Negombo
This small German-run beachfront pad might be discreet, but it packs all mod cons, along with plenty of sun loungers and a good restaurant. The six…
Must-see hotels in Sri Lanka
Colombo
The sort of place you might have lived if you owned a plantation, this hotel is in a beautiful colonnaded 250-year-old mansion. The 11 suites are very…
Uda Walawe National Park
This lodge has huge cottages, built from mudbrick and thatch, which are spacious and quite stylish, with open-air showers. However, the pool is often out…
Ella
Set in tea gardens 2km east of town, the elegant stilted cottages here have fabulous views towards Little Adam's Peak. Rooms are of the earthy, rustic…
Polonnaruwa
There are two blocks at this friendly place. The old block rooms have a fan, but can be hot, while the new block has much more modern, spacious air-con…
Sigiriya
This bungalow set back off the road has three spacious, quiet rooms next to a creek, with air-con and solar-heated hot water. It was just starting up at…
The South
This feels more like a private estate than a small hotel, with its expansive grounds and rooms in a colonial house (or cottages). Personal service is…
Dambulla
This smart midrange resort is within a short stroll of the caves and museum. The grounds aren't exactly spacious, but staff (some Swedish) are attentive…
Arugam Bay
Inviting modern four-storey hotel with a prime beachfront location (you can watch the fishing boats come and go from the sea-view rooms). The minimalist…
Mirissa
Adrift in a web of rural lanes a five-minute walk inland from the highway, this family-owned place has a selection of agreeable rooms and cottages…
Galle
Parts of this large resort hotel, located 3km up the coast from the Fort, were designed by legendary Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa, though other…
Anuradhapura
There are two distinct options at this hotel. The stylish, modern new building is all sleek lines and white walls, with a swimming pool and modern…
The Hill Country
High in the hills, 20 minutes’ drive southwest of Kandy, this 100-room hotel incorporates a stunning open lobby, a clifftop swimming pool, a fine spa and…
The Hill Country
Like most former government rest houses in Sri Lanka, this place has the best location in town, with great views over the countryside. The large, spartan…
Anuradhapura
This neat little guesthouse enjoys a near-rural location with peacocks strolling the surroundings in the mornings (and fireflies lighting them up at night…
Unawatuna
At the heart of this compound is an atmospheric 1735 Dutch colonial mansion, which is slightly tumbledown but perfectly enchanting. Rooms are divided…
The Hill Country
This place has helpful staff and a pretty riverside location next to a swimming hole with lots of hammocks and easy chairs. Accommodation, ranging from…
Dewasiri Beach Restaurant & Hotel
Hikkaduwa & Around
Ideal for surfers on a budget, this slightly ramshackle place overlooks Main Reef and has a variety of simple but clean (cold-water) rooms, the priciest…
Hotel Renuka & Renuka City Hotel
Colombo
The well-run Renuka is bifurcated into two different buildings. Its 99 rooms are well maintained and have safes, fridges and 24-hour room service. It's…
Galle
High in the hills above Galle this elegant country villa (built in 1712) has been expertly converted into a heritage hotel, with just four suites. After a…
The Ancient Cities
An elegant, if somewhat threadbare, colonial villa with a veranda overlooking the lake in a leafy part of town. Its four rooms have been renovated and…
Nuwara Eliya
A quirky place to stay, King Fern is a minimalist's nightmare with its clashing colours, garish bedspreads, huge handmade beds and logwood tables. However…
Jaffna
This stunning 19th-century colonial manor house in landscaped gardens has beautifully presented accommodation, most with open-air bathrooms. Perhaps a…
Ella
Quaint Little Red Riding Hood wooden cottages squirrelled away in a forest that, if not the home of a big bad wolf, is probably home to a monkey or two…
Mirissa
You get no points for guessing the nationalities of the owners of this immaculate six-room hotel on its own little beach west of Mirissa. Rooms feature…
Colombo
This small budget hotel is tall and narrow and hemmed in by even taller neighbours. It has 24 clean but plain rooms at reasonable rates (cheaper ones are…
Jaffna
Set on a quiet suburban street, Lux Etoiles creates a good initial impression – there's a vintage Austin automobile in the lobby that makes an art…
Ella
Right beside the trail to Little Adam's Peak, this hotel is a horticultural paradise with blooming flower gardens. There are three classes of…
The South
From the outside this vast place, with its high walls, looks exactly like a prison and a formidable one at that. But inside you'll find it's all wide open…
Kandy
This is one of those grand old creaky colonial-era properties, with 90 huge rooms and a lakeside location. It has lots of old-fashioned charm but is…
Tangalla & Around
Located close to town, this guesthouse is a designers' nightmare – the garish, clashing decor, dodgy murals and dated furnishings could not be more…
The East
This good guesthouse (in the old YMCA building) has four spacious rooms and a lounge, and is the best place to hook up with other travellers. Hikes to…
Hikkaduwa & Around
A smart midrange option with 28 spick-and-span rooms that are enlivened by pictures and wooden decorations. Piping-hot water gushes forth from the showers…
Colombo
High-rise casual comfort on Colombo's waterfront; this striking blue hotel has 158 rooms spread over 14 floors across from Wellawatta's beach (and train…
Sigiriya
An old-school guesthouse owned by a family who have been hosting travellers for years and can provide lots of useful tips about the region. Rooms are…
Unawatuna
This Italian-owned house has four intimate rooms that have been decorated in a Rome-meets-the-tropics fusion. It's got a large terrace that's great for…
Hikkaduwa & Around
Keeping passing travellers content for years, lovely Ritas has simple but tidy ground-floor budget rooms, while midrange cruisers will like the fancier…
Polonnaruwa
A good-value place (especially considering there's a pool with loungers) that straddles budget and midrange. It's 4.5km west of the centre of town, but…
Tangalla & Around
On a breathtaking stretch of near-deserted beach, this long-running place has rustic chic cabanas, some of which feature lots of twisted driftwood. All…
Negombo
This modern and fresh hotel has spacious split-level rooms that are all about sleek minimalism. The hotel doesn't have much natural light, but there's…
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