-tuk ride inland for a bit more peace. It’s tempting to stay close to Galle but continue around the coast to leopard-dense Yala National Park which has fantastic lodges.
If you have time, combine the beach with the Hill Country, particularly Kandy, home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, one of Buddhism's most sacred shrines. There’s the Cultural Triangle, too, in the centre of the island, which includes the extraordinary Sigiriya Rock, alongside a fascinating array of age-old monuments.
Courtesy of AmanhotelAmangalla, Sri Lanka
For stepping back in time
Amangalla's pillared verandas, high ceilings and patterned 19th-century floor tiles are set in the 500-year-old Fort Galle district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s the kind of place where guests who want the look of the old but the cushy feel of the new can have their cake and eat it: owners Aman Resorts have held fast to the vintage features while adding modern spa indulgences and a gorgeous swimming pool. The rooms in the annexe contain balconies overlooking the gardens or swimming pool, while rooms in the original building feature tall, arched windows looking out onto the Fort and harbour. Aim for a corner suite – it faces the sea and the Dutch Reformed Church and has views of the lighthouse in the distance. Afternoon teas on the veranda are a big draw, with non-guests stopping by for facefuls of pineapple gateau, coconut cake, and scones with homemade clotted cream. Noo Saro-Wiwa
Address: 10 Church St, Galle 80000, Sri Lanka
Price: From £665 per night
hotelFirst in: Kayaam House, Rekawa, Sri Lanka
Hoteliers Resplendent Ceylon upped the hospitality game in Sri Lanka with a trio of deep-nature Relais & Châteaux properties: Wild Coast Tented Lodge, Ceylon Tea Trails, and Cape Weligama. But now the group’s intimate and affordable new sister brand, Reverie, is turning heads. The first opening is Kayaam House, off the beaten track in Rekawa, on the south coast near Tangalle. Built from scratch a few years ago, this whitewashed hideaway is a lesson in absolute peace, broken only by the soundtrack of crashing waves. Flanked by palm trees and frangipanis, the glorious pool sets the scene, stretching across the lawn towards a private beach sprinkled with sun loungers. Inside the house, pops of Persian blue provide a fresh zing while copper pots, planter’s chairs, and an ancient temple door from Jaffna add character. The nine rooms and suites, with ocean or forest views, are simple yet sophisticated, most coming with a four-poster bed, tub on the terrace, and Bang & Olufsen tech. Sleep-inducing Balinese massages await in the spa, and a sea-facing yoga shala is on the lawn. A Bawa-inspired dining room with cane lighting is the showcase for chef Namal Surendra, who brings his global cooking, including a very British roast rack of lamb from the Four Seasons at Landaa Giraavaru in the Maldives. Blissed-out guests wake to the song of hornbills and tuck into Bircher muesli on the oceanfront terrace as fishing boats bob in the distance.
Address: Rekawa, Wellodeya Rd, Sri Lanka
Price: From £380 per night
hotelFirst in: Ahu Bay, Ahungalla, Sri Lanka
For a beachside location
It’s a tough job setting up shop on the hotel-lined west coast of Sri Lanka. However, Ahu Bay is already making its mark. Dazzling white and glossy, a blue and white theme sings throughout, set off by the uninterrupted sea views. There’s no reception. Instead, all the action takes place in the restaurant, the beating heart of this laidback spot, with a bamboo-clad roof, a bar knocking out strong mojitos and mellow music. A drift forward is the white bean bag-lined infinity pool, which looks out onto the ocean. Head down the steps, and you stumble upon the beach with giant cabanas sheltered by palms. The waves are enthusiastic, but that adds to the fun – this is frolicking on the beach at its best – plus the hotel lifeguards, with Baywatch red ‘torpedoes’ under their arms, are poised to rescue you at any second. This is a boutique bolthole, too, with just four bedrooms in the main house plus three three-bedroom villas (available either by room or exclusive basis). The interiors are a collage of colour, texture and fun. Elegant wood kingsize beds sit alongside sophisticated teak furniture; textiles brought back from India, and rattan lighting. All together, the breezy rooms, bang-on-the-beach location and tasty cocktails are a winning combination. Harriet Compston
Address: 100/12 Samudhraramaya Rd, Ahungalla, Sri Lanka
Price: From £222 per night
Courtesy of AmanhotelAmanwella, Sri Lanka
For beach bunnies
It’s the pristine beachfront setting here which steals the show and makes Amanwella one of the most spectacular hotels in Sri Lanka – expect a mesmerising swathe of silky sand, fringed with palm trees. But there’s plenty else to fall in love with at this tropical modernist resort, near the seaside town of Tangalle. Dotted on a hillside, the 27 clean-lined, super spacious freestanding suites sing of contemporary cool. Each has a private pool and floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors maxing out the views. Ask for Ocean Suites 110, 111 and 112, which are nearest to the beach. The pavilion-style restaurant makes full use of the panorama – basking in ocean vistas while relishing the Asian fusion cuisine, made with local produce such as just-caught barramundi. Or tuck into fresh salads at their feet-in-the-sand beach club. There’s a beautiful library filled with games and books and a huge infinity pool. But most people gravitate to the idyllic beaches with soft, warm water.
Address: Amanwella, Bodhi Mawatha, Godellawela 82200, Sri Lanka
Price: From around £782 per room per night
SIRIWAN FERN CHAMPORNKurulu Bay
For honeymooners
Overlooking peaceful Koggala Lake on Sri Lanka’s southern coast, Kurulu Bay opened in December 2022 on a beautiful private jungle estate. Meaning ‘bird’ in Sinhala, Kurulu is a boutique retreat for those wanting to switch off and unwind from everyday life. Its 12 lodgings are spread across garden rooms, lakefront cottages and treehouse suites — great for honeymooners — and allow you to dip in and out of nearby Ahangama’s magnetic scene. The latter are scattered around the pre-existing Kurulu House, where owner Shahzad Malik lives, designed by Geoffrey Bawa protege Channa Daswatte and merges 1960s Florida architecture with tropical modernism. It’s also the venue for the hotel’s almost daily yoga classes, its shala teetering over the lake and scented by frangipani trees. Life here is slow and simple: start with Turkish eggs on the poolside terrace before gliding between sunlounger and spa —we recommend the body wrap — until dinner in the restaurant, where the menu runs the gamut from lobster tail curry to wood-fired pizzas. Kate Lough
Address: Gurunkanda, Kathaluwa, Ahangama, Sri Lanka
Price: From £136 per night
Patrick LathamTrebartha East
For architecture lovers
A new opening for early 2023, Trebartha East The Roundhouse is an intimate boutique hotel with four bedrooms not far from the surfer hotspot of Ahangama. Set atop a working cinnamon plantation, its award-winning roundhouse design is the brainchild of Colombo-based architect Dr Ar. Narein Perrera. Inside, each corner is a homage to Sri Lankan craftsmanship and artists, with locally sourced furniture, handwoven rugs, rattan ware and paintings adorning its handsome teak walls. Outside, you’ll want to spend all day lounging by its curved infinity pool. Trebartha East feels like a private house rather than a hotel – especially when owners Benny and Patrick Latham reside – with family – style meals served around a communal table and evening drinks shared with fellow guests. Kate Lough
Address: NO.164/A MEEGAHAGODA, Ahangama 80650, Sri Lanka
Price: From £151 per night
Halcyon MawellaHalcyon Mawella
For beach time
A 10-minute tuk-tuk ride from hip Hiriketiya, a surfer’s paradise, is the wide sweep of Mawella Beach. Pristine and jungle-fringed, it’s a working fishing village and home to the new boutique hotel, Halcyon Mawella. Four double-level beachfront cabanas, with Tallentire House-designed interiors that flit between Lamu, Indonesia and India, provide delicious sleeping quarters for lazy, pure holiday days. Fuelled by the hotel’s signature cocktail, the heady Halcyon Spritz, lounge by the pool, paddle board on the nearby lagoon and jump in the waves as the sun sets. Co-owner Zander and his Rhodesian Ridgeback are usually on-site to keep you entertained and ensure you’re well looked after. Kate Lough
Address: Kotuwaththawewatta Moraketiara Mawella, Sri Lanka
Price: From £108 per night
SIRIWAN CHMPORNTekanda Lodge
For a jungle stay
Run with love by Richard and Charlotte Pembroke, Tekanda Lodge is a luxurious guest house (that can be hired exclusively) and a retreat venue on a jungle hilltop. While it’s near to the buzzing beach town of Ahangama, it’s surrounded by 10 tranquil acres of organic tea and coconut plantations that leave you feeling refreshed and restored. Handbuilt with Sri Lankan iluk, its four rooms and two cabanas melt into the surrounding nature while its symphony of jungle sounds (especially the peacocks) soothes the soul. When you’re not relaxing by the palm-fringed pool or eating around the communal table, the lodge can organise several experiences to give you a glimpse of local life, from fishing on nearby Koggala Lake, visiting the food markets with their chef or learning to cook a dal. Surfers are well-positioned here, too, with breaks for all abilities within easy tuk-tuk reach. Kate Lough
Address: Koodalugodawatta, Alawathukissa, Ahangama 08650, Sri Lanka
Elise HasseyGal Oya Lodge
For remote adventures
Gal Oya National Park may be lesser known than Yala but the magic here is that the wildlife is thrillingly untouched. Spy crocodiles, turtles and swimming elephants on boat safaris. Walk through the forest guided by members of the indigenous Vedda community. Then bed down in remote Gal Oya Lodge. Scattered among the bush, there are nine teak bungalows and a family villa, constructed by village craftsmen, complete with grass roofs. Each has a kingsize bed and its own living room with a private veranda. An alfresco bathroom gets you ever closer to nature. The airy A-framed restaurant, with its panorama of Monkey Mountain (a hardcore trek but worth it), serves western and Sri Lankan cuisine. Each dish uses seasonal produce, some home-grown, others from local farmers – try the fish fillets cooked with lemongrass and local herbs in a banana leaf. For downtime, there’s a swimming pool, board games and field guides to read plus nerd yourself out in the wildlife research station.
Address: Gal Oya Lodge, B527, Sri Lanka
Price: From £216 per night
Jiri LizlerKahanda Kanda
For serious style
People rave about this peaceful bolthole set on a 12-acre working tea estate, overlooking Koggala Lake. And for good reason. Once the private villa of owner George Cooper, a British interior designer, there are now 12 art and antique-filled villas (seven have pools) with four-poster beds, rattan couches, window seat daybeds, English china and piles of books. Book Hibiscus for the best views. The monotone-decorated dining pavilion is open to the elements. It serves an excellent daily changing menu of fusion food with a strong Thai influence, from tomato and basil galettes to Thai-inspired chicken seasoned with kaffir limes and lemongrass and baked in a banana leaf. Keep yourself fit by being put through your paces by the hotel’s personal trainer, flop in the spa or pluck a book from the library. The infinity pool drops off towards Koggala Lake – but the sister hotel KK Beach is five miles away and the perfect spot for swimming.
Address: Kahanda Kanda Galle, Angulugaha 80122, Sri Lanka
Price: From £204 per night, including breakfast
Sandun de SilvaFort Bazaar
For Middle Eastern chic
Teardrop Hotels’ Fort Bazaar, bang in the centre of town, has always been one of the leading lights in the 17th-century fort town of Galle. The former home of a spice merchant, they have drawn upon the fort’s Moorish roots which means it’s Middle Eastern-inspired interiors here, awash with handmade tiles, Moroccan lanterns, mosaic cushions and pouffes. Set around a pretty cobbled courtyard, the 18 rooms are sleek and sophisticated (ask for one of the three upper-floor suites – much larger with fort-view terraces.). The Church Street Social is a buzzy local hangout. Smiley staff serve up superb tapas and sharing platters of traditional Moroccan, Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine in between Sri Lankan food (they do an excellent lagoon crab salad). Work it off with a stroll around Galle (lovely both day and night). There’s an enticing Bali-inspired spa, using locally-made products, to unwind in, too.
Address: Fort Bazaar, 26 Church St, Galle, Sri Lanka
Price: From £269 per night on a bed and breakfast basis.jpeg)
Nomadic ResortsWild Coast Tented Lodge
For a wildlife fix
The leopard spotting in Yala National Park is guaranteed to thrill – but so is Resplendent Ceylon’s chic safari lodge on the fringes of the park, overlooking the Indian Ocean. Scattered among the bushland, there are 28 cocoon-like soaring canvas tents, some with private watering holes, others with plunge pools, plus eight urchin tents for little ones. Inside, there are four-poster beds, campaign furniture and freestanding copper bathtubs. They’ve nailed the tech, too, with a sound system, fast WiFi, and even Netflix can stream seamlessly. The bamboo-ceiling bar serves up both a contemporary take on traditional Sri Lankan and international cuisine (they do a mean ribeye steak). Join one of the super-knowledgeable in-house naturalists on a drive to spot leopards, sloth ears and elephants. Back at base, tufted grey langur monkeys swing from tree to tree. Stay up late and see elephants trumpeting on the beach and perhaps dipping their trunks in one of the private plunge pools.
Address: Wild Coast Tented Lodge - Relais & Chateaux, Wild Coast Tented Lodge Palatupana, Yala, Sri Lanka
Price: From £929 per night on an all-inclusive basis
Lunuganga
Featured in our Gold List of the best hotels in the world 2024.
The late, great architect Geoffrey Bawa’s jungle home is revelling in a glossy new dawn. While this otherworldly estate on Sri Lanka’s southwest coast remains packed to the rafters with history, it’s now embracing modern comforts thanks to the home-grown Teardrop Hotels collection (also behind the Fort Bazaar in Galle Fort), which manages the property with the Geoffrey Bawa Trust. The meticulous work of the father of tropical modernism shines from every corner, with almost everything as he left it. Bawa spent 50 years curating this wonderland, originally an abandoned rubber plantation, creating his inside-outside spaces and furnishing them with Burgher antiques and trinkets from his travels. The jewel in the crown is the show-stopping garden, with emerald rice paddies alongside butterfly-shaped ponds and moss-covered Ming pots on manicured lawns. Spread across the house and garden, the 10 spacious bedrooms are unique and sublime: one a glass-walled pavilion framed by trees, another a former cowshed turned gallery. Teardrop’s Midas touch extends to the kitchen, marrying Sri Lankan plates with international dishes made from local produce: egg hoppers for breakfast, grilled fish for lunch and coconut and mustard fish curry for dinner. There’s a breezy veranda restaurant, but Bawa’s preferred lunch spot was under a jackfruit tree, with a salvaged temple bell dangling above. After opening batik artist Ena de Silva’s three-bedroom villa (another Bawa triumph) on the edge of the estate, the Geoffrey Bawa Trust has added a hilltop pool and unsealed the architect’s own bedroom, perhaps the biggest treat of all. Harriet Compston
Address: Lunuganga Geoffrey Bawa’s Country Estate, Dedduwa, Bentota 80500, Sri Lanka
Price: From around £300 per room per night
Malabar Hill
For knockout views
This ocean-facing hilltop wonder in Weligama only opened in November 2021 but it’s already making its mark. Formerly a cinnamon plantation, friends Dominic Scriven and Lawson Johnston have transformed it into a magical sanctuary, combining Indian-inspired architecture, Middle Eastern interiors and Sri Lankan craftsmanship. There are 14 freestanding villas tucked away in the jungle, featuring teak furniture, Rajasthani mirrors and private terraces with plunge pools and jaw-dropping views. Ornithophiles will love the Wetland Sanctuary Pool Villa with its conspiracy of birds to spot, in between purple-faced langurs swinging through the trees. In panoramic restaurant Hill House, Cordon Bleu-trained chef Roshini’s splendid menu makes full use of local ingredients – breakfast on buffalo curd milked just a hop away, feast on fiery chickpea curry for lunch and savour a dinner of the morning’s line-caught catch straight from the sea. Brilliant beaches are a short drive away, although you can splash and sunbathe at the blissful infinity pool here.
Address: Malabar Hill Sri Lanka, Palalla - Borala Road, Weligama, Sri Lanka
Price: From £423 per night on a bed and breakfast basis
Sandun de SilvaNine Skies
For outdoorsy types
Ella is arguably pretty much everyone’s favourite Hill Country village. So, it’s brilliant that Teardrop Hotels have a beautifully-refurbished tea bungalow nearby. Sitting on a working tea estate in the town of Demodara, it’s a throwback to colonial days, mixed with a solid bit of mid-century and contemporary. The five spacious bedrooms have custom-designed four-poster beds, claw-foot baths, rattan tables (marked out for carrom – a form of finger billiards) and private verandas. Revel in the spellbinding views, including the famous Demodara Loop with its train chugging by. Families will love the interconnecting rooms Nine Skies and Hali-Ela. The service is also second to none. Days whizz by sunbathing beside the infinity pool, relaxing in the garden or playing board games in the library. There are plenty of walks – head to the iconic Nine Arches Bridges. Borrow wellies if it’s muddy. In the evening, settle down for a sundowner beside the log fire, followed by a hearty meal of Sri Lankan plates.
Address: Nine Skies, Nine Skies Bungalow, Demodara 90080, Sri Lanka
Price: From £447 per night on an all-inclusive basis
Sebastian PosingisCeylon Tea Trails
For peace and quiet
Set in five beautifully restored bungalows, Resplendent Ceylon’s inspired collection of 27 suites, deep in the Hill Country’s Bogawantalawa Valley, offer the best of everything. There’s the make-yourself-at-home vibe, exquisitely scenic setting, incredible cuisine and on-it local staff. Couple that with the never-ending view of rolling tea plantations, interrupted only by glistening Castlereagh Lake, its banks home to three of the bungalows. The other two – Norwood and Tientsin – are 15 minutes and 30 minutes away (both have massive gardens). Each bungalow has an eclectic colonial look – timber ceilings, mahogany antiques, chintz armchairs and clawfoot baths – and comes with a household of staff. Spend your days exploring the walking trails – a tour with veteran tea planter Bernard is also a must. There’s also croquet or curl up beside the fire in the panelled library with a good book. The food is Michelin-star standard (particularly the mushroom soup with vanilla rose tea essence) and ask to dine in the lakeside summerhouse – magical.
Address: Ceylon Tea Trails, Dunkeld Estate, Hatton, 22000 Hatton, Sri Lanka
Price: From £754 per night, on an all-inclusive basis
Ed NortonPALM Hotel
For Shoreditch cool in the tropics
This bold boutique hideout brings something different to the coast. It is founded by East Londoners Laurie Spencer and Miriam Haniffa, who decided to up sticks and snap up a coconut grove, just inland from the soulful surf spot of Ahangama. The design is ground-breaking, inspired by a mingle of Geoffrey Bawa’s work, vintage travel and Shoreditch warehouses conversations. There’s an enthusiastic dose of repurposing, too – PALM’s CrossFit equipment comes from a now-closed Shoreditch gym. Partly constructed from shipping containers, the result is a collection of roomy A-frame cabanas with glass-fronted facades, housing eight suites. The cool concrete interiors feature king-sized beds, locally-crafted cane furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows. In the dining pavilion, Pathum Nisansala uses garden-grown or locally sourced produce to create Lankan-flavoured dishes (the coconut affogato is amazing). The Karapincha (curry leaf) G&T is a perfect kickstart to the evening. Beaches are a 10-minute tuk-tuk ride away although it’s hard to drag yourself from the hammock-filled garden.
Address: PALM Hotel Sri Lanka, Nakanda, Galkadanduwa, Ahangama, Sri Lanka
Price: From £122 per room, including breakfast
Kandy House
For loved-up couples
A 20-minute drive from Kandy, surrounded by thick jungle, this 200-year-old white-arched palazzo is a favourite of honeymooners thanks to its over-12s policy and nine huge bedrooms, particularly Black Rajah with its granite octagonal tub-for-two and private terrace. The four largest Ultra rooms also come with a butler. Either way, all of the bedrooms, placed around a central courtyard, hit the right note. Service is spot-on and staff are a fount of local knowledge. The restaurant, overlooking the croquet lawn, uses ingredients from the local market – don’t miss the feast of ten traditional Sri Lankan curries, served twice a week. Enjoy an arrack sour in the Art Deco bar beforehand. Work up an appetite with a bicycle ride, do laps in the large infinity pool, surrounded by paddy fields, or stretch out with yoga while colourful parrots dart from tree to tree.
Address: The Kandy House, Amunugama Waluwa, Gunnepana, Kandy 20270, Sri Lanka
Price: From £307 per night
The Owl and the Pussycat
For all-out fun
Named after the Edward Lear poem, this beachfront jewel is a joy through and through in Talpe, near Galle. Running across four colour-popping buildings filled with funky art, the 17 quirky shabby-chic rooms are boldly hued with one-off furniture. Sunseekers should go for one of the Suite Melodies rooms with its generous terrace. During the day, the open-air wellness pavilion is a gorgeous spot for a massage, on the fringes of the beach. But leave time to walk the few minutes along the sand to an array of heavenly beaches. Stop at Dalawella where large turtles wallow in the shallows. Back at the hotel, enjoy a cocktail in the dreamy beach shack then tuck into crab in the Botanik restaurant, where friendly staff serve both Sri Lankan and western dishes. Go at the weekend for live jazz. Finish off the night in the pattern-tastic Edward Lear Drawing Room, where there’s an inspired selection of books, eclectic artefacts to peer at and board games to thrash out.
Address: Owl and the Pussycat Hotel, N.788, 788 Matara Road, Talpe, Sri Lanka
Price: From £259 per night
Sandun de SilvaTintagel
For design buffs
Style maestro Udayshanth Fernando set hearts racing when he transformed this majestic 1930s heritage home into an eclectic boutique hotel, just around the corner from his Colombo design hotspot Paradise Road. Channelling the same masculine, monochrome aesthetic as his emporium, he has filled the space to its high-ceilinged brim with Baccarat chandeliers, Chinese wedding cabinets, black lacquer table-tops from Vietnam and Burmese art. Leather-bound classics pack the library while six Sri Lankan life-size statues flank the pool. The chicness continues into the 10 soft-hued striped bedrooms, decked out with deeply comfortable modernist steel beds and mosaic-clad bathrooms. The Dining Room, with its trompe l'oeil marble pillars, and the twinkly Courtyard restaurant serve a diverse menu, from mushroom ravioli with burrata to Sri Lankan black pork curry with dhal. They are also known for their outrageously good desserts – go for the sticky toffee bread and butter pudding vanilla panna cotta.
Address: Tintagel Colombo, 65 Rosmead Pl, Colombo 00700, Sri Lanka
Price: From around £182 per night
Sandun de SilvaWater Garden Sigiriya
For family adventures
Geoffrey Bawa’s protégé Channa Daswatte is the man behind the design which means this aquatic-landscaped resort is as good-looking as it gets. Overlooking the ancient rock fortress of Sigiriya, one of Sri Lanka’s eight World Heritage Sites, and surrounded by rice paddies, the 30 freestanding light-filled villas (many with private pools) are flanked by winding waterways, mirroring Sigiriya’s 2,000-year-old water gardens. The deluxe twin villa is perfect for families with two bedrooms and a good-sized private plunge pool. And that’s the thing about this place, it’s vast, allowing plenty of space for children to let off steam in. There’s also a spa, gym and massive swimming pool plus a children’s pool. Food options abound – particularly the excellent Sri Lankan offering (choose the crab bisque with roasted coconut). As the day ends, saunter past a muster of peacocks to the twin-level bar for sunset views over Sigirya.
Address: Water Garden Sigiriya, Indigaswewa, Sigiriya 21120, Sri Lanka
Price: From £328 per night