Polonnaruwa
With 14 luxurious rooms, this former government guesthouse has a superb location on a peninsula beside the Topa Wewa, right next to the Heritage ruins …
Must-see hotels in Sri Lanka
The Hill Country
Around 90 years ago, they wisely stopped updating the furniture at this venerable tea planters’ club. Now, in the 21st century, this hotel is a jolly fine…
Colombo
The grande dame of Colombo faces Galle Face Green to the north and the sea to the west. The sweeping staircases recall the hotel's opening in 1864…
Negombo
With its imposing entrance and high ceilings, this place feels like a temple – a temple to minimalist luxury, that is. The rooms are luxurious, with sea…
Polonnaruwa
Good vibes are guaranteed at this fine guesthouse thanks to the efforts of genial owner Upali and his family. Rooms are well-priced and sparkling clean,…
Sigiriya
For natural-world immersion – crocodiles in the pond, monitor lizards in the grass and occasional visiting elephants – the Jetwing is a great choice. The…
Anuradhapura
For sheer colonial class this Raj-era relic (formerly a British governor's residence) can't be matched. It's been beautifully and respectfully restored –…
Ella
A wonderful guesthouse where the rooms have enormous glass-panel windows and terraces strewn with hammocks and chairs. Eating breakfast on the sunny…
Sigiriya
Set in over 80 hectares of unfenced grasslands, this high-end hotel is a terrific place to spot wildlife. Iguanas, monitor lizards and mongooses are all…
Ella
Ten clicks south of Ella, this converted tea-planters' bungalow is fringed by blossoming, beautiful gardens carefully cultivated by the owners (one of…
Dambulla
The Amaya Lake complex has 100 stylish villas set in magnificent landscaped grounds on the north shore of Kandalama lake. The scale of the place will suit…
Negombo
The three air-con rooms above this family house are modern and spotless, even if prices are at the top end of good value. It's a five-minute walk from the…
Uda Walawe National Park
This safari camp has comfortable canvas tents strung along the river bank with attached (cold-water) bathrooms and proper beds (with mossie nets). It's a…
Kandy
This stunning villa was once the home of Sir Cudah Ratwatte, the first elected mayor of Kandy. Today, it's been lovingly converted into a beautiful hotel,…
Negombo
The spacious private villas here are excellent value, with minimalist yet luxurious furnishings. The bathrooms are the real highlight and soaking in one…
Wilpattu National Park
This is safari the old-fashioned, decadent way. Mahoora offers a luxury tented camp on the edge of Wilpattu Park. Whatever safari tent type you opt for…
Ella
Located above the restaurant of the same name, this hotel's accommodation is immaculate and ideal for families. Many of the offerings are mini-apartments…
Weligama
Take a dated concrete hotel on the seafront, pimp it up with backpacker-geared appeal (yoga deck, rooftop bar-resto, surfboard racks) and end up with the…
Dambulla
The 12-roomed Lake Lodge lacks the scale of the big Kandalama resorts, but makes up for it with personalised service. Rooms are fresh and modern, with the…
Nuwara Eliya
This huge mock-Tudor edifice has immaculate lawns, a reading lounge and an impressive partly open dining terrace. Rooms are comfortable and well-equipped,…
Kandy
Run by Thomas and Mani, a very welcoming couple, this slightly bohemian place is a great escape from the city, a Sri Lankan cottage tucked away in a…
Kandy
This small hilltop place is one of Kandy’s longest-established hotels and it has excellent views and scrupulously clean rooms decorated with Sri Lankan…
Colombo
Part of this grand seafront hotel dates to 1806, when it was the residence of the British governor. The appropriately named ‘governor’s wing’ has colonial…
Anuradhapura
Impressive two-storey place ('palace' is a little ambitious!) with 10 lovely, clean, bright and airy rooms with TV, fridge, neutral-colour schemes and…
The Hill Country
This old colonial-era bungalow serves as the hub for a rafting and birdwatching outfit that sprawls along the riverbank. The 10 quirky riverside cottages…
Arugam Bay
Highly popular with travellers thanks to its gregarious vibe, guest kitchen and communal dining. The eight rooms here have bamboo frames topped with a…
Arugam Bay
A fine place with atmospheric, boho accommodation scattered around a huge, shady garden plot. Stylistically, think hand-painted window shutters, tribal…
The Hill Country
This family-run, eight-room guesthouse north of town has warm hospitality, good Sri Lankan food and fine views of emerald-green rice paddies. The cheapest…
Galle
A simple elegance defines this fine guesthouse. Its five whitewashed, air-conditioned rooms feature colourful Indian textiles and a splash of artwork,…
Colombo
This vast 200-year-old mansion shelters behind a row of storefronts on Galle Rd. Protected from the noise, it’s an urban refuge with huge old trees and an…
Jaffna & the North
A cheerful, welcoming place run by Jerome (who will do train-station pick-ups), Baobab has a quiet location, an attractive living/dining room, a porch for…
Unawatuna
A superb guesthouse run by two expat mates (one from the UK, one from New Zealand), located down a quiet lane set back from the beach. Rooms are spacious…
Jaffna
Ageing colonial mansion with some (faded) character, including polished old floorboards and red-oxide flooring. The very spacious top-floor rooms are best…
Galle
This 19th-century former British admiral’s mansion is now a terrific boutique hotel with 10 luxurious rooms, fine service and a jungle-fringed pool. Rooms…
The East
These eight rustic cabanas sit easy in their rural surrounds right by the break. Kanthan, the owner, worked in Arugam Bay for years, and is well versed in…
The Hill Country
This converted tea plantation residence is now a tasteful guesthouse and restaurant, with eight spacious, well-presented rooms, many with private…
Anuradhapura
There are just two rooms at this stylish family home, so two couples could have the entire upper floor to themselves. Rooms are excellent value, with a…
Galle
Following a Unesco-commended renovation, this former 17th-century Dutch merchant’s house is now a breathtaking boutique hotel. The rooms are all different…
Polonnaruwa
Down a quiet, leafy suburban lane, this well-run, inviting and orderly homestay owned by a Malay-Muslim couple is a good choice, with five rooms (the…
Hikkaduwa & Around
This welcoming and well-run choice has something for everybody. Even the cheapest rooms are spotlessly clean and come with pleasing decor, while the more…
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