cool and boutique hotels in sri lanka

  

kani lanka   kalutara

on the drive down from colombo to galle, near the town of kalutara (2 hour drive from colombo), is a gem of a hotel tucked away on a small land mass surrounded on 3 sides by the indian ocean and the kalu ganga river.the setting is idyllic almost magical with coconut groves all around. to get to the hotel a small sign no bigger than a folded newspaper announces the turn off the main road, which takes you onto a narrow dirt road wide enough for one car. when you get to the hotel, what i find interesting is the design of the hotel which was recently remodeled by the world renowned sri lankan critical regionalist architect geoffrey bawa. the design is simple, clear, combining the use of local materials in a modern way, and yet one can’t help but feel that one is unmistakably in sri lanka. such is the power of bawa’s designs. the hotel is a must visit for anyone looking for tranquility, beauty, or simply getting away from it all and having their favorite cocktail and good food.

  

galle fort hotel  galle

this boutique hotel is the perfect setting for an intimate cocktail party. it is located in the galle fort, an old dutch garrison on the indian ocean, complete with narrow lanes and quaint shops – it is about a 3-4 hour drive from colombo on the south west coast.the hotel exterior is unassumingly colonial, and so is the interior. the small cozy lobby opens onto the main hall of the hotel, a perfectly proportioned room with a high ceiling. through a set of doors, one is led to a small central courtyard with a small swimming pool – all hotel rooms overlook this central space.

  

amangalla  galle

just as you enter the galle fort, make a left and immediately on your right is the amangalla, and, if you have been to any aman resort, you already know what you are in for – an exclusive and personal hospitality experience. except that in sri lanka it also comes with a perfectly affordable price tag. everything about the hotel is just perfect – no ocean views, only a great introspective and reclusive experience, and with the design of the rooms and a well stocked bar, why would you want to go anywhere. when we were getting ready to go to the amangalla for my friend’s bachelor party, i was not sure what to expect. but true to the atmosphere, the event proceeded to be a great old boy classy party complete with great wines from their cellar and montecristo cigars.

  

fortress  koggala

you would not know it by the look of the hotel that it is only a year old  located in koggala on the south west coast on a strip among some of the badly hit areas during the tsunami of 2004.. the design is very handsomely done to feel every little bit sri lankan, which is in stark contrast to the rooms which are over the top modern with every possible amenity you will need – and please do listen carefully and take notes to the description they give when they take you to the room on how to use the light switches, the bose entertainment system, and especially the coffee machine. i stayed in the hotel for 5 days, only venturing outside when i absolutely had to for some of my friend kashani’s wedding functions.

traffic jam? rent a “tuk tuk”..

 

tuk tuk’s are unique Asian motorcycle-cum-taxi vehicles – a motorcyle fitted with 2 rear wheels and a rear seat to fit 2 comfortably (or 3 if you are really have to), with adequate cover from the elements. with a very small turning radius and a size to fit in the narrowest of places, traffic jams are no longer an excuse for being late…. if you don’t mind arriving smelling like car exhaust, that is.   a ride on a tuk tuk, i had almost forgotten, is quite a thrill, and at times hairraising, as the drivers weave their way through stalled traffic. a slight nudge from the bus inches next to you would not be terribly pleasant.   for 4 days in koggala, sri lanka, i used tuk tuk service by chaminda, a pleasant young entrepreneurial tuk tuk driver with a business card, a mobile phone and a yahoo email address to boot. every time i needed his service, i would sms him! he drove me to places otherwise not reachable by regular cars. we even went to galle (30 minutes), nearby excursions into the jungle (usually 10-15 minutes each). a whole day ride came in at under 1,000 rupees.