DESIGNS | Historic Galle Fort Hotel reopens inside UNESCO World Heritage site after two years of restoration

Sri Lanka’s most iconic heritage hotel, Galle Fort Hotel, reopened on 23rd February 2022.

Located inside the UNESCO World Heritage Galle Fort, the ultra luxe boutique hotel is housed in a Dutch mansion that dates back 300 years. The property was once a warehouse and served as the residence of a renowned family of gem merchants during the British era. This heritage restoration of the Galle Fort Hotel was done, working in line with the Sri Lankan Ministry of Archaeology to ensure that the building’s 300 year old Dutch walls and façade were conserved as authentically as possible.

In its new look, the Galle Fort Hotel features 11 luxurious suites with varying themes and décor. The Loft Suites have been given an entirely new look inspired by the Dutch East India Company, while the newly introduced Garden Suite draws its theme from the illustrations of a Dutch botanist. The Admiral Cheng Ho Suite features a Chinese-inspired décor, to reflect Galle as a historic crossroads of trade, while the entry- level Garden Room stands out with its massive hand painted wall, commissioned to a local artist.

One of the structural highlights of this property is the stunning Palladian colonnade verandah, which houses the Galle Fort Hotel Bar, with its exclusive selection of gins from across the globe. The adjoining gourmet restaurant is one of the best tables in the Galle Fort and serves up Western fusion cuisine.

Amrit Rajaratnam, founder of Maitland and Knox Heritage Hotels, an experiential luxury company that owns the hotel says, “The refurbishment of an iconic property like this one is always a challenge, and covid pre- sent its own set of hurdles. That said, the hotel is still one of the finest examples of Dutch architecture in the Fort. The Suites play on these strengths and draw inspiration from the Dutch East India Company, and the spice trade, which was used as an underlying theme to decorate the Loft Suites, among others. At Maitland and Knox, our properties act as experiences and not mere hotels. Sri Lanka is an ideal destination for immersive, experiential luxury.”

Shayan Kannangara, Director, Maitland, and Knox Heritage Hotels, comments, “Experiential luxury travel has always been our forte at Maitland and Knox Heritage Hotels. Galle Fort Hotel is poised to take this ethos to new levels with curated mini-adventures in the local lifestyle and food & beverage. Sri Lanka is the ideal boutique hospitality destination, if marketed strategically to high net worth tourists, encompassing FITs as well as small families and groups of friends. This is where the boutique segment can truly be showcased.”