Galle Fort Hotel: A darling of architectural magazines & a beacon of inspiration for historical properties across the world

Not only one of the luxury hotels in Galle but a heritage hotel Galle fort hotel was reviewed on CEO magazine.

Galle Fort today is one of Sri Lanka’s most evocative tourist attractions. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the sturdy ramparts survive to this day, making Galle Fort the most well preserved European fort in Asia.

Within the walls is a microcosm of European architecture transported to the edge of the Indian Ocean. The Dutch were prolific in their construction, and it is their style of building that remains the most prevalent within the fort.

The largest private mansion of the Dutch era was transformed from ruins into a superb hotel by Australian Karl Steinberg, whose Galle Fort Hotel opened in 2004 as one of the first hotels to be located within the fort, which at the time was in a derelict condition. No longer. A decade of renovation and rejuvenation, along with helpful funding from UNESCO, has turned Galle Fort into a time capsule where travellers can enjoy themselves in numerous bars, restaurants, and shops that cater to their modern needs, while operating in a manner that preserves the integrity of the fort and its unique history.

Galle Fort Hotel became the darling of architectural magazines across the world and remains a beacon of inspiration in the restoration of historical properties in Sri Lanka and beyond. The atmospheric rooms of Galle Fort Hotel vary in size and style, but all of them present guests with memorable accommodation whether in the Porcelain Suite, the Chinese-influenced Admiral Cheng Ho Suite, or the traditional Grand Apartment where antique Dutch furniture recreates a sense of a bygone era in a spacious twobedroom suite. Although Steinberg has moved on to other projects, Galle Fort Hotel remains in the capable hands of another Australian, General Manager David Elgar.

Extracted from The CEO Magazine