Spending a luxurious holiday in Ceylon is not at all that hard to do, and of course, your “home base” for your holidays will be at the center of it all. There are a lot of places where you can stay in Ceylon, and one very highly recommended hotel is the Galle Fort Hotel.
Situated on Church Street in Galle Fort, this boutique hotel has already received a lot of attention from foreign visitors as well as the press. It is no wonder, really, as the hotel is perfect in so many ways! Take a look at this list to see what reputable entities have to say about the hotel:
• Conde Nast Hot List 2005
• Chosen by Conde Naste as one of the best new hotels in the world under $200
• Most desirable hotel bed linen in the world Wallpaper magazine
• Winner of the 2007 UNESCO Award of Distinction for cultural heritage conservation
• Selected by The Australian Travel Magazine as “ one of our top five places in the world to chill and relax”
More »
Written by Georgie on December 24th, 2009 | 3 Comments »
Filed under Boutique Hotels, Ceylon, Galle Fort
A few weeks ago, we posted some charming old postcards of Sri Lanka, or Ceylon as it was known in those days (thus the name of this website!).
To follow up this, we thought it would be interesting to compare how Old Ceylon has evolved into the New Sri Lanka over the last century using photographic imagery.
To start us off, here is a picture of Pettah, in Colombo:
More »
Written by Antonella on December 14th, 2009 | Comments Off
Filed under Architecture, Ceylon, Colombo, History, Hotels, Sri Lanka
Looking at old postcards is a wonderful way to glimpse into the history of a place. Here are a selection of some fascinating ones sent to us by a Sri Lankan friend from Galle that truly reflect the beauty and majestic qualities of old Ceylon.
More »
Written by Antonella on November 1st, 2009 | Comments Off
Filed under Architecture, Arts, Ceylon, Colombo, History
This fabulous beachside property 7km from Galle certainly lives up to its name. Ambalama means ‘resting place’ in Sinhalese and it is an ideal villa in which to live out dreams of a relaxing tropical holiday. The construction of the villa celebrates its exotic location, seamlessly merging the indoors with the out. Highlighted by many fascinating antique pillars and doorways this villa may takes its inspiration from Bali, but its warm hospitality and glorious setting confirms its authenticity as Sri Lankan.
Ambalama offers plenty of luxe for the traveller. Its four equitable bedrooms are highlighted by comfortable four-poster beds adorned with the highest thread count linen to be found in Sri Lanka. With multiple sets of doors opening onto the front sea view verandah, louvers provide the rooms with enough of a breeze for you to hardly ever need to use the air conditioning or fan, although both are available. With two of the modern bathrooms featuring an enclosed open air shower surrounded by a soothing tropical garden, this is barefoot luxury at its best. More »
Written by Antonella on September 12th, 2009 | Comments Off
Filed under Beach Holidays, Ceylon, Cuisine, Galle Fort, Luxury, Luxury Travel, Tips, Villas
This blog is not one about the news or politics coming amount of Sri Lanka. However, given the recent momentous events that have occurred in the country with the end of a 26 year old Civil War, we feel it would be unnatural not to address it. Apart from anything else, it does of course have a huge impact on the tourism industry in terms of safety and security, which as we explained in our very first post has been a primary reason why many people have decided not to visit the country.
The picture we are using was sent to us by a friend from Sri Lanka and was taken on the final days at the battlefield in Mullaitivu. The inherent emotion is obvious and during our recent trip, such feelings were reflected by every local we talked to. No individual or family has not lost a son or friend in this battle. They are now jubilant and hero worship their President Rajapaksa, who is assured re-election next year. And it is widely believed, despite the many negative stories and reports regarding the humanitarian catastrophe that exists, that tourists will soon return in abundance. More »
Written by Antonella on July 4th, 2009 | Comments Off
Filed under Ceylon, History, Politics, Safety, Sri Lanka
Perhaps one of the most obvious and desirable things to do when traveling to Sri Lanka is to to visit the tea country. As TeaAuction.com writes:
“The Sri Lankan tea industry is the country’s largest employer providing jobs directly and indirectly to over a million people. It also contributes a significant amount to Government revenue and to the gross domestic product. Sri lanka is the 3rd biggest tea producer with a market share of 9%. The total land used for tea cultivation is approximately 187,309 hectares. Sri Lankan tea has unique characteristics and reputation as arguably the best teas in the world. The ideal climatic conditions of the plantation give the teas a variety of rich flavours and aromas, which indicate high quality.”
But with such a huge variety of choice and large distances to cover, where should the luxury traveler go to get a taste of the “Ceylon tea experience” while at the same time being able to relax and travel in style? We recommend Tea Trails…..
More »
Written by Antonella on March 30th, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Filed under Boutique Hotels, Ceylon, Eco-friendly, Luxury Travel, Tea, Tours
In an earlier post, we featured the most elegant place to stay in Colombo: Park Street, developed and run by Taru Villas. Another Taru Villas property well worth exploring is The River House, located in Balapitiya, near Bentota- about a two hour drive south of Colombo on the road to Galle.
Renowned fashion designer, Taru, has surpassed herself and “Sri Lankan Boutique” in this luxurious villa along the coast from sister in quiet Balapitiya at the mouth of the Madu Ganga.
Set on a belt of coconut plantations 500m inland, the surroundings are peaceful woodland. The forest hosts many birds, and you may make an interesting visit to the nearby prawn farm on the river that borders the garden. More »
Written by Antonella on March 10th, 2009 | Comments Off
Filed under Architecture, Boutique Hotels, Ceylon, Luxury Travel, Tours, Travel
