Tag:
Luxury Hotels in Galle FortGalle Fort Hotel featured on Condé Nast Traveller
August 4, 2017
Part Ian Schrager, part Somerset Maugham, this 12-room hotel is in a seventeenth-century Dutch merchant’s house in the heart of Sri Lanka’s historic, now-hip Galle Fort. Owners Karl Steinberg and Christopher Ong, exacting guests themselves, have trained the young staff to abandon Oriental bows in favor of genuinely great service—plumbing problems were resolved on the spot, and meals were served in record time. Ong oversees a daily menu of Asian favorites that draws deserved raves from across the island, particularly a kung pao chicken that elevates the take-out classic to haute cuisine. Dutch antiques fill the rooms, no two of which are alike. A spa suite provides Thai massages that match Bangkok’s finest, but guests must come prepared for occasional power failures (although the hotel’s generator kicks in quickly).
Sri Lanka Is Ready for Its Close-Up by Conde Nast Traveller
December 14, 2016
Andrew Solomon from Conde Nast Traveler writes,
Just a few short years after the end of its brutal civil war, Sri Lanka—with its rambling temple ruins, leafy tea plantations, and wide golden beaches—is bursting with optimism (but not the crowds).
The shift from peace to war can be famously abrupt, with neighbors turning on one another with little apparent provocation. Placid communities can become bloodbaths in the blink of an eye (Kosovo, Syria). Rebuilding in the wake of a terrible war, by contrast, usually takes decades. But Sri Lanka has managed a rapid shift from some of the most horrific carnage in recent history—a civil war that raged for more than 25 years and produced 100,000 casualties—to a peace that not only unites the country’s previously divided ethnicities but inflects the experience of any visitor to the island.
Out of hotels in Galle, Galle Fort Hotel was a recommended stay from the author.
Read the full Article on the cntraveler.com
On the Lankan Heritage Trail
November 2, 2016As a centre piece among Galle boutique hotels Galle Fort Hotel was revieweed on Villa 88 magazine, Autumn 2016 issue
In the morning sun, colorful little birds gather for a quick dip in the small, tiled fountain which forms the center of the open courtyard, inside what was formerly an 18th century Dutch mansion. Gigantic pillars create tall shadows in the corridors of the refurbished mansion, while the pale walls and high ceilings offer a sepia-toned throwback to Dutch-era Sri Lanka.
As sunbeams illuminate the ancient doors and windows on the façade of the iconic Galle Fort Hotel, stories from the pages of Sri Lanka’s history come to life. The estate has seen times of strife and turmoil as well as that of prosperity, as it morphed from a princely Dutch mansion to barracks for the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II, a post o ce, a bakery, and most recently, a pitch for Galle’s adolescent cricketers, before it was finally refurbished to become The Galle Fort Hotel in 2003.
The boutique hotel offers some unique insights into Sri Lanka’s journey through the ages. For instance, a suite named after a seven-foot tall eunuch, the Chinese Admiral Cheng Ho, commemorates his visit to Galle in 1406. The admiral had halted at Galle en route to an expedition to explore the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific with seven voyages, long before Cristopher Columbus set his anchor down on the sandy shores of Ceylon.
Recipient of the UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Award of Distinction, The Galle Fort Hotel is a treasure trove of such stories unearthed from history, culture and folklore. The architecture of the renovated estate also reflects more than one style and school of design. While a majority of the boutique hotel retains its Dutch charm, parts of it pay tribute to Sri Lanka’s British heritage as well as its ethnic Sinhalese flavor.
Read the full article on priyankapradhan.com
The Galle Fort Hotel: A Heritage Experience in Sri Lanka
July 26, 2016
Shortly after arriving at the Galle Fort Hotel one of the heritage hotels in Galle, you will be greeted by the most charming General Manager patiently waiting to unveil the history of this previous 18th century Dutch mansion, now beautifully converted into 13 guest rooms surrounding a lush courtyard. While these details are shared countless times, the delivery is heartfelt and filled with genuine enthusiasm. That story is for you, to set the tone for your stay, to imagine life in this special space long ago, and it’s part of the magic of staying in a historical treasure of the Galle Fort Hotel. Please read the interview below with General Manager, David Elgar as he shares his insight on Sri Lanka, the wonderful history of the Galle Fort Hotel, and running this delightful boutique hotel.
Herschel Supply features Galle Fort Hotel
June 10, 2016Extracted from Herschel Supply Co. Stories
At the heart of the Fort, the magnificent Galle Fort Hotel a luxury boutique hotel holds centuries of history between its walls. Originally a Dutch mansion, it was taken over by gem merchants during the British reign, then restored and renovated into a luxury boutique hotel in 2003. Awarded the Asia Pacific Heritage Award of Distinction by the UNESCO, the hotel remains a model of preservation for all the other businesses in the city.
Galle Fort Hotel: Sri Lankan History
January 21, 2016
Reviewed on australia.etbtravelnews.com
It is largely thanks to an Australian businessman that Sri Lanka’s once decrepit Galle Fort is now one of the country’s most important tourist attractions. Just over ten years ago, Karl Steinberg left Sydney’s film industry to undertake a completely new challenge. With partner Christopher Ong, Steinberg acquired the largest Dutch-era mansion within the walls of Galle Fort and set out to bring it back to its former magnificence. Galle Fort Hotel opened in 2004 and was an immediate success with Sri Lankan and international travellers clamouring for rooms in this elegant property where history and contemporary design coexist in splendid harmony.
An atmospheric lobby sets the tone for the entire property Thanks to the valuable spices sought after by Arab, Chinese, and European merchants, Sri Lanka saw all of these cultures establish trading posts and forts to protect them along the coast. Galle Fort, originally built by the Portuguese and subsequently enhanced by the Dutch and British who followed, is the best-preserved European fort in Asia. Now it is a tourist magnet that attracts an interesting mélange of visitors. The culture buff revels in the juxtaposition of one culture upon another in a faraway land; admirers of architecture enjoy seeing the fort’s ramparts and fortifications as well as the old buildings coming back to life after decades of neglect, now operating as hotels, shops, restaurants, and art galleries to keep the less specialised visitor equally entertained. For many decades, Galle Fort was forgotten and run down, but all it took was the foresight of a canny visionary to see the possibilities for one of the most historically significant locations in Asia.
Studiously restored and renovated to accommodate modern-day travellers, rooms and suites at Galle Fort Hotel envelop the guest in a sumptuous surroundings. The hotel became the darling of architectural magazines across the world and remains a beacon of inspiration in restoration of historical properties in Sri Lanka and beyond; people come from far and wide to witness what can be done with a big, old house and some imagination. 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 two-bedroom suite. The hotel’s dining room provides an ideal venue to enjoy the excellent food of Sri Lanka, where the various cultural influences have left their marks on the local cuisine. Although Steinberg has moved on to other projects, Galle Fort Hotel remains in the capable hands of another Australian, General Manager David Elgar, who oversees operations with refined expertise.
Though most closely and most obviously associated with its home country of Malaysia, Air Asia X offers Flatbed Class service to several destinations in Asia beyond Kuala Lumpur, Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo being one of them.
A gorgeous hotel, Galle Fort.
August 27, 2015Extracted from: SOMEWHERE. Unique – Online Magazine for Travel Inspiration.
Among the hotels in Galle, Galle Fort Hotel, a 17th Century Dutch residence, is in the heart of Galle, Sri Lanka. Galle, a former fortified town with a mix of Dutch, British and Sri Lankan architecture, is a UNESCO world heritage site and one of Sri Lanka’s principle tourist destinations.
The hotel has 12 rooms, 3 standard with verandas overlooking the garden, and 9 suites perfect also for families. All rooms are decorated with antique and contemporary furniture, four-poster beds and colonial-style details. Some suites are double storey and adorned with antique Chinese and South-East Asian elements.
The internal courtyard and the garden are ideal for reading a book, taking a tea with freshly baked tarts and the pool is perfect for lying under the sun, or take a swim. The hotel makes amazing fusion food, combining Sri Lankan specialties with Southeast Asian cuisine.
See More about best hotels in Galle: http://www.somewhere-unique.com/galle-fort-hotel/
Galle Fort Hotel in the top 5 best boutique hotels of Sri Lanka
September 15, 2014Reviewed by international newspaper The London Times
The Galle Fort Hotel, Galle Set within the 17th-century fortifications of Galle, this 11-room hideaway has a calm that attracts writers — including, recently, Paul Theroux and Alexander McCall Smith (who worked on one of his detective books in his room). The interiors have an elegant traditional look, with four-posters draped with white chiffon. The popular restaurant serves Chinese-Thai food. There’s a small swimming pool.
Details Galle Fort Hotel (gallefortehotel.com), from £126 for a double.
