Where to Stay
Luxury travel accommodation is an art form that is perfected at numerous locations in Sri Lanka. These range from Glamping style accommodation in the wilderness, to minimalist and elegant spots with stunning views of the Indian Ocean or cozy palaces in the mountains. These range from massive hotels designed by the famous Sri Lankan architect, Geoffrey Bawa to health and wellness resorts.
Luxury Stays
Staying close to nature or local communities is not as easy as you think given various restrictions. Accommodations cannot be set up in protected areas and having a cabin amidst a village does not necessarily translate into an authentic, sustainable or even ethical operation. This is why we have curated a list that is genuine to the cause while offering guests the best possible services and amenities.
Jungle & village Cabins
Visitors who have been to destinations like Bali and Phuket would recognize the boutique style that encompass the natural surroundings and then heighten the experience with tropical vibes. However, in Sri Lanka, these properties also scale up the authenticity. And this is evident in all the little details that connect these properties to the setting, the history and storytelling.
Boutiques & Villas
The Grand Hotel, Nuwara-Eliya (1819), the Mount Lavinia Hotel (1805), Galle Face Hotel (1864) and the Queen’s Hotel in Kandy (1869) are just some of the oldest hotels that continue to date. Each of them come with their own fascinating history, oftentimes connected with the British Colonial rule. They are wonderful places to stay in not just for their historic value but for all the little trappings, luxury services and quirky details.
Historic Hotels
The rise of the AirBnB model offered a template for Sri Lankan homes to open up to international guests. The rise in the number of homestays in Sri Lanka was rapid and stunning. While not all of them aced the art of service, the authenticity of most of these places offered the new age traveler a unique and accurate peek at the way the locals live.
Home Stays
The live with us model, by definition means that the hosts were part of the experience. Some of the hosts embarked on these ventures with a genuine love to interact with guests and these are the ones we recommend for our tours. Others essentially turned their homes into fully fledged businesses and lived off site but were essentially managed by the families themselves.
Live with us
Bungalows feature around 4 – 5 rooms on average and follow the bed and breakfast model with an in-house chef and a-la-carte or set menu being available. The best of these have perfected their own charm that bring in authenticity and uniqueness – offering a far more real experience of Sri Lanka then your regular hotel stay.