The hotel industry in Sri Lanka is rising, adding to a growing list of international accolades from guidebooks and magazines, including the Lonely Planet and the National Geographic Traveler.

Along with infrastructures being built across the country, its connectivity with the world has improved, and the country welcomes tourists from all corners of the globe.

Hilton Colombo, located in the capital city’s business district, offers a wide range of accommodation, from guest and executive rooms to suites. Overlooking the Indian Ocean, the winner of last year’s TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Award has six meeting rooms, seven function rooms and a grand ballroom that can accommodate up to 900 people for a conference.

Guest rooms are designed in an art-deco style, and visitors have access to a 90-foot outdoor swimming pool, sauna, spa, and a squash court. The Curry Leaf Restaurant offers a selection of seafood perfected to fine tastes by expert chefs. 

The Amaya Lake Resort in Dambulla provides sweeping views of Kandala Lake. Surrounded by unspoiled natural elements, the resort has 170 guest rooms, 120 luxury suites, nine spa rooms, two restaurants and one swimming pool.

Guests can listen to birds humming in the morning and hear wind rustling through the trees. Amaya Lake was classified as an eco-friendly resort for its aesthetic design that incorporates nature.

Guest rooms are furnished in traditional Sri Lankan style, with soft lighting, wooden carvings and spacious furniture. Luxury suites come with an outdoor pool, Jacuzzi, sunbed and sun-dappled pool deck.

The Amaya Hills Resort, nestled in the picturesque hilltops of Kandy, offers a breathtaking view of the verdant Hanthana Mountains. Modelled after the Kandyan Palace, the four-star hotel mixes traditional Kandyan design with modern conveniences.

It has 300 guest rooms, 100 luxury suites, seven spa rooms, three restaurants and a swimming pool that combines traditional and modern charms. The resort offers stunning views of the forest-covered Heerassagala hills and the scenic valleys beyond. 

The Firs, located in the high hills of Nuwara Eliya, is a luxury bungalow with the ambiance of British colonial times. Furnished with antique furniture and classic designs, the suites emanate old charms amid lakeside tranquility and comfort.

Built over a hundred years ago, it was the holiday home of Sri Lanka’s first Prime Minister Don Stephen Senanayake.

The Long Beach Resort in Koggala is situated along 1 kilometer of white sand beach, with a direct view of the ocean from the balcony, merely 10 meters away. The resort has 172 rooms with a sea view and 28 rooms without a sea view. Guests can surf, tan and relax on the beach, and sleep listening to waves gentling crashing on the beachfront. 

The Yathra Boat House by Jetwing in Bentota is the ultimate luxury experience. Along the tranquil Bentara River, guests can take an afternoon cruise on the ship, which is equipped with two air-conditioned cabins, attached bathrooms, balconies, a lobby, an open lounge and a dining area.

Guests can drink Ceylon tea on a deck watching the sun set. In the evening, they can try traditional Sri Lankan curry dishes under a starlit sky, prepared by expert chefs. Near the resort, they can visit other attractions, such as the Lunuganga Estate of architect Geoffrey Bawa, Beruwala Fish Market, Kande Viharaya Temple, Turtle Farm in Kosgoda.

By Joel Lee (joel@heraldcorp.com)