Luxury Sri Lanka and Maldives

About The Wallawwa Kotugoda

The Wallawwa is not your typical Colombo airport hotel. Set in 200-year-old tropical gardens just a 15-minute drive from Sri Lanka’s main international gateway, this award-winning 18-bedroom country house hotel with offers gourmet food, a refined outdoor pool, and a heavenly spa. A re-purposed and highly atmospheric 18th-century manor house, this is a stylish and serene pre- or post-flight alternative to hotels in Negombo or Colombo. 18 bedrooms and suites are a graceful blend of character and contemporary: with four-poster beds, fine linens, vintage furnishings, and modern amenities. A convivial open-sided restaurant, the Verandah, serves exquisite a la carte Asian Fusion cuisine throughout the day to tables overlooking the 200-year-old tropical gardens. Z Spa captures the peaceful mood by pampering guests with luxurious and restful treatments – ideal to get you ready for or unwind after a long flight.

About Horathapola Estate

Located just under an hour from Colombo Bandaranaike Airport, Horathapola Estate sits amongst 50 acres of rural serenity. Shake off your jetlag in stylish seclusion, surrounded by the gentle backdrop of a working coconut, fruit, and vegetable estate, with accommodation found in a beautifully restored five-bedroom colonial-era mansion and an attached two-bedroom family lodge. The estate buildings are airy and alluring: most rooms are over 300 square feet, equipped with a blend of modern features and antique furnishings, all extending out into private terraces or balconies. Around these rooms, you’ll find an exquisitely manicured garden, complete with an expansive saltwater swimming pool and jacuzzi, beyond which are several walking trails leading to open fields populated by countless species of tropical birds.

About Ulagalla

Set around 30km outside of Anuradhapura, luxurious Ulagalla is a base from which to explore the northern reaches of the cultural triangle and also a destination in itself: set amongst 58 acres of private grounds, home to over 100 birds species, with hikes, cycling routes, and numerous quiet corners for bucolic relaxation. At the centre of the property is a converted 150 year-old chieftain’s mansion, housing a large lobby, restaurant, bar, and central pool. Around this are 25 oversize private villas – all equipped with indoor and outdoor living spaces, plus private pools – set amongst fertile paddy fields and manicured gardens. Day trips to the ruins of Anuradhapura, the Buddhist relics of Mihintale, and the leopards of Wilpattu National Park are all possible; onsite activities include cooking classes, agricultural tours, nature walks, and a high-end spa.

About Water Garden Sigiriya

A modern, highly-polished rural resort, Water Garden has a beautiful and extremely peaceful lakefront setting, with the 2,000-year-old Sigiriya Rock perfectly framed in the background. Flanked by winding tributaries and veiled by the abundant flora, the 30 immaculately appointed villas combine chic, spacious interiors, private gardens, and exclusive plunge pools. Choose from an array of dining options and settings, whether you’re in the mood for an intimate gathering amidst the great outdoors or a more traditional indoor venue; a fully-stocked bar also offers a wide choice of refreshments and an extensive cocktail list. Facilities include a wide and very attractive swimming pool area, a fitness centre, and an abundance of activities including billiards, cycling and archery. The spa focuses on Ayurvedic and Balinese techniques and is easily the best in the area.

About King's Pavilion Kandy

Set on a hillside overlooking the slopes of Kandy, King’s Pavilion is an atmospheric boutique retreat and highly comfortable base from which to explore the ancient city. Just 15 minutes from the Temple of the Tooth and downtown Kandy, the property has 9 boutique suites that are richly furnished, with modern bathrooms and amenities, and floor-to-ceiling windows offering fine views. Facilities include a small swimming pool and pool deck, a small spa with an attached sauna and steam room, and the offer of complimentary bike hire or yoga classes. A semi-outdoor restaurant serves up Sri Lankan specialities and a selection of international favourites, accompanied by an extensive wine and cocktail menu.

About Elephant Stables Kandy

Located in a quiet residential area just 10 minutes from the buzz of downtown Kandy, the Elephant Stables is a serene and welcoming retreat offering a high-class and convenient stay right on the edge of Sri Lanka’s hill capital. The hotel features a collection of 7 rooms and suites which combine colonial flavour and ambience with chic designer elements. Four-poster beds, large bathrooms, private outdoor space, and contemporary amenities provide a relaxed but luxurious feel. An attractive infinity swimming pool is overlooked by tropical trees and foliage, with views down to Kandy and the surrounding hills. A bar, reading room, games room, and elegant all-day dining space complete the facilities.

About Camellia Hills

Live the life of a modern-day tea planter at Camellia Hills, a luxurious five-bedroom boutique bungalow hotel near Dickoya, in Sri Lanka’s crisp hill country. From its verdant valley-side perch, views of the mirror-still Castlereagh Reservoir and surrounding tea-wrapped hills are spectacular – drink in the panoramas while relaxing on cushy sofas warmed by an open fire, dining in the semi-open-air or swimming lengths of the refreshing garden pool. There are just five individual timber-floored bedrooms at Camellia Hills. Each gazes through picture windows over the Castlereagh Reservoir or the lush surrounding hills. Guests will dine on an All-Inclusive basis which includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, complimentary soft drinks, beer and house wine, alcohol with mixers, and tea or coffee throughout the day. Curated experiences include a nearby tea factory tour, picnics, boat rides on Castlereagh reservoir, and a choice of trails that meander through neighboring plantations, forests, and streams.

About Ceylon Tea Trails Hatton

Ceylon Tea Trails comprises five restored historic tea planter residences, called bungalows, perched at an altitude of 1250 meters in Sri Lanka’s panoramic Ceylon tea region. The 27 rooms & suites with period furnishings, gracious butler service, and gourmet cuisine create an ambience that has made Tea Trails the gold standard for luxury in Sri Lanka. Each bungalow is unique and offers guests the non-hotel, private house ambience that is the hallmark of the award-winning Tea Trails experience. Follow the Tea Trail from one bungalow to the next, staying a night or two at each or just laze in one. This is the ideal setting for trekking and biking against the breath-taking backdrop of mountains, lakes, winding roads and waterfalls. If you prefer to unwind, observe life on a working tea estate while being pampered by your butler, enjoy a spa treatment, croquet on the lawn or sunbathe alongside the pool. Or explore the lush tea fields & visit a century-old factory for a gentle education in the art of Ceylon Tea.

About Maniumpathy

Maniumpathy is a small and extremely stylish property, often rated as the best boutique hotel in the Sri Lankan capital. It is located in the upmarket Cinnamon Gardens neighborhood, just south of Colombo city center, and is converted from a multi-generational family mansion. Accommodation is in eight generous bedrooms, each named after a former matriarch of the house, all equipped with vintage furnishings, modern bathroom suites, and access to outdoor space. Communal areas consist of a small pool, a reading room, and a courtyard garden. A small restaurant serves excellent a la carte breakfasts and an inviting selection of curries, snacks, and a full High Tea service throughout the day.

About Galle Face Hotel Colombo

As the Raffles is to Singapore, the Peninsula to Hong Kong, or the Metropole to Hanoi – the Galle Face Hotel is an icon of Colombo. Situated in the heart of the city, facing the kite-flyers, fisherman, and seafood shacks of Galle Face Green, this majestic hotel has been thrilling guests since 1864, and following a recent top-to-toe restoration is now back to its former, luxurious glory. Rooms have a breezy, colonial feel with vintage fittings and furnishings sitting alongside modern amenities such as complimentary Wi-Fi, satellite LCD televisions, air conditioning, and large bathrooms. Dining experiences include elegant afternoon teas at the Verandah, an innovative modern menu at the 1864, or a fully stocked bar, wine, and cocktail menu at Chequerboard. The large swimming pool sits right on the waterfront and is complemented by a fitness centre, croquet lawn, library, and museum.

About Atmosphere Kanifushi

An exhilarating 35-minute seaplane ride from Male International Airport whisks you to the stunning, pristine Kanifushi Island. A thin sandbar stretching approximately 2km and at most 90 meters wide, the island is carpeted in tropical vegetation and blessed with vibrant, natural coral reefs.

Accommodation is in oversized, stand-alone beach and overwater villas featuring vast living spaces, elegant interiors, an impressive array of modern conveniences, and unobstructed ocean views. Higher categories have large private pools. All guests enjoy a premium all-inclusive plan, offering buffet and fine-dining meals, premium wines and spirits, varied daily excursions, and complimentary use of snorkeling, fishing, and non-motorized watersports equipment.

Dining options include Asian, European, Maldivian, and International favorites; facilities include an attractive communal pool, a luxurious spa, and a dive center offering an exhaustive menu of daily adventures.

Highlights

The Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives is just a 20-minute boat ride from Male’s airport set on a private island in the North Male Atoll, part of Kaafu Atoll. An adult-oriented resort (guests must be 12 or older), it’s blessed with tropical beauty and a friendly, laid-back atmosphere ideal for barefoot living with the sand right at your doorstep. All of its 140 villas come with breath-taking Indian Ocean views and harmonize with the island’s lush green interior, while a wide range of activities await, most notably one of the best PADI dive centers and top dive sites in the Maldives. It’s also a haven for other water sports like paddle boarding, water skiing, windsurfing and sailing. The property includes a gorgeous spa, pool and fitness center along with outstanding food and drink options. There are four restaurants and three bars, with options for all-inclusive or full-board packages.