Dambulla
Designed by renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa, this is one of Sri Lanka's signature hotels. With 124 rooms, the hulking edifice emerges from the forest…
Must-see hotels in Sri Lanka
Negombo
This stand-out choice has a variety of modern rooms – most featuring exposed red-brick walls and dark wooden furniture – but the uniting factor is that…
Negombo
A gorgeous traditional villa with lots of colour and flair (or ‘Swissness’, as the sign says – to which you could also add ‘and a little eccentricity’)…
The East
First the good points: it's cheap, sociable and the beachfront location is superb. Prepare yourself, however, for the fearsomely ugly concrete…
The Hill Country
A few hundred metres before the Bambarakanda Falls is this rustic guesthouse. There are three mudbrick cottages and a couple of rooms; all are pretty…
Anuradhapura
A terrific rural hotel, offering comfortable and excellent-value rooms in two new blocks, with slightly dated and smaller rooms in the old building. The…
Jaffna & the North
This likeable albeit isolated lodge, 9km northwest of Mannar Town, offers a quiet, rural base and is shaded by mature trees. It's particularly popular…
Colombo
Opposite the harbour, this was Colombo’s finest hotel a century ago, a place to see and be seen. Although it’s no longer the case, there’s a certain…
The Hill Country
Borderlands is a riverside activities camp offering kayaking, rafting, biking, hiking and more, and it's run by a fun-loving, young and international…
The Ancient Cities
An elegant, modern place with rice-field views from the balconies of the five rooms, Sesatha has delightful gardens, dotted with palm trees and overlooked…
The Ancient Cities
An intriguing accommodation option, Littlemore Estate is a 50-hectare coconut plantation bordered by paddy fields and woodland with a healthy local…
Hikkaduwa & Around
This small boutique hotel close to Hikkaduwa lake has lush, glitzy rooms, a beautiful pool and excellent food, though it's not actually on the lake. What…
Nuwara Eliya
This rambling colonial building has bundles of ye-olde-worlde English charm to it (or a South Asian version of it, anyway), thanks to its terrific bar,…
Sigiriya
There are truly remarkable views of the rock from the pool area at this hotel. The 40-year-old breeze block exteriors are dated, but the rooms have been…
Hikkaduwa & Around
The small but well-kept pool at this beachside property alone makes it worth the money, but add in large and nicely presented rooms and a decent patch of…
The Hill Country
Perched on a ledge with astonishing vistas and a spring-fed (chilly) pool, this hotel has a stunning setting well off the beaten track. Rooms are less…
Arugam Bay
Surfer favourite, right next to the main point, allowing you to tumble out of bed and land in the line-up. Offers isolated but attractive fan-only rooms…
The Ancient Cities
A large resort-style property made up of 85 rooms in dozens of cottages. The pool, bar area and restaurant are all excellent. Some rooms have outdoor…
Arugam Bay
Deservedly popular place on the west side of the main road that definitely wins the 'garden of the year' award, with a lush, verdant Eden complete with…
The South
This is a small boutique hotel, where wood and stone combine to create a Zen-like sense of happiness (the ocean-side setting, coconut-tree-studded lawn…
Jaffna
Run as an annex of the excellent Jaffna Heritage Hotel, this fine guesthouse shows up separately in many booking sites. The rooms are large and have chic…
Nuwara Eliya
This popular travellers' guesthouse is spread over two neighbouring buildings, with a sociable vibe and helpful staff. Rooms, some with lots of wood trim,…
Jaffna
Architecturally it's a mess, but thanks to its attractive gardens and pool this place has some charm. Ask to see more than one room as renovations mean…
Galle
Built as a 19th-century P&O captain’s residence in the heyday of British mercantile supremacy, this rambling hotel sits on a promontory with views over…
The South
Right next to a wild, oceanic, boulder-strewn beach, this quirky compound is perfect for long days exploring the coast and for those that enjoy nature…
Dambulla
This former government rest house has been given the full Heritage treatment, and the four rooms now boast very classy interiors – the dark-wood furniture…
Colombo
The Steuart is set in a renovated colonial-era building with parts dating back to 1835. The 50 rooms have a fairly simple purple-and-white decor with old…
The Hill Country
In an isolated spot within a tea plantation, 2km west of Deniyaya, the Rainforest Lodge has spacious, plain but decent-value rooms with en suites. The…
Polonnaruwa
If you're looking for a really inexpensive room, this simple guesthouse is located in a quiet area and has a pleasant sitting area for chilling. Rooms are…
Mirissa
Each of the eight lovely rooms in this colonial-style manor is uniquely decorated in a bright and modern fashion and represents good value. The more…
The Hill Country
A bohemian Ayurvedic and yoga centre 23km from Kandy with mud huts, rooms and pavilions dotted around a forested hillside, each furnished with Asian…
Colombo
An old two-storey shophouse in the heart of Fort has been turned into an upscale hostel. Each capsule is essentially a very large bunk area enclosed by…
The Hill Country
Just 500m from the bus station, this is a good budget option if you’re staying overnight to wait for onward transport. This country home is in a quiet…
Galle
Frangipani is a comfortable family-run guesthouse with rooms in two buildings that straddle Pedlar St. Choose from five different price tariffs; the most…
The Hill Country
This rest house is pleasantly situated next to the fast-flowing Belihul Oya river. Its six rooms are pretty tired in terms of decor, but the hotel has a…
The Hill Country
In a remote location 28km north of Nuwara Eliya, this rustic lodge is just the place to get all off-grid and don your walking boots – you'll find several…
The Hill Country
On the edge of a tea plantation and spice garden, this hotel has elegant rooms and a bucolic location. The building itself is an elongated, somewhat…
Colombo
Geoffrey Bawa fans can stay in his Colombo home. Within his artful estate, which is a popular place for tours, a suite of two bedrooms is rented out. Only…
Bundala National Park
A friendly homestay 2km east of Bundala National Park's northern entrance gate. Rooms are functional; some suffer a little from traffic noise, but those…
The Hill Country
This smart hotel is the best in the region, combining a languid ambience with, from some rooms, fine lake views. Standard rooms are actually better value…
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