Colombo fun guide to new beds and colonial corners for bites

by Royston Ellis

2025 update by staff reporters in progress

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A ruffled calm: Grand views of sleepy low-rise Colombo and the blue coastline looking away from the downtown bustle, from the Radisson Hotel Colombo/ photo: hotel

JUMP TO Colombo Airport and nearby hotels | Rooftop bars | Dining and nightlife | Shopping | Business hotels | Heritage hotels and boutiques | Budget hotels | Hotel Contacts

FOR decades hamstrung by security threats, Colombo, once considered the Garden City of Asia in the 1920s, made a swift comeback after 2009 with an end to the undeclared “war” with the Tamil Tigers in the north. Most checkpoints you’d spot now might be for frazzled policemen trying to rein in wayward motorists.

Yet, security issues do continue to crop up. The 21 April 2019 Easter Sunday attacks at churches and upscale hotels stunned the country as a sense of disbelief and anxiety returned to a city caught in the crosshairs of bomb blasts targeting Christians and Westerners. Post lockdowns and Covid disruption, Colombo has started breathing again and can get lively at times as it searches for its groove. The food scene remains excellent with innovation, creative menus and atmospheric locations in colonial corners that are never in short supply in this city.

The cocktail circuits have stirred to life with well-heeled travellers returning as, once again, Colombo climbs up the wish-list as a desirable holiday and business destination. The economy is growing, if sluggishly, and a new government in September 2024 promised more equitable socio-economic policies, thus defusing some tensions.

Yet, with security personnel still in evidence all over the city, Colombo presents a mixed picture. As safety and security hover at the fore. A controversial earlier attempt to ban burqas fizzled out. Amidst some palpable caution, the city’s skyline continues to slowly change as multi-storey hotel, apartment and office blocks sprout skywards.

What was once a military compound on the landside of the famous Galle Face Green waterfront promenade has been colonised by foreign chain hotels building prestigious properties with views of the Indian Ocean, currently being dredged to add acres of reclaimed land to the shore. More hotels in all price brackets are being added throughout the city, giving a huge choice of accommodation.

Welcome to Colombo, Sri Lanka, the capital of the island of Serendipity. Here's a quick review of Colombo business hotels in 2025, leisure digs, restaurants, bars and sights. There's enough for a languorous holiday or a busy business trip. Or combine both. Business travellers and vacation planners, dive right in.

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By day, Colombo's population is swollen by commuters who join residents to fill its streets to overflowing with sluggish traffic. But an Expressway linking northern Colombo with the airport, has reduced the journey time (once you’re on it) to 30 minutes between the city centre and airport. Travel within the city is best done by three-wheeler scooter taxis, most of which have meters, but it is wise to agree on a price before jumping in as, frequently, the meter is "broken”. On now with our Colombo fun guide for business and apres work.

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Colombo arrival and airport area hotels

The peak time for arrivals at Colombo's international airport is between 5am and 10am and for departures, from 7am to 8am. After massive extension work, airport queues flow smoothly. Duty-free shops are available in the departure and arrival halls, but arriving smokers be warned – there’s no duty-free allowance for cigarettes.

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By mid-2025, visa-free entry to Sri Lanka had been expanded to include visitors from India, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, China and Russia. Others must apply online for a visa in advance (www.eta.gov.lk).

Beyond customs is a hall of counters for currency exchange and tourist, mobile phone and taxi assistance and where friends wait to meet arrivals. Hotel representatives with name boards greet guests in this hall and direct them to hotel cars. Expect to pay upwards of 2,500 Sri Lankan rupees for a taxi to Colombo, or about US$8-$9 (US$1=SLRs300). Paid porters are available to help with luggage in both the arrival and departure area. Passengers in transit (and not leaving the airport) may head to the second level to find the Serenediva Colombo Transit Hotel with comfortable rooms, rain showers, and business and meeting facilities. If you are flying on SriLankan Airlines keep in mind they offer complimentary short duration transit stays to their passengers.

For those not in a rush to head into the city or hoping to acclimatise in the verdant countryside, close to the Bandaranaike International Airport (www.airport.lk) north of Colombo, there are a few choices. The Gateway Hotel, Airport Garden (under Taj) has made way for the lively lifestyle oriented Vivanta Colombo, Airport Garden. It is a few minutes away by shuttle set within a 30-acre coconut grove overlooking Negombo Lagoon and a sun-dappled alfresco pool. The hotel rightly makes a pitch for both business and leisure travellers, especially those with flights in the wee hours. Up to two children 12 years or younger can share free with parents. Expect a conference room, business centre, car hire facilities and four F&B options including the Chinese menu Golden Dragon. A deluxe room starts at a small 24sq m but is well featured with fast WiFi for up to four mobile devices, usual mod-cons, and open views. For jet-lagged travellers there is a spa with traditional treatments, massages and more.

Also on the road to Colombo is the Ramada by Wyndham Katunayke, a smaller, cheaper option with spruced-up rooms, business centre and lounge bar. There is a Grand Ballroom for 300 guests and the Board Room can host 20 persons. It is around a 40 minute to one hour drive down from this northern town to the Colombo city centre.

Only 24km from the airport and 13km from the centre of Colombo, the 140-room Pegasus Reef at Hendala, Wattala, has been open for five decades but has undergone much transformation. This attractive green low-rise on the beach has standard rooms starting at a generous 49sq m with in-toom safe, smart TV, hairdryer, kettle, and balcony. The seaside has been modestly developed too and there is an inviting alfresco pool. Rooms are priced lower than city hotels, so this is a good hotel to combine business in the city with pleasure by the sea. It is a useful spot for small events and meetings as well as weddings.

Another option north of Colombo 20 minutes beyond thre airport is the Jetwing Beach hotel, on the beach at Negombo. This is well regarded five-star property with spacious rooms, good amenities and private terrace.

In the same area, don’t miss resorty Colombo boutique hotel The Wallawwa. Set amid peaceful, leafy, rural surroundings, this 200-year-old restored manor home is gracefully inviting. The 18 rooms (from 35sq m) and 55sq m suites are lavishly furnished in the traditional country house manner and come with excellent dining, complimentary WiFi, and flat-screen TVs. Lounge in four poster beds. After a walk through the three-acre garden, refresh at the pool, spa out with wellness treatments, or enjoy the aromatic fare at the restaurant. If you need more elbow room, the Mountbatten Suite serves up 162sq m of pampering with a second room and a plunge pool.

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Rooftop bars and the high life

While office and apartment blocks have sprung up, new hotels have followed suit, each new one boasting a roof top bar. In contrast there are also some converted colonial bungalow properties, providing a pleasant place to stay cocooned away from the hustle and bustle, although these may not be so impressive for entertaining business contacts as a flamboyant five-star hotel.

A few Colombo rooftop bar choices include Vistas Bar at the Movenpick, Cloud Cafe (cloud-cafe.html) atop Colombo Court, Botanik (botanikbistrobar) with both indoor and outdoor areas, and Cloud Red (cloud-red) at Cinnamon Red that opens at 5pm and runs till midnight.

The city is desperately trying to be trendy and daring with smart new restaurants and glitzy ever-open casinos but remains really rather old-fashioned and respectable. It has swanky boutiques, posh lifestyle stores and a modern office infrastructure, yet beneath its bustle old mores hold sway.

Every full moon day (known as Poya Day) is a holiday which, added to statutory holidays, means Sri Lankans have almost as many holidays in a year as working days. Poya days are legally "dry days" and bars also close unexpectedly on other holidays too, surprisingly even on the Christian bacchanal of Christmas Day. On dry days, hotels endeavour to keep resident guests merry by providing mini-bar or room service.

While some city banks are open seven days a week, and some supermarkets and casinos 24 hours a day, restaurants and bars can only serve drinks from 11am to 2pm and from 5pm to 11pm unless they pay for a temporary extension permit. This rule is a hangover from colonial days and has been pretty much forgotten save for when the police cracks down on transgressors.

With very few exceptions, in most restaurants anyone who lunches or dines outside those hours must do so without wine, a small pity. However, Colombo's restaurants are top-notch and fine dining is no longer confined to five-star hotels.

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Colombo dining, casinos

Probably the leading independent restaurant in Colombo is The Gallery Café (2 Alfred House Road The-Gallery-Cafe) in the courtyard of what was once an architect's residence. The late Geoffrey Bawa supervised the takeover of his residence for conversion into a gallery and restaurant by Udayshanth Fernando, chairman and designer, Paradise Road. Tables are packed into a pavilion under shady trees while all comings and goings are monitored by the "in-crowd" enjoying Mediterranean-style dishes. Try peppery chicken mulligatawney soup, smoked salmon terrine, Mediterranean salad, Malacca fried rice or grilled lamb cutlets.

The Old Dutch Hospital restaurant and shopping complex behind the World Trade Centre is a wellspring of restaurants and bars that has made the area, surrounded by a trio of five-star hotels, the best for evening entertainment. Here, look for Colombo’s beloved Ministry of Crab (ministryofcrab.com) for a unique fine dining experience in the historic premises. Uniquely, it is backed by two of Sri Lanka's legendary cricketers. Try the garlic chilli crab or the 'kaphrao' crab. If your belly is clean bowled, well, this is a hospital! More conventional with drinks and café dishes is Harpo’s Colombo Fort Café (also at Dutch Hospital, www.colombofortcafe.com). Also in the cloisters of the cobbled courtyard is the Heladiv Tea Club (heladivteaclubColombo) the self described dessert bar for snacks, drinks and gooey sweet treats.

A note for old timers: representing SriLankan Airlines’ catering on the ground, The Semondu earned its spurs as Colombo’s swankiest informal bar and restaurant but by 2025 it had sadly closed.

Beyond the hospital walls with its own courtyard and street side tables, Tap House by RNR (TaphouseByRnr), offers laid back surroundings and tasty bar snacks.

Farther south, you’ll stumble upon Park Street Mews (parkstreetmews.com), another quirky mural-draped addition to the Colombo dining scene. Around the corner from the Beira Lake Temple in a complex of restored warehouses, this popular spot is known as much for its meat, fish and vegetarian dishes as its weddings and a roster of high profile events and corporate get-togethers at The Stables.

More informal and popular with the city’s intelligentsia is the Barefoot Garden Cafe (706 Galle Road, barefootceylon.com) offering innovative dishes in a peaceful atmosphere despite its main road location. Enjoy the Sunday jazz and nibble on spinach quiche or tuck into a sumptuous black pork curry.

 For food prepared and served quickly in a friendly ambience, there is the ever-popular Cricket Club Café now in a new location (12 Flower Road, cricketclubcafeceylon.com) where there's breakfast lunch and dinner with snacks all the way through and afternoon teas. Check out the courtyard bar and backroom pub emblazoned with cricket memorabilia. Former Australian star batsman and captain Ricky Ponting has been here so...

Run by the Australian couple who conceived the Cricket Club Café, the Whight & Company coffee house (whight.co) in an art deco building on Alfred House Avenue specialises in supremely drinkable locally-grown coffee — the owners’ own the Ruby Harvest 100 percent Arabica brand — and light café dishes, including scrumptious Pavlovas.

Opened to cater for Colombo 's cognoscenti, Bay Leaf (79 Gregory's Road, bayleafcolombo.com) is housed in a magnificent mansion complete with verandah and balcony tables, private dining rooms and party garden. With its own bakery and swish cocktail bar, this locally run restaurant serves prettily presented, delicious Italian dishes with an emphasis on seafood.

The entrance patio of the popular Odel shopping complex has expanded from a gaggle of kiosks dispensing milk shakes and ice-creams into a fashionable piazza thronged throughout the day with tired shoppers and people-watchers snacking in style. It's a nice trendy area to explore for a bite or a cool drink.

Colombo is the perfect place to gorge happily on seafood; Sri Lanka’s crab and oysters are exported daily to Singapore. The Cinnamon Grand Hotel excels with possibly the country’s best seafood restaurant, The Lagoon (the-lagoon) with freshly caught fish lying on ice slabs awaiting selection by guests to be cooked as required. Several hotels offer fine dining options with varied cuisines.

Restaurants featuring a la carte Sri Lankan cuisine are varied in price and quality, but reasonably priced rice and curry self-service meals are available from the curry corner of buffets set up for lunch and dinner in coffee shops of five-star hotels.

For exquisite contemporary Sri Lankan cuisine prepared with panache and a touch of fusion, a popular spot was the Kaema Sutra, (kaema-sutra) at the Shangri-La Hotel inspired by Darshan Munidasa, the chef of genius behind The Ministry of Crab. The place is temporarily closed according to the hotel.

Old style Sri Lankan cuisine is presented for lunch and dinner in a grand setting at Horton's Place — look for the Grande Gourmet at Nirj’s. The restaurant also features, on different levels, French, Thai and Malay cuisine and a whisky library.

Village-style cooking can be experienced at Nuga Gama (nuga-gama) restaurant, a re-created rural settlement in the grounds of the Cinnamon Grand Hotel. Sip on the local coconut 'arrack' (some of it finely blended). The place is open 7pm to 11pm. The popular, tasty, and cheaper Raja Bojun (Liberty Arcade, www.facebook.com) has closed but has new creations planned.

The renovated Palmyrah Restaurant (Hotel Renuka, palmyrah-restaurant/) is renowned for its north Sri Lankan (Tamil) a la carte specialities at good prices. Try their Jaffna specialities like mutton paal poriyal, whole crab curry, and tangy fried fish pittu.

There are air-conditioned food courts open from 11am-9pm featuring Sri Lankan, Chinese, Indian, Thai and Korean dishes in the basements of the Liberty Plaza (R A De Mel Mawatha, Colombo 3), Majestic City (10 Station Road, Colombo 4) and Crescat Boulevard (Galle Road, Colombo 3) shopping malls.

There’s an air-conditioned and more upmarket food court attached to the lobby of the new Z-Max Fairway Hotel behind the Dutch Hospital precinct that’s open to non-residents too.

Now the city is coming to life again at night, Galle Face Green throbs with sunset action as kids fly kites, lovers promenade, and street hawkers offer snacks like prawns in a deep fried patty.

At night, the well-heeled head for the luxe hotels, some of which have nightclubs and lively bars with live music. Having started small as an insiders' hangout with drinks patio, Rhythm & Blues (19/1, Daisy Villa Avenue, Duplication Road, Colombo 4; rhythmandbluescolombo) has blossomed into the city's swing joint that doesn't get into its stride until after 10pm and continues with nonstop bar service and revelry. The food is pretty good too.

Thanks to the complimentary drinks and snacks, casinos tend to be popular among travellers. Though some have high buy-in points you can always sell back the chips you don’t use. There are three main casinos open 24 hours with Bally's (ballyscolombo.com, near the back entrance to Fort Railway Station) almost exclusively for visitors, with its sister casino Bellagio (bellagiocolombo.com, 430 R A De Mel Mawatha, also known as Duplication Road) a glitzy and vast venue, popular with all comers. A somewhat newer entrant is Casino Marina (casinomarina.com), spanning a few floors in a building at 30 Marine Drive), with slot machines as well as the customary gaming tables, and lots of side entertainment.

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Shopping tips for sultry afternoons

Colombo's reputation for trendy fashion shopping stems from the success of Odel (5 Alexandra Place), now a fully-fledged department store after starting out as a cut-price local garment outlet. Crowds flock to House of Fashions (101 D S Senanayaka Mawatha, houseoffashions.lk) in search of imported items (not just clothes) at low prices. There are stylish outfits for women, men and even children.

Colombo has an amazing number of shops with unusual household goods and artefacts for stylish modern homes. Barefoot (barefootceylon.com) specialises in fabrics in gorgeous hues, while Paradise Road (213 Dharmapala Mawatha) is ideal for ingenious gifts and upmarket décor. Hermitage (28 Gower Street) has an Indian antique ambience.

The pleasantly air-conditioned Colombo shopping malls of Liberty Plaza, Majestic City and the more upmarket Crescat Boulevard with its designer-label stores are worth a wander if ever in the vicinity.

There is a branch of Keells Super in Crescat's basement for shopping as the locals do and buying local produce like devilled cashews and pickled quail eggs.

Colombo shopping has got classier with the conversion of some decaying colonial buildings into trendy shopping locations. The Arcade Independence Square (arc.independence), converted from government offices of the Victorian era, houses several boutique clothes shops, while the former stadium of the Colombo Race Course has souvenir stores and some restaurants.

Sri Lanka is the source of tat wondrous Ceylon tea and Colombo’s popular tea bar, Tea Breeze (www.teabreeze.com) has two outlets, one at the Race Course Stadium shopping centre and the other at Perahera Mawatha beside the Beira Lake, as well as at the airport. Good for pots of single-estate-grown leaf teas, unusual tea milkshakes, delicious pastries and sandwiches, all served elegantly by smart stewards. Packaged pure Ceylon and single estate teas can be purchased there and from the Mlesna Tea Counters at Crescat Boulevard, Liberty Plaza, the Arcade at Independence Square, Majestic City shopping malls and from kiosks in some hotel lobbies. The world famous local Dilmah brand of tea has an outlet inside the Odel shopping complex.

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Colombo business hotels review

For years Colombo hotels soldiered on with low occupancy as tourists usually headed straight for the beach or a round-island tour, but business travellers are back and demanding the best. Hotels are meeting the demand by adding lots of restaurant options. Expect decent facilities and venues for small corporate meetings too.

The original InterContinental has disappeared sadly and a later attempt to reopen in 2019 petered out as well. But other stalwarts remain. The Cinnamon Grand Colombo, which expanded and modernised under the John Keells Hotel Group, leads the way with the most popular seafood market restaurant in town, The Lagoon; a saloon-bar pub with great grub, Cheers; a verandah Asian fusion restaurant, and the Nuga Gama Sri Lankan village restaurant.

All the hotel's 500 rooms offer free WiFi and top amenities. There are premium and exutive rooms as well as suites. This is a dependable address in our Colombo business hotels review but if you crave a slightly different sort of experience ask the hotel about how to volunteer at the zoo or enjoy a wetlands adventure.

The Keells Cinnamon Lakeside has revamped things from time to time and remains a fresh presence. Its superior rooms start at 29sq m but are well set up with flat-screen TV, fridge, hair dryer, coffee making facilities, and private bal;cony. Its long running Royal Thai restaurant has survived numerous hotel updates and remains its food mainstay along with Long Feng (Chinese), and The Library, a private bar for guests with a pool table. The Cinnamon group takes great pains over sustainability and eco-friendly habits with energy saver and waste reduction practices.

Not far from Cinnamon Grand for those with international brand tastes and a clear idea of what is to be expected, are the newer Sheraton Colombo Hotel (Dec 2023, with attractive 36sq m minimalist deluxe rooms, subdued art, marble bathrooms, and meeting space for 250 guests) and the Thai-managed Amari Colombo (Dec 2024), a high-rise with a 19m rooftop infinity pool, its Club Pahana for pinstripers, a ballroom for 250 persons, and sea views. In many ways these two high-rise addresses with sweeping views will appeal to frequent travellers with rooms that smell and feel new and clean.

Facing the sea, the Taj Samudra Colombo has 300 rooms with fast Broadband access and marbled bathrooms. Expect stylish eateries including traditional Indian, Chinese (try Golden Dragon) and international restaurants. An excellent set of suites and Club rooms (with butlers) await business and leisure travellers as well.

Another option that won’t assault your wallet is the functional Ramada by Wyndham Colombo (once the Holiday Inn). It offers 90 or so standard rooms, as well as a handful of suites. Expect practical, clean-cut accommodations sans frills.

There is a triangle of hotels, making the old part of town close to the converted Dutch Hospital precincts the fashionable, fun area to stay. The Hilton Colombo has just under 400 rooms, including four floors of executive rooms with lounge and butler services. The lobby area has been transformed and new F&B outlets launched to give this grizzled veteran a younger vibe. It is popular with locals as well as business travellers who want an international brand with its stamp of quality and service. It is in the heart of the business district and is connected to the World Trade Centre. Old timers will get their bearings in the city by spotting its familiar outline.

Its neighbour, the landmark 450-room Galadari Hotel, was long a highly rated address among conventional Colombo business hotels. It had a change of heart apparently and in 2025 it was undergoing a radical change ro acquire a new look and rebrand as the Radisson Blu Hotel, Galadari Colombo.

Across the road, what began life several decades ago as the Ceylon InterContinental has been transformed into the showy 229-room The Kingsbury, with bling and quite a strut. This may not appeal to colonial connoisseurs but is an otherwise convenient address not far from the World Trade Centre and Galle Face Green with pastel faux-classic deluxe rooms welcoming of light in which to enjoy a marbled bathroom and some elaborate white trim.

Adding to the area’s reputation as THE place to stay, in a cobbled street behind the Dutch Hospital precincts, The Steuart by Citrus (Hospital Street, Colombo 1) has preserved its colonial style with a conversion of an Edwardian office block and revels in a Scottish theme. Its plain but neat 50-odd rooms over eight floors come in various sizes and with different tartan themes, many featuring dark royal purple and all with upgraded modern bathrooms and flat-screen televisions.

Opened in September 2016, an addition to the area’s swinging scene was the clumsily named Z-Max Fairway by Plateno (Hospital Street, Colombo 1) a sprawling 180-room complex stretching over eight floors of a converted colonial building. This building with its white colonial facade and lively bright interiors has been soberly renamed the Fairway Colombo. Rooms are well designed with a working desk and a sitting area and suites are equipped for self-catering, for families or long-stay residents. With corridor walls hung with colourful abstract paintings and a vivid mish-mash of colour, it’s a better value option than some neighbouring five-star properties.

In the same area the Colombo City Hotel (Canal Row, Colombo 1) opened before the Dutch Hospital was converted into the city’s centre for evening entertainment and action. It reflects its chequered past looking somewhat worn and is predictably the lowest priced property in this prestigious location.

The first of Colombo’s new “five star” hotels in 24 years was the Movenpick Hotel Colombo (opened January 2017) and by June 2024 it had rebranded as the NH Collection Colombo. It’s a tall (24-storey) slim building opposite the Kollupitiya market and next door to the Liberty Plaza shopping mall: not really a “five star” location.

From the roof top Vistas Bar & Lounge there’s a view over rooftops of the Indian Ocean. With floor-to-ceiling windows, rooms are formidably contemporary in style with colours schemes some may find garish. The hotel tries hard to make an impression and has meeting space for about 200 persons.

Jetwing Colombo Seven opened to guests in February 2017 with 70 plush rooms and 28 serviced apartments, plus the almost obligatory rooftop bar and pool, in the prestigious Colombo 7 residential district.

The Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo, opened in 2017 between the Galle Face and Beira Lake on 10 acres of prime land with excellent sea views. The 541-room hotel offers several restaurants and bars as well as generous events and meetings space for everything from small corporate meetings to MICE venues that are among the best in Colombo. The Shangri-La Ballroom can hold up to 3,000 persons for a standing reception or 1,440 for a banquet. The property rates high on our Colombo business hotels review as a versatile contender with a high level of service and deluxe rooms that start at 42sq m with flat-screen TVs, in-room safe, international plug points with USB sockets, work desk, marble bathrooms, and spa toiletries.

Cinnamon Red at 105m high with 26 floors and 242 guestrooms, has been designed to a concept based on paring down luxuries to the essentials as required by the guest on the move. Today it might be described as a lifestyle hotel with a spot of fun. As a result room rates are attractive at times. Check in and check out can be done automaticallyand vending machines (beverages, snacks and fruit) and ice machines are on hand.

Even room service is “do-it-yourself” as guests collect their pre-ordered meals from the tea/coffee bar on Level 7; popular for action is the rooftop bar and pool. Consider it a 3-star lean luxury concept. It works for the younger set.

The guest rooms are identical with plenty of red décor, king size or twin beds, work desk, and views of either the city, park, lake or ocean. This modern concept hotel is only 10 minutes walk from the Liberty Plaza Shopping Mall and the Galle Road thoroughfare.

Of the many hotels that have sprung up on the landside of Marine Drive since it was opened as a bypass to the congested Galle Road, the 158-room Ozo Hotel in Colombo 4 proved popular with its naturally lit, bright and cosy rooms and helpful staff. So much so that by May 2022 it had been taken over and rebranded as the Radisson Hotel Colombo. Its 158 rooms remain bright and welcoming and there is conference and meetings space for 180 persons. With yet another roof top swimming pool and bar lounge with a view overlooking the Indian Ocean, it has competitive rates compared with similar properties closer to the entertainment hub of the city centre.

Lower room rates are also available at the Best Western Elyon Colombo (102A Baseline Road, Colombo 5) actually a 20-minute ride by three-wheeler from the centre of the city, but nevertheless a decent retreat and close to the Southern Expressway for convenient travelling south. All 59 rooms are non-smoking, compact but comfortable; and the staff personable.

The Hilton Colombo Residence (200 Union Place, Colombo 2) has self-contained apartments available for long or short lease and is next to a supermarket offering straight-to-the-kitchen delivery. All apartments have high-speed Internet access and WiFi.

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Heritage and boutique stays

For Colombo colonial hotels with true character – and not just a hint of the musty – there are some unique accommodation options. The stately whitewashed colonial Galle Face Hotel on the seafront has huge suites in its classic wing, and decent WiFi and Broadband access. It has launched several stylish Signature Suites and more. The 1864 fine-dining restaurant and wine bar continues to attract loyal guests. This is a splendid much-improved and refurbished Sri Lanka heritage hotel with a loyal following. It is popular for conferences, CEO meets and lavish weddings too with the sea as a backdrop. There is plenty of elbow room here indoors as well as alfresco on the lawns.

At the Grand Oriental Hotel, by the old port gates, rooms are smaller but have the atmosphere of bygone days. Among the first Colombo boutique hotels to open was the Havelock Place Bungalow with only seven colonial style rooms dating to 1930, restaurant and swimming pool, WiFi access throughout the premises and Internet. This was followed by the Uga Residence in the happening area of Park Street, now called Residence on Park Street; it’s a huge converted bungalow with 11 spacious darkly handsome woody suites, a swimming pool overlooked by the rooms, and an exclusive restaurant. Uga Escapes meanwhile offers its beautiful Uga Riva in Negombo near Bandaranaike International Airport set on acres of coconut plantation in a 19th century manor. This is a useful pit-stop to start or end your Colombo stay offering a good unwind as well as a fast getaway.

Casa Colombo Collection Hotel off the Galle Road in Bambalapitiya is dubbed a ‘retro-chic designer hotel’ and each of its 12 suites is a fantasy and it exudes an atmosphere of extravagance and fun in this conversion from a 200-year-old mansion. If you can swing it, spring for a Suite, complete with deep-soak bathtub and luxe accessories.

In an embassy area, seek out swanky urban retreat, the bright and tastefully furnished Colombo Court — Hotel & Spa (formerly Colombo Courtyard). This old property is not to be confused with the newer Courtyard by Marriott or just Courtyard Colombo in the city-centre business hub that opened in January 2023. The old yet modernising Colombo Court boutique hotel fuses contemporary design with eco-friendly elements, such as recycled materials in the décor and high-efficiency lighting. It is a member of HIP Hotels. The minimalist, wide-open spaces and courtyards filled with natural light will please even the most zealous neat freak, while the spacious suites and warm wood details should delight the rest.

Tintagel Colombo was created with taste and style from a famous 1930s villa (it was home to three prime ministers) by Shanth Fernando, the designing genius behind the Paradise Road stores and the Gallery Café. A classic and impressive place to stay and a good Colombo boutique hotel choice whose famous guests have included King Charles, when he was Prince of Wales. The black-wood decor and floors are darkly inviting with nooks and crannies to explore, deep sofas and arrays of black-framed photos and artefacts.

Closer to the action in Kollupitiya tucked down a lane off Marine Drive, the grandly named La Maison De Colombo is a quietly upgraded and attractive boutique hotel with reasonable prices. Its quiet location close to the sea, is convenient for anonymity. Expect a French bistro and wine bar too.

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Budget beds and value stays

Often a clue to lower priced accommodation is the addition of “City” to a hotel's name. Down a lane linking the main Galle Road with Marine Drive is Ceylon City Hotel (11 Upatissa Road, Colombo 4) in Bambalapitiya. With around 40 rooms over three floors (and a fourth floor restaurant for residents) its rooms are small but perfectly presented.

An established, lower-rate choice in the same central area is Renuka City Hotel. This has Broadband and WiFi access, and a rooftop infinity swimming pool. Expect good Sri Lankan food and a few facilities for small meets and workshops. Occupancy at the centrally located Juliana Colombo often exceeds 100 percent since its 50 or so huge but basic rooms can be booked for day use too.

The Pearl City Hotel has 60 or so rooms and is located by a busy junction. In the same hotel group, and slightly more upmarket, is the Pearl Grand with about 90 rooms. Overlooking the sea, one of the first hotels to be built on Marine Drive, Hotel Westeern (yes, this is Western spelt with an extra "e") has 30 renovated rooms and a friendly informality to match its low rates. Don't expect too much. Simple colours and furniture but welcoming enough.

And that wraps up our Colombo fun guide and business hotrels review. It may not have the style of its more glamorous neighbours like Singapore and Dubai, but Sri Lanka’s capital has enough accommodation, eateries and activities to suit every pocket and whim. More than that, its laid back charms are ideal for releasing stress.

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FAST FACTS / Hotel Contact List

Our contributor, the late Royston Ellis wrote several guides for Bradt among others. Ellis was also the author of the Insight Pocket Guide: Sri Lanka Step By Step. A prolific writer and author, Ellis also lectured aboard cruise ships and was a well known presence on the travel circuit. His story has gone through various updates by our writers but retains his flavour and insights.

Bandaranaike International Airport (www.airport.lk) is about a 40-minute drive north of Colombo. The country code for Sri Lanka is 94, and [94-11] for Colombo. When calling a Colombo number from elsewhere within Sri Lanka, the code is 011. The Sri Lankan rupee fluctuates daily, but the exchange rate is roughly US$1=SLRs300. US dollars are not usually acceptable, except in casinos. Banks may give a better rate for travellers' cheques than for cash. ATMs accept international credit cards for cash withdrawals.

Special tours are sometimes organised to tie in with cultural shows (www.colombocitytours.com). Among recommended travel agents for local arrangements or unique stays, there are some specialist operators like Red Dot Tours (www.reddottours.com), the mainstream Aitken Spence Travels (www.aitkenspencetravels.com), and Walkers Tours (www.walkerstours.com).

Colombo hotels directory

Amari Colombo. (www.amari.com/colombo).
Best Western Elyon Colombo. (www.bestwesterncolombo.com).
Casa Colombo Collection Hotel. (casa.colombohotels.net).
Ceylon City Hotel. (www.ceyloncityhotel.com).
Cinnamon Grand Colombo. (www.cinnamonhotels.com).
Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo. (www.cinnamonhotels.com).
Cinnamon Red. (www.cinnamonhotels.com).
Colombo City Hotel. (colombocityhotel).
Colombo Court - Hotel & Spa. (www.colombocourthotel.com/).
Courtyard Colombo. By Marriott (courtyard-colombo).
Fairway Colombo. (www.fairwaycolombo.com).
Galle Face Hotel. (www.gallefacehotel.com).
Grand Oriental Hotel. (www.grandoriental.com).
Havelock Place Bungalow. (havelockplacebungalow).
Hilton Colombo. (hilton-colombo).
Hilton Colombo Residences. (hilton-colombo-residences).
Hotel Westeern. (www.westeernhotel.com).
Jetwing Beach. (www.jetwinghotels.com).
Jetwing Colombo Seven. (jetwingcolomboseven).
Juliana Colombo. (www.julianalk.com).
La Maison De Colombo. (lamaisondecolombo.com/).
NH Collection Colombo. Formerly Movenpick Colombo till June 2024 (nh-collection-colombo).
Pearl City Hotel. (www.pearlcityhotel.lk).
Pearl Grand. (www.pearlgrandhotel.com).
Pegasus Reef. (www.pegasusreefhotel.com).
Radisson Blu Hotel, Galadari Colombo. In the process of rebranding from Galadari Colombo.
Radisson Hotel Colombo. Rebranded from OZO Colombo May 2022 (radisson-colombo).
Ramada by Wyndham Colombo. (www.ramadacolombo.com/).
Ramada by Wyndham Katunayake. (www.ramadakatunayake.com).
Renuka City Hotel. (www.renukahotel.com).
Residence on Park Street. (ResidenceonParkStreet).
Serenediva Colombo Transit Hotel. (serenediva.lk).
Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo. (www.shangri-la.com/colombo).
Sheraton Colombo Hotel. (sheraton-colombo)
Taj Samudra Colombo. (taj.tajhotels.com).
The Kingsbury. (www.thekingsburyhotel.com).
The Steuart by Citrus. (www.citrusleisure.com).
The Wallawwa. (www.teardrop-hotels.com/wallawwa).
Tintagel Colombo. (www.paradiseroadhotels.com/tintagel).
Uga Riva. Negombo near airport (www.ugaescapes.com/riva).
Vivanta Colombo, Airport Garden, formerly The Gateway, Airport Garden by Taj. (vivanta-colombo).

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