The Fortress Hotel is perhaps the grandest hotel in Sri Lanka of all. Owned by reputedly the richest family in Sri Lanka, it is part of the Per Aquum group of resorts, who also have a large presence in the Maldives and the Seychelles. The Fortress only opened its doors in 2007 and has certainly started with a bang, often being fully booked (especially for weddings and large functions) despite the negative news coming out of the Sri Lankan tourism industry.

The hotel is in a glorious location, set right on the Indian Ocean seaside and close to Koggala Lake, about a 20 minute drive from Galle. What sets apart the hotel from many of its competitors is not just its location, though, but its magnificent architecture and ambience, both outside and inside. We don’t often like to quote off a hotel’s own website, but in this case they have it spot on:

A hotel fashioned in the style of a powerful fortress. Rising next to the beach, the resort’s walls enclose verdant gardens and water features, a spa featuring Ayurvedic treatments, a freeflow swimming pool, wine cellar, restaurants, boutiques and exquisitely appointed rooms, lofts and residences. The resort’s architecture forges historic Dutch and Portuguese styles with the motifs of Sri Lanka.

There are 47 guest rooms, all stylishly decorated with a Colonial effect and Modern finish. There are five choices, each with its own different views and appeal: the fortress room, the beach room, the ocean room, the ocean loft and the residence. There is also a glorious spa: the Lime Spa, which specializes in traditional Ayurvedic treatments. And let’s not forget the culinary and gourmet aspects, be that the main restaurant lounge by the pool: Pepper; the modern cave for a fine glass of wine; Heat: where delicious tapas are served by the sea; a dedicated Tea section to enjoy Sri Lanka’s most famous export and the Sea Lounge where you are allowed to enjoy just one fruity cocktail too many!

Oh! and the main attraction itself: the most decadent and luxurious infinity swimming pool that one could hope for. Of course, all of this doesn’t come cheap. You’re not going to get a room for much less that $500 per night, although if you contact the hotel directly, they may give you 20% off if it’s during a quiet period.

We couldn’t recommend the Fortress Hotel more highly for those that want a luxury holiday in Sri Lanka!

Welcome to Ceylon Luxury! Sri Lanka (or Ceylon as it was once known) is considered by many to be the most beautiful country in the world. Stunning beaches, breathtaking mountain views, lush tea plantations, tranquil lakes, tropical forests and the list goes on….

The country lies next to the Maldives, which arguably has the best beaches of any country, and Kerala, the Southern state of India, which is also becoming an increasingly popular travel destination. Sri Lanka has a colorful past and is full of many natural resources, most notably its tea, coffee and spices. It is a predominantly Buddhist country (Theravada- early Buddhism) with an ancient culture that can still be seen today in many of the wonderful temples, monuments and sites. Sri Lanka was colonized by the Portuguese, then the Dutch and finally the British before achieving independence in 1948. This rich and diverse history lends itself to a very unique culture which one can see in the architecture, arts and crafts. Sri Lanka is also a home to ayurvedic medicine, which makes it especially appealing for those Westerners who believe in holistic health techniques.

Couple these facts with the most charming, kind and hospitable people you are ever likely to encounter on your travels and you have a paradise just waiting to be visited.

However, owing to the continuing problems with the civil war in the North of the country, where government troops battle Tamil Tiger rebels, tourism is at an all time low in the country. Despite the reality of it being perfectly safe to travel to Sri Lanka in the central and southern regions, the constant bad news coming out in the media is keeping the mainstream tourists away. The situation wasn’t helped in December, 2004 when the Tsunami hit the West Coast of Sri Lanka very severley and the country has yet to properly recover from this terrible disaster.

Ironically, this situation of negative publicity has opened up a different area of travel in Sri Lanka- one of luxury. This niche is filled by the discerning traveler who can afford to spend that little bit extra and doesn’t pay attention to the worries of the mass tourism industry. Furthermore, this type of luxury traveler is rather attracted by the exclusivity and personal touch that one gets by being one of the special few. It’s like a “private club” growing in the middle of Asia and the “who’s who” are being catered for by those who know how to provide service in style.

Out of this rapidly growing luxury travel market in Sri Lanka are being born the most luxurious and exclusive boutique hotels, villas, private islands, spas, restaurants, shops, specialty tours and many other aspects of luxe travel.

It is this area of luxury travel in Sri Lanka that this blog is about. We want to share first-hand with readers our knowledge of traveling the country in style and hope that we can convert a few to visit this unique island paradise. We will be reviewing and featuring every aspect of luxe travel in Sri Lanka, whether that be the hotels, private villas, restaurants or tour companies. And we won’t be just regurgitating what you can find elsewhere on the web, as we actually know Sri Lanka intimately and regularly visit the place ourselves!

Finally, we’re not out to make our millions from this blog and so won’t be filling it up with spammy affiliate links and ads. Having said this, we are probably able help you if you are serious about visiting the country as we know many of the hotel owners, etc- so can likely get you a good deal. Therefore, do contact us if you would like our help or advice.

Image via Iho-Ohi